help

[Sailor]

Sailor;

With your PID and a hot plate, you can control the water in your pot very accurately. Just hook up your PID to a hot plate, place a pot of water on the plate, and carefully insert your probe into the water. I use a holder from a candy thermometer to hold my probe in place.

Now that is a gooder idear.  ;D

[Sailor]

I used to use the pot on the stove an only 1 time I had the fat shooting all over the house, learned the lesson and never left a pan after that, now I have the electric roaster and can just set the temp but still don't leave it alone, no problems since the mess we cleaned up from the fat. people didn't like the collagen casings as they felt they were to tough, read on here where someone used the water bathfor sticks, that's what I've been doing now and really has seemed to make a difference in the casing, or at least my toothless family members think so. I'm a lucky one my wife enjoys making the sausage with me but then does complain about doing all the clean up !!! Can't win em all. In my sort time of doing this I would always check a temp coming out of the smoker, constantly watch the water temp and more than 15-20 Min's in the water is way to long and your thermometer is probably not accurate. Viper you are right though it was fun watching the fat shoot it as far as it did till we cleaned it up.

Hey Cobra

You might really think about trying the cellulose casings.  I have now made two 10 pound batches of Kielbasa up using them and I am so happy.  They peel right off and do not take any meat off them and the skin is nice and smooth and has an very nice skinless texture.  I don't think I will every use the collagen casings again except for the snack stix.  I will be trying the cellulose on some dogs and if they come out like the basa then we will have a great skinless dog.

[viper125]

Well thanks everyone.Pretty much what i thought after talking to my wife about temps. But it really was my fault. I waited till just about 20 minutes before heating water. So tried to get to temp and balance it in a short time. If I would have done it correctly I think it would have been better to start water 1-2 hours a head of time maybe. Then start low and work up instead of the other way around. Just never in all my years have I messed up like that and wasn't sure. always finished in smoker or oven. But i'll try the water thing again and see. Seems like a way to safe a lot of time. Who knows if not i'll try like Hab said with the PID.
But got to say Im lucky to have a wife  like her.  She helps with grinding ,stuffing and any thing I need. Wont give my meat away either LOL. Hell she comes out drags brush,holds limbs and helps with the splitter when doing wood. She loves to work and help. Be lost without her.
Well thanks for all the responses.Thought for awhile I made some one happy. But again you all come through. Thank You.