Summer sausage and temp swings

[NJtuna]

I have 11 lbs of venison summer sausage in my #3 now. I started around 130° for 3 hours with  the Amazn pellets and the jerky fan on. 7 hours later I'm bouncing between 150°-185° without the fan on. My IT on the chubs are only at 135°. I'm concerned with these high temp swings that the 35% pork fat is going to render out and balloon the casings with fat. I tried moving them inside to my oven but that temp was going over 200. What can I do to prevent this from happening? Should I run the fan the whole time? Will it dry the sausage too much?

 

[NDKoze]

You should run for the first 2-3 hours with the fan OFF, then add the fan for the remainder of the smoke. If you don't have the fan on it will be way too moist of an environment and will end up steaming your sausage instead of smoking it and you will risk your casings not adhering to the meat.

The temp swings you are experiencing are normal. So, if you want to prevent the temps from going over 180, you should set the temp at 170 or so. 175-180 is about the max temp I would want the smoker temp at for summer sausage.

 

[NJtuna]

Thanks ND, I ran the smoker overnight, through most of the day! 26 hours and while at work had my father in-law pull them at 152° and ice bath. He hung them in the cold garage and after I got home from a 16 hour work day, I had the best summer sausage I ever ate! I was so nervous this was going to be a bust, but everything came out perfect. Still didn't reach my desired IT temp but I guess close enough. I'll be making another 12 lbs this weekend because this will be gone in a couple of days after sharing my prize sausage! Oh, I did run the fan for most of the cook too, so I'll do just as you suggest for the next batch.

 

[NDKoze]

Awesome! I'm glad it worked out.

Got any pics?

 

[Pork Belly]

Still didn't reach my desired IT temp

In my experience 150 is the temp for smoked sausage. Most kits and spice mikes say take them to 165 but I think that is for liability reasons. I always go 150.

Glad you had good final results. You would have been fine finishing in a 200 oven as long as you ice bathed at 150 IT. Back before my #3 and access to my Ole Hickory at work, we would rotate pounds of ring sausage through two small smokers and two gas ovens.