Newbie - Smoke Question

[Rich_91360]

received new digital 6 rack yesterday and will season this evening.

When doing sausages this weekend, Italian Hot and Sweet (32-35 mn hog casings) and Breakfast Sausage (22-24 mm sheep casings) how long should they smoke for?  The majority of recipes I have reviewed give cook time or cook temp but not how long to smoke for?  Do not want to oversmoke but have no frames of reference.  Same is true if doing a whole chicken or whole turkey?  How do you decide. 

[FLBentRider]

received new digital 6 rack yesterday and will season this evening.

When doing sausages this weekend, Italian Hot and Sweet (32-35 mn hog casings) and Breakfast Sausage (22-24 mm sheep casings) how long should they smoke for?  The majority of recipes I have reviewed give cook time or cook temp but not how long to smoke for?  Do not want to oversmoke but have no frames of reference.  Same is true if doing a whole chicken or whole turkey?  How do you decide. 

It really depends on how much smoke flavor you like, and to some degree what flavor or smoke you use.

I would start small with 2 hours of smoke and work up from there. You can taste something and determine that is needed more smoke and still eat it, if you oversmoke it you might want to pitch it.

Here is a wood guide: http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?p=36#post36

Make sure you don't run the smoker with the vent closed.

[NePaSmoKer]

Like FLB said, leave vent open no less than 1/4. Keep some water in the pan and use between 3 to 6 pucks.  Most important when smoking any sausage use cure #1 when you mix the seasoning into the meat.

[Tenpoint5]

Like Nepas said if it doesn't have cure #1 in it don't smoke it. 2 hours of smoke shuold be plenty on sausages of that size.

[Rich_91360]

Thanks to all of you for providing some guidance.  Will start out with an hour and work from there and experiment.

[OU812]

Like 10.5 said, you need cure #1 if your goin to smoke them, 1 tea per 5 lb no more no less.