Aprox time to smoke polish sausage

[jimmyb]

First time sausage maker here. Did one of those Hi Mt. kits. So all is going well so far I think. Got them in the smoker at about 9:10 AM. 120* for one hr. to dry.
Then 160* for 30 mins and start smoke rolling.
Bump temp to 180* and stopped smoke after 2 hrs.

It's now 11:30 and i caught a couple a little late at an IT of 160* and 161*. The other is around 153* and about to come out.

This all seems very quick to me. I have a total of 5 lbs in there so it's a small load. I read others cooking them for 10 and 20 hrs or so. I am using the Auber PID to measure cabinet temp and have measured the sausage in a couple of different spots with different probes. Sausage looks good but is this a legit concern? 

[3rensho]

When I smoke sausage I go by IT.  Every batch is individual.  Just keep box temp low enough that you don't render fat. 

[jimmyb]

Right, I go by IT as well. I just get concerned when others are smoking for 10+ hrs and mine is done in 2.

[Tenpoint5]

Yours probably finished faster than most due to the higher temps your using.
Usually run my sausage as follows
120 - 1 hr
130 - 1-2 depending on the smoke time
140 - 1-2 hr
150 - 1hr
160 - 1 hr or final IT
170 - to Final IT

Keep to the lower temps so as not to heat the outside of the sausage too high and render the fats out of the sausage. (Fat Out) Which will leave the sausage dry and tasting like sawdust.

[ghost9mm]

Everything Chris said...

[jimmyb]

Good to know. ere I was just following the instructions on the kit. I think the post pinned to this topic also says to bump to 180* until final IT. Hopefully I will be ok. All looks good so far. I will surely do this again with your recommended temps.

[Sailor]

What Nepas said.  Try to never get the cabinet temp over 175 max.  Anything over that and you are at risk of doing a Fat Out.  Been there and done it. 

[jimmyb]

All great info for my next attempt. I do think someone should update the "Sausage making A-Z" pinned to this topic so that people are not misguided. I started with this for my first shot and apparently should have done a little more research.

[photobyallen]

going to give this a try

[wetzel1977]

There is no exact time table, it's done when it's done can't rush smoking but 10.5's chart is a very good  guideline that is spot on what i do it's sort of text book from what i was taught from a older gentlemen that had took me under his wing but It all depends on the amount you  smoke at a time and the wheather outside if you are smoking outside and the smoker that you use as well.  Take notes like you are in school again it helps for next time and you will nail it. Good luck

[ratherbboating]

I made polish sausage last weekend and mine turned out on the dry side (texture like a snack stick).  I think two problems:
1.  cooked to fast (from comments above)
2.  not enough fat content (very lean pork), I raised the pig here on the farm (got most of him frozen in the freezer).
will try it again soon. going to look for some fat back to add this time to increase fat content.

Note to Tenpoint, I made the bacon.  Turned out good.  The slabs were 4.5 and 4.7 lbs each.

[Tenpoint5]

I made polish sausage last weekend and mine turned out on the dry side (texture like a snack stick).  I think two problems:
1.  cooked to fast (from comments above)
2.  not enough fat content (very lean pork), I raised the pig here on the farm (got most of him frozen in the freezer).
will try it again soon. going to look for some fat back to add this time to increase fat content.

Note to Tenpoint, I made the bacon.  Turned out good.  The slabs were 4.5 and 4.7 lbs each.

Cool Need to get some more myself.

[NePaSmoKer]

Try beef fat cut in. Poke renders faster = fat-out