# Summer sausage cook time?



## Jimw

We pit about 30lbs of summer sausage into 2 smoker this morning at 10am. It's now 8 oclock at night and the internal temp is only at 141. It seems like it's been at 141 for 2 hours now. We followed all the directions on ramping up the temp. The smokers are set at 180 now and have been for the past 6 hrs. Anyone have a guess on how long it's going to take to get to 156 internal temp? This is our first time making summer sausages and we don't have a clue.. Thanks!


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## Michael Wagner

Raise your smoker temps to 225-235. I usually do 10 lbs at a time (10- 1 lb rolls) get my temps to 225-235 and go for 5 hrs.


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## Kennybks

Try closing the damper down a little Jim.


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## Jimw

I've been thinking about cranking the temp up, but everywhere I read it says 180, I'm just afraid of screwing up 10 3lb rolls.


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## eyeball

That's a stall, pork is known for it. After a few hours @ 180 for smoke you'll be fine next time to bump it up the temps up.


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## maddiedog

There's a lot of product in there so it takes a while. They're smoked so bump up the heat and finish the cook. Make sure the ones nearest the burner aren't getting toasted.


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## Jimw

Raise the temp to that 225-235 Mike is talking about?


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## Jimw

Turned it up to 200 and the internal temp came up pretty quick. We did half original and half jalapeño. They both turned out awesome! It seems like it was a pretty good way to. Lean out the freezer. We used venison, sea ducks, divers, and goose.


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## Jimw




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## bheary

Looks really good! What recipe did you use?


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## maddiedog

Let those babies chill for a few days and they will firm up nice. I can't stand mushy sausage.


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## Jimw

They where hi mountain seasoning kits we got up at Frank's.


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## eyeball

Jimw said:


> They where hi mountain seasoning kits we got up at Frank's.


That's what I use, they're hard to beat ! I leave mine rest in the beer fridge for a week or so. That firm up nice.


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## Gamekeeper

If the sausages are stuck to the wrapper, or are crumbly around the edges, they got too hot. The fat melts away from the heat.
They look good to me.
Did you ice bath them to stop the cooking?

When I put them in the fridge on racks the air circulation dries them up a bit, but too long and you're making leather. Massive moisture loss.
Better to bag and freeze after a couple days of air drying in refrigerator.

They last longer that way too.


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## Jimw

I did ice bath them when I pulled them, when I get home tonight I think I'm going to cut the logs into thirds, vacuum seal them and put them I the freezer. How long will they realistically last in the freezer?


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## Gamekeeper

In vac bag, more than a year. In a freezer bag they start to dry out after a couple months.
I plastic wrap, then 2 gal ziplocks and eat it year round, though by mid summer it's usually gone.

As you figured out, 3" sausages are a pita to get cooked in a timely fashion. Lots of guys smoke em, then oven them to cut the time.
I really like Lem's Trail bologna in 2" sticks. Out of my smoker 2" sausages cook the best.

I can't get a pic to work on this tablet, but the skin pulls away a bit as the sausage losses some moisture in the freezer.


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## tgafish

I go through 60-90lbs per year. I'm assuming they would last a couple of years frozen but I've never had them last longer than a couple months


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## Quack Addict

When I'm making larger sausages or can't wait out a stall, I poach them in a tall pot on my stove to get to the right temp and then give them the ice bath in a 5 gallon bucket. After taking them out of the ice bath, I age them in my garage fridge (turning occasionally) until the skin starts to wilt. It works for me.


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## Jimw

Thanks for the info guys! They probly won't last long.


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## Papa Greco

I'm glad it worked out. I do mine in a 2.75" fibrous casing with the heat set at between 165-170 for about 14 hours. I'll vacuum pack them immediately and then refrigerate them. That way I don't have to worry about the casings getting wet and having to over dry before packing them. I go with the low temperature and the long cook time because I use very lean meat - usually about 95% lean. With the long and slow cooking it doesn't get crumbly, the meat stays moist, and I don't have any melted fat pooled up in the casing. I use my own seasoning, Papa Greco's.

Mike (Papa) Greco
www.papagrecos.com


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