Good Morning! What to do??

Northwoods · December 07, 2010, 07:35:35 AM

Good morning everyone, I bought a OBS in August this year, and smoked a bunch of stuff with great success, thanks to your forum. Yesterday I decided to try Kielbasa, my first attempt at sausage making. Things were going great until the heating element burned out after the 130* drying period. So I called Bradley this morning, and they said they would send out a new element today. What can I do with the sausage? I'm hoping to freeze it and continue the process when the new element is here in a couple days. I used the recipe from the Kutas book. Temp outside this morning was 6*, but the OBS was only a little over half throttle at 130* when it burned out.
Hoping not to lose the sausage, any Ideas?
Thanks, Steve

SoCalBuilder · December 07, 2010, 08:41:30 AM

Stand by Steve, there are numerous experts who will undoubtedly be along soon. Good luck.

thirtydaZe · December 07, 2010, 08:45:58 AM

I don't have any ideas for you as I have never done sausage, but find it fascinating to read about yet another bum heating element.

seems to be quite a bit of it going on lately.

G-Guy · December 07, 2010, 09:11:53 AM

Ditto to that Thirtydaze

GusRobin · December 07, 2010, 09:46:30 AM

The experts can give you more input, but I think the main determinant would be if it included cure in the recipe. However, unless it is an expensive bottle of alcohol, my main philosophy is when in doubt throw it out. It is not worth getting yourself and loved ones sick, no matter how mild.

Northwoods · December 07, 2010, 10:03:39 AM

The recipe has cure #1, and dry milk included

RAF128 · December 07, 2010, 12:04:10 PM

Is you smoke generator still functioning? If so put a couple of hrs of smoke on the sausage, then take it into the house and put it in your oven. On you lowest setting heat it to 152. Give it an ice bath and then bloom. I'm no expert but that's what I'd do to save it.

Northwoods · December 07, 2010, 12:32:23 PM

The smoke generator still works. it kept the smoker about 64-65*. I'm going to try your idea, as the sausage is not yet totally frozen. I 'll thaw and smoke 4 Hrs, then into the oven at 170* (low as it goes) till 152* IT. We'll see what happens.
Steve

Northwoods · December 08, 2010, 05:38:45 AM

I went ahead and smoked the sausage 3 1/2 hrs on the smoke generator heat only. Into the 170* oven till 152* IT. Ice bath to 110*. Bloom 1 Hr. AWESOME!!!!!!
I was too worried about following the procedure precisely. The meat was in the danger zone for a while, but thats why we use cure, right? Anyway, thanks again to this forum, and another successful smoke.