Can I Smoke Fresh Kielbasa from store and not worry about getting sick?

[geauxtger]

I have been reading that smoking sausage can potentially make you sick, unless it contains nitrates. I'd like to buy store made, fresh kielbasa for my smoker... is this safe?

[deb415611]

Welcome geauxtgr!

Yes you can hot smoke it and it will be safe.  I wasn't sure of exact temperature so I found this post from Hab's  :  http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10104.msg108745#msg108745

Deb

[NePaSmoKer]

Yes you can. Just watch the heat, To high will cause a fat-out of the sausage, too low and you will be asking for trouble.

Try a temps between 160-225* Using a temp probe is usful here to check the IT of the sausage.

nepas

[warba]

Welcome geauxtger !

The concern with low temperature smoking (where product is between 40-140 F) is botulism poisoning, although it is very rare. Between these temperatures the botulism spores produce a nerve toxin and if the amount of toxin gets high enough it can cause sickness and death.

To counter this, most cured/smoked sausage include a very small amount of Sodium Nitrite (not Nitrate.. that is entirely different); this is included in "Pink Salt" or "Salt Cure's" such as Cure #1 and similar products. Even in these products, they are about 94% regular salt and only about 6% sodium nitrite.

If your fresh kielbasa includes sodium nitrite, you are OK; but if not, you have to decide how much concern you have for the low-chance that the 6 hours it will take your sausage to get an internal temperature above 150F will cause problems. As others have mentioned, the faster you get your sausage out of the "danger zone" of 40-140F, the better, so a hotter smoke is preferable.. but remember that it is the temperature inside of your sausage that matters, not the temperature of your smoker. The first batch of sausages I did with my Bradley I had set to 180F and they took 6 hours to get up to an internal temp of 150F.

I'm sure everyone has their own tolerance for "chance"; my cooking background is from foodservice and commercial restaurants, and in that business you can't afford to kill anyone  :P  so I personally wouldn't smoke a sausage at low temp unless I knew there was nitrite in it, even though the chances of a problem are very low - but I'm sure the there are people who never ever add nitrite and have smoked for years without a problem.

Just a final note; "nitrates" (as opposed to nitrites) are used for dry cured sausages that hang for a long time to ferment and develop flavor. The nitrate slowly breaks down into nitrite and so ensures there is a long lasting supply of nitrite in the sausage to prevent botulism over the weeks these sausages cure.

[NePaSmoKer]

Fresh sausage is meant to be cooked, refrigerated or frozen right away. Store bought fresh sausage contains very little or no cure. Cure is needed in sausage that will be smoked or dry proccessed.

Cure #1 or Insta Cure is for smoked sausage above 140*

Cure #2 is for dry curing usually with a 60% RH enviroment and temps below 140*

nepas

[Habanero Smoker]

As Deb has pointed out, you should keep your cabinet temperature at least 225°F (higher is better), and the food will be safe to eat. The internal temperature of the sausage will reach at least 140°F in a very safe amount of time. Again you need to make sure the cabinet temperature is at least 225°F. Smoking/cooking this way they are meant to be served immediately, as if you have pan fried, or grilled them.

You do not want to cook your sausage with other foods like chicken, or brisket, or butts. Cooking them with other foods will slow the heat recovery of your cabinet and you will not obtain the safe 225°F quickly enough. Also you don't want to overload the smoker, with will also slow heat recovery. Cook them until they reach 150°F, or to your desired doness. You can also finish them on the grill.

When you get in the range of 225°F; these temperatures are not technically hot smoking, but barbequing temperatures.

[Smokin Soon]

When my stock of home made sausage runs out and I use store bought I will cold smoke and finish on the grill. Sometimes I use the "brat meathod" and and brown and finish in a pan with beer and onions.

[NePaSmoKer]

This link shows my fresh sausage smoking. I did bump the heat to 195* No need for 225* heat thats low and slow bbq temp not good for sausage smoking.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10204.0


nepas

[Caribou]

Hi Everyone,
Could one use wood chips with their charcoal in a BBQ to get safe cooking temps and wood smoke flavor at the same time?
:-\
Carolyn

[NePaSmoKer]

Hi Everyone,
Could one use wood chips with their charcoal in a BBQ to get safe cooking temps and wood smoke flavor at the same time?
:-\
Carolyn

Yes

I use my spent Bradley pucks, chips and pellets on charcoal. Works great.

nepas