Meat Capacity of OBS??

[anderson5420]

OK, I did a 10 lb batch of Grandpa Jumbo's  Polish, which is about 16+ feet in casings (smoked sausage collagen).  I put 4 pieces in each of 4 racks.  When the sausages on the bottom rack hit 152 degrees, the sausages on the top rack were ~130 degrees.  That leads me to believe that 10 lbs is too much.  Guess I will go to 5 lb batches, any thoughts?  That just seems like too big a temperature differential between the bottom and top racks...

[KevinG]

I always rotate all my food, top to bottom, front to back, etc. that way there is even heat distribution.

[KyNola]

Full racks sometimes require rotating the racks for even cooking temps.  No big deal.

KyNola

[Hopefull Romantic]

Agree with Ky and Kevin.

HR

[squirtthecat]

Agreed.  With a big load like that, you have to move the racks around.   Or at the very least - down. (bottom rack gets done, slide the others all down one - repeat)

[pensrock]

Yep, 10 pounds in no problem but since the bottom racks are closer to the heating element you should rotate top to bottom/front to back every hour or so.

[Pachanga]

Anderson,

I will show my ignorance in the sausage area and give you my technique on 40 to 50 pounds of brisket (3 or 4 briskets in a six rack).

I monitor the temperature of the bottom meat rack with a chamber probe.  This is my smoking temperature.  The upper racks are not as hot.  the smoke cools as it passes by each successive brisket and the top chamber temperature is much lower.  I just continue to smoke as if I am only cooking one brisket on the bottom rack.  When that brisket reaches the desired temperature, I pull it out and move everything down one rack, repeating the process until the last brisket comes off.  I got tired of juggling racks and this works for me on brisket.  I find no difference in the first and last brisket to come off.

Translating to sausage, the top rack will have a slower temperature rise, but it will eventually hit the right temperature as it progressed down.  A unique property of the Bradley is you can discontinue the smoke at any time so all sausages can receive the same amount of smoke.  If this were to be applicable, it would save time, pucks and electricity.

Just a thought and may not translate to all of you sausage maestros needs and times. What do you think Pensrock, Squirt, HR, KyNola, KevinG?

I do not want to come across as a know it all or that I have a better method by posting the above.  I would like to learn something and understand your techniques and reasoning.

Good luck and slow smoking.

Pachanga

[KevinG]

Sounds like it might work, my only thought would be if the last sausage pulled might be too dry from sitting in there longer than the rest.

[Tenpoint5]

Sounds like it might work, my only thought would be if the last sausage pulled might be too dry from sitting in there longer than the rest.

It wont be because the heat level took longer to get to the desired temp. The meat shouldn't "dry out or fat out" unless you get to high of a temp in the sausage and melt all of the fats out of your sausage. This usually happens around the 170 degree mark. Which is why most sausage recipes have you hold at 160* cabinet temp. If you have summer sausage that tastes like sawdust that is what happend teh meat got too warm and fatted out.

[KyNola]

Pachanga,
Your method would work just fine.  I like the idea that you described better than juggling racks as I am prone to droppage.  Especially if there has been an adult hydration system put into use. :D

KyNola 

[Pachanga]

KyNola,

Now that you bring that up, I dropped and blew up an almost ready brisket juggling racks. 

My wife says that alcohol was a contributing factor.  I denied it at the time and am sticking to my story. Dogs, dogs, it was the dogs.  Oh, yeah, they are in the kennel.  Must have been a rabid coyote.  I am lucky to be alive.  Yeah, that's it, a coyote.

Good luck and keep the brews coming,

Pachanga

[pensrock]

You certainly can remove each rack as it come to temperature and as long as it did not get too hot in the smoker >160 degrees, all should come out just fine. I like to rotate so all the sausage comes out nearly the same time.