I noticed people use Hickory dowels for hanging sausage in their smokers, Does anyone know if oak dowels would be safe to use?
They should be safe as well.
I'm assuming that metal rods aren't used because they would get hotter and help cook whatever part of the sausage they come in contact with ???
Stainless rods would work fine. That's what Nepas uses in his. It's v-shaped.
Thanks guys, I was gonna do some polish sausage today but the wife decided I should smoke salmon. I guess I'll soak some salmon in brine and smoke on Sunday. Gotta keep the wife happy ;D
I use the metal bell shaped rods. The help cook the sausage at the upper levels.
I have oak dowels in my big smoker (the one NEPAs designed his after) and made some stainless V shaped ones for the Bradley. They both work well. The idea with the SS V shape is it will get hot and allow the sausage wrapped on top to get the same heat as the rest of the sausage. But I never had a problem using hardwood dowels.
The stainless versions like this (http://www.alliedkenco.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/1905?osCsid=c98ac18bab64892c219e57e5d2b01557) are available from a couple of places, Allied Kenco being one, Butcher & Packer (http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=31_208) being another. They are easily cleaned but they are more expensive than an oak dowel.
Ditto
The SS Bell shape smoke sticks work better. But if you have a hard wood dowel thats better than nothing.