Sausage Smokehouse Problems

[Staff]

Hello. I have been smoking sausage for about 8 years now. I have two
smokers that I have hand build, one is made out of an old refridge and the another is build out of wood studs, insulated and lined with 1/4" thick
plate aluminum with inside dimentions are 2' wide, 2' deep and about 6' tall (inside dimentions). The problem that I have been running into from the first time I used it, is that the sausage that I smoke in it takes a long time to get up to the needed inside temp of 150 deg. The heating element has
no problem getting the smoker up to temp (150-160) but the sausage takes a long time to smoke. The other smoker that I have (refridge) takes about 8-10 hours to get the sausage up to temp. This is the cook time that I would like. The other takes 12 somtimes 14 hours! This gives the sausage a bad smell/taste sometimes. I have a 4" vent tube on top with a few other vents on the bottom to get good air circulation. I have an external smoke generator that is connected to the main unit with a 4" tube. Any ideas......???

[Fatman]

Staff

I'm the wrong bloke to be replying to your problem as I have no experience in smoking, however in an attempt to assist, my view is that as you are using aluminium which as we all know is a great conductor of heat. It is taking all or most of your heat thus offering poor results . A wood only smoker I'm sure would be better , can you take away the aluminium?

Fatman

[Staff]

Thanks for the tip. Taking out the aluminum would require a lot of work
and demolition..! But I can try to cover it with wood (or other material) over the aluminum to try out if this would help. I believe that I am getting good air circulation through the smoker itself so your observation may be worth trying out. Does anyone have another suggestion? Thanks for the help!

[Parson Snows]

Typically the larger smoke houses (50 lb capacity and greater) are built using 22 gauge stainless steel on the inside wall and 24 gauge stainless steel on the outside wall, plus a 1-5/8� �A� board insulation, along with rubber gasket to keep the heat inside the unit, especially during the winter months.

The smaller ones (20 lb capacity and lower) are typically manufactured from textured aluminum exterior and interior with a galvanized bottom inside and a 1� �A� board insulation.

As you mention that the converted refrigerator performs well and the wood stud/aluminium one hasn't since day one I�m going to suggest that it�s because of the seal (or more lack of) on the wood stud/aluminium one that I would have a look at. I sounds to me that you are losing too much heat/smoke through the lack of a proper seal. Don't rip out any aluminium.

Hope that this is of some use to you

Kind regards

Parson nows

[Staff]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have it pretty sealed up good. I am going to try to insulate over the aluminum inside and try it again.

[Parson Snows]

From your figures it appears that the capacity of your smoke house is approximately 100 lbs. For this sort of size you should be looking at 1- 5/8 inch "A" board insulation.

Also for your information their is a section on this web site for smoking queries etc. "Smoking and Barbecuing"

Hope that this is of some use to you

kind regards

Parson Snows

[Saskman]

I had the same problem till I cut a vent hole in the smoking chamber I open it up 2 create a good amount of heat also are you running any type of regulator for the heating element I used a control out of an oven its working great.

[Parson Snows]

Staff wrote

I have a 4" vent tube on top with a few other vents on the bottom to get good air circulation. I have an external smoke generator that is connected to the main unit with a 4" tube.

So I don't think that this is the problem.

Though he doesn't mention that he has any regulator for the heating element he did state

The heating element has
no problem getting the smoker up to temp (150-160) but the sausage takes a long time to smoke

I still think that the insulation used is inadequate for the temperatures/purpose.

kind regards

Parson Snows