Sausage Smokehouse Problem

Staff · December 10, 2004, 02:45:13 PM

Hello. I have been smoking sausage for about 8 years now. I have two
smokers that I have hand build, one is made out of an old refridge and the another is build out of wood studs, insulated and lined with 1/4" thick
plate aluminum with inside dimentions are 2' wide, 2' deep and about 6' tall (inside dimentions). The problem that I have been running into from the first time I used it, is that the sausage that I smoke in it takes a long time to get up to the needed inside temp of 150 deg. The heating element has
no problem getting the smoker up to temp (150-160) but the sausage takes a long time to smoke. The other smoker that I have (refridge) takes about 8-10 hours to get the sausage up to temp. This is the cook time that I would like. The other takes 12 somtimes 14 hours! This gives the sausage a bad smell/taste sometimes. I have a 4" vent tube on top with a few other vents on the bottom to get good air circulation. I have an external smoke generator that is connected to the main unit with a 4" tube. Any ideas......???

BigSmoker · December 10, 2004, 03:00:15 PM

Are you applying smoke the entire 12-14 hrs?

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

Staff · December 10, 2004, 03:13:21 PM

No. I usually put smoke on the product for about 5-6 hours. This is what turns out to be a good time in my other smoker. I dry the casings first (for about an hour at 130) and then turn up the heat to 155 and apply smoke.

BigSmoker · December 10, 2004, 05:36:18 PM

Other than time do you follow the same procedure for both smokers?

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

Staff · December 10, 2004, 06:12:02 PM

Yes, I follow the same type of proceadures. The only differance that I can think of is that the refrigerator has sheel metal interior and the larger smoker that I built, I used 1/4" aluminum plate to line the entire interior. On another forum that I was on, (Sausagemaking.org) it was suggested that I cover the aluminum with wood or some type of insulation so the heat transfer though the 1/4" aluminum plate will be minumized. I though this would be something to try, so I bought a roll of the reflectix insulation and I am going to line the inside today and smoke a batch of polish Saturday. The weird thing is that I can get the smoker up to temp (150-160) that I use to smoke polish, but the sausage seems to "stall" out at 130 (inside temp of polish) for many hours. I think then I get the fat melting situation and the sausage does not turn out well. Any other sugestions? Have you heared of this thing happening before? I have also played around with adding more heat with a propane heater and also played around with air flows with fans and larger/smaller dmapers. I'M CONFUSED....!!!!

BigSmoker · December 10, 2004, 06:56:23 PM

Have you smoked anything else in the smoker other than sausage?
The wood you used to build the smoker was it treated wood?

BTW, Until I got a definitive answer I wouldn't waste my sausages in the wood smoker.

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

Oldman · December 11, 2004, 11:23:32 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I have an external smoke generator that is connected to the main unit with a 4" tube.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

First, What type of generator are you using? Next you said:
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">....is build out of wood studs, insulated and lined with 1/4" thick
plate aluminum with inside dimentions are 2' wide, 2' deep and about 6' tall (inside dimentions). <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ok what type of insulation? What is it R rating? What have you sealed the outside of this box with? A refrigerator is a dual wall item that is highly insulated and as such will require less energry to maintain a heat level than many home-made boxes.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">on, (Sausagemaking.org) it was suggested that I cover the aluminum with wood or some type of insulation so the heat transfer though the 1/4" aluminum plate will be minumized.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I would not do this as the aluminum is not the problem. In fact in this case it is a friend. Aluminum will evenly spread the heat through out the box from one end to the other without any hot spots.

I got a feeling that your new box has bigger smoking area than the refrigerator you are using, while all along not have enough insulation and/ or not enough calories of engery. I get this from the fact that you say your new box will come up to temp fast enough, but once loaded it"stall" out at 130 degrees. This says you either don't have a great enough R factor, have not sealed the outside of the box, or your heat source is of too low a wattage to handle your box when loaded.

A basic box should consist of the following:
1.) An air tight outside wall
2.) Insulation with a high R value
3.) An air tight inside wall
4,) Given the size of this box I would think you need at least a 1200 watt heating unit. (What is the wattage of your unit?)

As I've said here before...if it is out there I've owned it, made it or stole it. I've been smokin' foods now close on to 44-45 years. I believe if you will step back and look your box over and give some thought as to my reply you will find the solution to your problem.

On a side note my Grandfather came from Poland, and your following statement is a reinforcement of something I have preached not only here but all of my life when it comes to polish sauage:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">This gives the sausage a bad smell/taste sometimes.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

And that is there is a difference between doing a pulled-pork and refined smokin'. It does not take but one part of this equation to be just a little out of line and you have ruined what should have been a fine sauage. I believe your box is just out of balance.
Olds

http://rminor.com

BigSmoker · December 11, 2004, 04:00:27 PM

Olds,
I was going to say all that(LOL, LOL) but felt someone else should have an opportunity to voice an opinion as well.

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

BigRed · December 11, 2004, 04:31:35 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by BigSmoker
 Olds,
I was going to say all that(LOL, LOL) but felt someone else should have an opportunity to voice an opinion as well.

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

Jeff!

If Olds can figure out the smoke box problem like he did let's put him in the White House for 30 days so he can fix what ales us!

Olds,

Wow! I don't have a smoking issue like what was discribed but I sure did learn alot from your explanation of what could be the problem with the woooden smoker.Thanks! All my grand parents came from Poland and there is nothing better than to belch garlic two days after eating great home made polish sausage. I intended to try my hand at some soon but am having issues trying to find the right casings.

