Smokin Papa
New member
Did my first sausage links in my 5D after Christmas and had some issues I’m trying to understand. I think I might have figured out some factors, but need your help knowing if they are right or not. Will include some photos for visual reference.
Put sausages on 4 racks, spaced out racks to every other slot. Probe 2 (IT for meat) on top rack, probe 3 on 3rd rack down to track those temps. Had chunks of wood in firebox and loaded Bella half way. 2 weeks earlier on snack stick trial, couldn’t get Bella to stay lit. Put a big water/drip pan in lower section of smoker, 13” x 18” with a gallon of water.
Started a programed step smoke/cook: 120f, one hour to dry, up to 130f for one hour smoke, up to 140f one hour smoke, up to 150f for two hour smoke/cook, up to 170f til IT of sausage is 150f, then last step, shut off smoker. This time after the 1 hour dry, I was able to get Bella to light and stay lit (new better butane torch and wood chips), ran with maximum air flow. Forgot about the wood chunks in the firebox. When they started going, ended up double smoking the sausages.
All the steps working fine, the probes were off about 5 degrees from each other, probe 2 on higher rack was hotter. Got to the 170f til meat IT is 150f, and the meat was at 140f on probe 2, 136f on probe 3, and they just stayed there. It was like going into the stall for a brisket or pork butt. I let it go on and on thinking it will come out and temps will rise. Like a fool, I let it go thinking the water pan would help keep the casings soft.. or so. Upped temp to 175f, probe 2 hit 150f and smoker shut down. Probe 3 was at 146f at the end.
Problems I see or believe had a factor:
Smoker temperature sensor is near the top. A combination of the large water pan putting extra humidity in the smoker and I left the air pump running at maximum after Bella smoke stopped so it was blowing in cold air from the outside, could have kept a lower temperature where the sausages were in the smoker. Is that possible the reason the sausage temperatures couldn’t climb, humidity in the air and cold air being blown in? Casings were real tough and a bitter over smoke taste to them.. meat was just fine inside. Cut them into little pepperoni like slices. Taste ok with crackers and cheese.
Sorry was long, but would appreciate and help, understanding and planning for the future.
Put sausages on 4 racks, spaced out racks to every other slot. Probe 2 (IT for meat) on top rack, probe 3 on 3rd rack down to track those temps. Had chunks of wood in firebox and loaded Bella half way. 2 weeks earlier on snack stick trial, couldn’t get Bella to stay lit. Put a big water/drip pan in lower section of smoker, 13” x 18” with a gallon of water.
Started a programed step smoke/cook: 120f, one hour to dry, up to 130f for one hour smoke, up to 140f one hour smoke, up to 150f for two hour smoke/cook, up to 170f til IT of sausage is 150f, then last step, shut off smoker. This time after the 1 hour dry, I was able to get Bella to light and stay lit (new better butane torch and wood chips), ran with maximum air flow. Forgot about the wood chunks in the firebox. When they started going, ended up double smoking the sausages.
All the steps working fine, the probes were off about 5 degrees from each other, probe 2 on higher rack was hotter. Got to the 170f til meat IT is 150f, and the meat was at 140f on probe 2, 136f on probe 3, and they just stayed there. It was like going into the stall for a brisket or pork butt. I let it go on and on thinking it will come out and temps will rise. Like a fool, I let it go thinking the water pan would help keep the casings soft.. or so. Upped temp to 175f, probe 2 hit 150f and smoker shut down. Probe 3 was at 146f at the end.
Problems I see or believe had a factor:
Smoker temperature sensor is near the top. A combination of the large water pan putting extra humidity in the smoker and I left the air pump running at maximum after Bella smoke stopped so it was blowing in cold air from the outside, could have kept a lower temperature where the sausages were in the smoker. Is that possible the reason the sausage temperatures couldn’t climb, humidity in the air and cold air being blown in? Casings were real tough and a bitter over smoke taste to them.. meat was just fine inside. Cut them into little pepperoni like slices. Taste ok with crackers and cheese.
Sorry was long, but would appreciate and help, understanding and planning for the future.
