First Time Smoking

[Meat]

I hope to make some smoked venison sausage in the coming weeks. I've been doing a lot of reading, but I have a few questions.

1. I bought pink salt a few years ago -- should I assume it's still good to use?

2. Can I make/stuff the sausage one day and then hold it overnight in the fridge before smoking it?

3. Any tips on using a Weber Bullet Smoker for smoking sausage?

Thanks!

[Tasso]

About the pink salt, see Cure #1 turned white and Product Shelf Life. I have pink salt that is four years old, and it seems to be as fully active as ever. If you've kept it sealed and completely free of moisture, it's probably fine. It lasts a long time. If in doubt, buy fresh.

With the caveat that I'm a very much a novice and not at all knowledgeable when it comes to making sausage, most recipes and/or processes for smoked sausages that I've encountered say to hang them in the fridge or in the smoke house overnight to let the casings dry before smoking them.

[NCPaul]

It's tricky trying to keep the temperatures down in a WSM. I would try a very small charcoal pile and some water in the bowl. Keep the top vent open and pinch the bottom three down.