smoked sausage salvage
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 6:09 pmMade a batch of 2 1/2" logs all pork with a commercial "hunters blend" seasoning packet for fresh sausage and added cure #1 since I was smoking.
For a variety of reasons it took me about 9 hours to get to IT 153, the last 4-5 hours bumped the temp up to 170-180ish (a lot of swing in my smoker rheostat control). Took 2-3 hours to climb the last 5-7 degrees. Had 2 probes, one for meat and one for smoker temp. It was late so called it at 153 and cooled off the logs by just removing them from the smoker as outside temps were in the teens. There were 5 logs total and the second rack of three was nearly touching the 2 logs on the rack above. I had the probe in one of the top logs. As they were cooling I noticed the bottom three logs seemed to be noticeably cooler than the other two. By the time I figured this out the top logs were an IT of 116-117 and the bottom logs were 110-111 IT, a difference of 5-7 degrees IF they cooled at the same rate. IF they cooled at the same rate the bottom logs would have reached an IT of 146-148. It was late and they had cooled considerably so putting them back in the smoker or water bathing was not an option.
I'm feeling pretty good about the top logs, but the bottom logs make me a bit "nervous" even though they were fairly warm for a long period of time (pasteurization??).
Going to examine the logs tonight and if the suspect logs seem "done" in the middle was thinking of slicing and freezing, but frying the slices before eating to salvage the logs?
What would you do and\or does this option seem "safe".
For a variety of reasons it took me about 9 hours to get to IT 153, the last 4-5 hours bumped the temp up to 170-180ish (a lot of swing in my smoker rheostat control). Took 2-3 hours to climb the last 5-7 degrees. Had 2 probes, one for meat and one for smoker temp. It was late so called it at 153 and cooled off the logs by just removing them from the smoker as outside temps were in the teens. There were 5 logs total and the second rack of three was nearly touching the 2 logs on the rack above. I had the probe in one of the top logs. As they were cooling I noticed the bottom three logs seemed to be noticeably cooler than the other two. By the time I figured this out the top logs were an IT of 116-117 and the bottom logs were 110-111 IT, a difference of 5-7 degrees IF they cooled at the same rate. IF they cooled at the same rate the bottom logs would have reached an IT of 146-148. It was late and they had cooled considerably so putting them back in the smoker or water bathing was not an option.
I'm feeling pretty good about the top logs, but the bottom logs make me a bit "nervous" even though they were fairly warm for a long period of time (pasteurization??).
Going to examine the logs tonight and if the suspect logs seem "done" in the middle was thinking of slicing and freezing, but frying the slices before eating to salvage the logs?
What would you do and\or does this option seem "safe".