BigRED

Staff · December 11, 2004, 06:52:52 PM

Olds,
Thank you for the advise and questions. The "gernerator" that I use is a metal box connected to the main smoker with a 4" tube. The metal box is accually a large mail box that I put a heating element in to smoke the sawdust in a pan. The mailbox has vent holes cut in in it to allow air flow through the mail box into the main smoker. I can adjust the temp of the main smoker and the mailbox heating element to to get smoke.

The smoker has walls that are 4" thick packed with fiberglass insulation. I'm not sure what the r value is but the outside of the smoker does not feel warm anywhere. The inside of the smoker is then lined with the 1/4" aluminum and sealed at every joint with hi-temp silicon caulking. I don't think that I am losing any heat through the walls. There is 3/8" plywood plus siding on the outside of the smoker.

I am having no ploblem getting the smoker up to temp. I usaly set it at 155 deg. The heating element (i have two in it) has a total wattage of 1800 watts..

The weird thing is that the internal temp of the polish seems to get up to around 130 deg and then take a long time to continue up to the 150 deg mark that I want. The whole time that this is happening the smoker temp is holding at 155 deg that I have it set at. I have a temp controller that controls the temp in the smoker with thermocouple feedback to a digital display. I am a electrical tech during the days that I go to work. ( I would rather be making sausage though...!)

I am smoking about 30 pounds of chedder brats in the smoker today. I lined the inside yesterday with refectix insulation. The smoker is acually behaving a little different from before. The temperatures of the brats are heating at a better rate than before I lined it. I'll see how it works out, the brats should be done around 4 or 5:pm. We'll see.......

I would love to show you some pictures of the smoker. How do I post the poictures? I have a lot of work/time/money into this unit and I would like to get it to work the way I want to. Maybe some pictures would help to have you give more advice.

BigSmoker · December 11, 2004, 07:24:31 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by BigRed
All my grand parents came from Poland and there is nothing better than to belch garlic two days after eating great home made polish sausage. I intended to try my hand at some soon but am having issues trying to find the right casings.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
BigRed,
Check this link they have lots of casings. HTH
http://www.yeagerspice.com/CYCasngP4.htm

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

Oldman · December 12, 2004, 01:49:52 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Check this link they have lots of casings. HTH<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
If BigRed and I are from the same school then we both have the same issue with casings.

Years back you could get sheep casings in 32mm and plus. Today the sheep are not allowed to get that big. Using hog casing is like putting the toilet paper on the outside of the bathroom door.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">The weird thing is that the internal temp of the polish seems to get up to around 130 deg and then take a long time to continue up to the 150 deg mark that I want. The whole time that this is happening the smoker temp is holding at 155 deg that I have it set at.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The more calories of engery an item accepts then a greater level of calories are required to get to the next level of heat. Seeing how your item is already at 130 degress (calories) and the box is only 25 degrees greater in "calories" of engery I can see why it is taking so long to finish your "cook."

Think of this as water on the floor. When you place a paper towel on it the towel has a big sucking sound~~! However, as the towel's level of water begins to equal that of what is on the floor then you have to take into consideration equilibrium, and it's slowing effect at that point. I'm not going to suggest how you smoke your sauage. I do smoke mine at a starting temp. of 180 then drop it to 170-175 F. I pull mine around 155-160 F.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I would love to show you some pictures of the smoker. How do I post the poictures? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

E-mail your pictures to me and I will host them for you. I will then send to you the complete code so you can post them--copy/ paste.
([email protected])

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I lined the inside yesterday with refectix insulation. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

This sounds like a plan. I take it you removed the old insualtion and replaced it with the reflective. That will certainly help much-o. I know I have a seamless metal roof with reflective insulation under it.
Olds

http://rminor.com

Staff · December 12, 2004, 03:28:16 PM

Olds,

I guess that I have never smoked my sausage at the higher temps that you are suggesting. I usually start by drying the susage in the smoker at 130 deg and then (after about an hour or so) I turn up the temp to 155-160 and add a heavy smoke. The sausage smokes and "cooks" at this temp until the internal temp of the sausages reached 150. Maybe the bigger smoker has a different temp profile inside and I should try and do it at a higher temp. The brats that I did yesterday turned out good. They took about 11 hours. I normally see them done in the other smoker in about 8-10. It seems that the insulation that I added helped a little??? I don't know...!!?? Next weekend I am doing more sausage and I will try and experiment with higher temps. Today I am smoking summer sausage and hot sticks in the smaller refridge smoker. I am trying jalapeneo peppers in the summer sausage (first time!) I think I may have added too much though, hopefully my brother-in-law likes hot stuff! All the different suasages that I make is out of venison. Check out my web site at:

www.staffsmeat.com

Thanks for the help.

Oldman · December 12, 2004, 03:45:33 PM

Staff,

I'm glad you have joined our group here. I sure from your postings that you will bring much to the table concerning sauage.

When you got nothing else to do one day, how about sitting down and doing a step by step in how you do your sauages. Types of casings, sizes, seasonings, dwell time, etc. I know that many here, including myself would like to read what you have to say.

Olds

EDIT: Staff, I just went to your home page....what a hoot you are~~! LOL! Here have a couple on me!

http://rminor.com

Cold Smoke · December 12, 2004, 03:54:19 PM

I'll second that motion...[;)]

Cold Smoke