Smoked some chicken and bratwurst this weekend...

[Smokin Joe]

Hello all...

This weekend I used my Bradley for the first time and did some chicken and bratwurst...it came out amazing.  Had to fight off the crowd with my knife and fork...

Only question I have is how do you prevent the sausages from looking less than pleasant.  They were incredibly tasty, but not so pretty to the eye.  Kind of dark and ugly to be honest.  Also, the skin on the chicken was beautiful, but slightly rubbery.  

Cooked both meats at 220 for about 4 hours using maple on the brats, and special blend on the chicken.

Any suggestions??

Thanks,
Smokin Joe
//www.carolinesrub.com

[Bassman]

Joe
Were the brats burnt? Were the casings all wrinkled? Maybe they were over cooked.I've smoked sausage before but never had that happen.

<i><font color="blue"><b>Jack</i></font id="blue"></b>

[Smokin Joe]

I don't think they burned and the casings weren't wrinkled.  They were just extremely dark.  Still moist and juicy inside though.

I cooked to an internal of 160F...used a dual probe thermometer to monitor interior of smoker as well as interior of meat.



Smokin' Joe Johnson
Caroline's Rub - Fine Spice Creations
//www.carolinesrub.com

[jaeger]

Smokin,
If you are using a fresh brat, IMHO I would use the charcoal grill.(or gas grill). You should try a fully cooked "Smoked" brat or natural casing wieners on the bradley with the smoke on the whole time you reheat them. Should only take about 1/2 hour for wieners, maybe 1 hour for brats.
Quick, Easy, Tasty!!![:D][:)]

A "Cooked Brat" or Fresh Brat does not contain cure or sodium nitrite. A fully cooked "Smoked Brat" purchased in the store is made with nitrite. It will almost always have some beef included in the meat block (ingredients). The beef and the nitrite are going to be the most important factors in giving the sausage a nice red/pink look to it (like the color you expect in Summer Sausage). A "Cooked Brat"
is cooked using either boiling water, but usually just a high humidity setting in a smokehouse with No Smoke. The meat is going to look more of a white or brown color after it is reheated or cooked. It will not be pink like a smoke sausage/brat.
  IMHO a Fresh/Cooked Brat should have more of a grilled/charcoal flavor to it. With a Smoked Brat/Sausage or Natural Casing Wiener, Pour on the Smoke!!![:p][:p][:p]

[Smokin Joe]

Excellent, thank you Jaeger...

I am going to have to go out this weekend and give it another shot using your tips...

Much appreciated![:D]

Smokin' Joe Johnson
Caroline's Rub - Fine Spice Creations
//www.carolinesrub.com