Smoking Cured Sausages

[sdcaller]

Here in Ontario we are able to buy Oktoberfest sausages that are cured and frozen.

Has anyone tried smoking them after thawing?

What recipe or guidelines did you follow?

Thanks for the input.
SDC

[smokinmac]

I smoked a variety of fresh sausages a couple of weekends ago. I didn't do anything special, just arranged them on the racks and used mesquite at 225 for about 2 1/2 hours. I did smoke the entire time. the skin was a little crispy, which i like when they were done.

[rajzer]

If you are certain that they are cured, just follow the basic procedure, preheat smoker, (without smoke) to 130 and hang the sausage there for one hour, bring the the temp up to 170,  and smoke for a couple of hours until the internal temp reaches 152.  Reposition the sausage a couple of times during the process.  Tke sausage out when ready and dunk in an ice water bath for a few minutes. 

I would be very careful, if not entirely hesitant to smoke fresh non-cured store-bought sausages this way.  If you do make sure your smoker is preheated to its maximum, otherwise you have the risk of botulinum bacteria developing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botulinum_toxin

[Habanero Smoker]

If you are uncertain as to whether they are cured; pan frying one will easily let you know. After pan frying, the inside of a cured sausage should remain red, if the sausage has no cure the meat will be grayish.

[sdcaller]

Hey Rajzer
These are Schnieders Octoberfest Sausages, and I suspect you can probably buy them in BC as well?
The package clearly says they are cured. I usually just BBQ them but I thought now that I had the Bradley I would smoke some to see how they come out. I plan to do my first brisket on Monday and I thought I would put them in the smoker at the same time.

Hey Habanero
When I BBQ them they stay red inside. So this would clearly confirm "cured".
SDC

[rajzer]

"cured" is a term that can have many meanings.  Do the ingredients show that there are nitrites in the mix?  I rarely buy stuff from the big boys.  If I run out of my own products, I buy from a local sausage maker.

[Kahunas]

I smoked a variety of fresh sausages a couple of weekends ago. I didn't do anything special, just arranged them on the racks and used mesquite at 225 for about 2 1/2 hours. I did smoke the entire time. the skin was a little crispy, which i like when they were done.

This is what I do, I like fruit woods for everything.