Smoking butcher made sausages

[smokehawk]

Hey everyone,

I was planning on smoking some andouille and demayo sausages I bought at a local butcher but I'm nervous about the cure posts I'm seeing.  They are already done and in casings so do I just proceed to dry and then smoke?  Any help here is appreciated!

[Habanero Smoker]

If they don't have a cure containing sodium nitrite, your only safe option is to smoke/cook at a temperature of 200°F; without a drying period. The USDA recommends a cabinet temperature of no less then 225°F, but in Marianski's books he states it is safe to smoke uncured sausages at 180°F. I feel 200°F is a happy median, but choose which temperature is best for you. Cooking the sausage this way, it is generally best to eat immediately. Another options is to apply the amount of smoke you want and transfer them to a high heat source, such as a grill or frying pan, to finish cooking; and serve immediately.

You may want to check with your butcher to see if he had added sodium nitrite. Sometimes sodium nitrite is added to achieve a particular flavor.

[NePaSmoKer]

Ditto with Habs

[smokehawk]

Excellent, thank you!

[smokehawk]

Thank you for the tips!  They turned out great!  I will be repeating it soon!