Thread: Sausage and Smoke Cooking

Only thing you will sacrifice by going hot those first couple hours is the smoke ring and penetration of same. As I understand.
FDA/CFIA do recommend as Paul has done on this brisket, but seasoned pitmaster prolly would not.
By the end of the cook, all bacterial loading is rendered inactive if you are pulling your brisket at or above 200’ core temp, but the smoke penetration only occurs below 150’ or so.
Once you take your meat up beyond that, the outer skin and bark is somewhat set and the smoke cant get in as easily.
I accidentally took a brisket up to 300 for the first few hours when I tried a ‘bellows’ auto blower control on my kanayama grill. The unit would not maintain a low setting and by the time I gave up and pulled it off, the cook temp had gotten up to 300 and if you have an egg type grill you will know how hard it is to bring your temp back down when you over shoot.
ANyway, that was a delicious, tender brisket still, but there wasn't the smoke penetration and mouth feel I was accustomed to from the low slow way I normally do a brisket. Tasted almost like a prime rib roast.
I’m sure there is a personal preference aspect to it as well, not to mention the legal aspects the Gov agencies must abide by.But to me, I defer to how I was taught, and how the bulk of southern pit people seem to prepare their briskets.
Hope the meal is a grand success Paul and congrats on the graduation!

My wife has a digestive condition that prohibits her from eating spicy hot things and strongly smoked meats so I purposely crust or wrap mine early. At least that way I get to use my smoker AT ALL.I was going to wrap it in banana leaves but the trees have not yet regrown from being killed back this year. I used foil instead. I don't even know where to get butcher paper.

Threw some bird in the smoker.





Plated with some Brussels sprouts.

Weather was good so a lil pre mom’s day treat. Frenched rack o lamb done on the smoker till an internal of 125 was hit, then seared on the Weber till nice and crispy.
Started with a garlic rosemary lemon evo blend and marinated it a few hours.


I always forget to wrap my bones and they char up.

Snow peas sautéed in garlic and butter, and a Greek salad side.
Not a bad meal for a Saturday night, and tomorrow will be tomahawk steaks and shrimp skewers off the kamado.
Cheers gents. Spoil the mothers in your life while you can.

And tonight’s fare


Did up one of the 45 day aged striploins for a lil head to head taste test. Consensus was it was even better than the hawks!
Crazy how tiny it looks beside the tomahawks too.
All so good though. And buddy gets a treat as well.

Cheers gents, hope the weekend grub was good.

Some super garlic-y and cayenne flavored cured pork sausage, some cured pork "ham" chunks and a couple of pork bones. I cold smoked the sausage and pork chunks for about 5 hours, then threw in the charcoal basket to bring everything up to temp. I am planning on using most it for flavoring beans and soups maybe some fried rice.

The local Chef's Store had pork bellies on sale for $2.55 a pound I picked up one that weighed right at 12.5 lbs. I've posted the before and after before so I won't bore you. However it was a little bit on the fatty side, not too much in the meat area but on the end. So I went ahead and cured it then I squared the bacon up and removed most of the excess fat.





I cut it to small cubes and then placed it in the oven to render down.



Not bad for just a little work. The large jar was about 1/4 full when I started.

It's Jerky Time!

I happened to look at the Chef Store and they had beef bottom eye of round on sale for $3.39 a lb but it was the last day so I hurried down and grabbed one. Out of the bag it weighed right at 6 pounds. After removing the fat and the silver skin it weighed right at 5 pounds.

I sliced it in half and got out the slicer and sliced it about 1/8" (Mike how I envy you and that nice commercial slicer). I had to partially freeze it but I got it done. I then sliced it into smaller strips.

I mixed up the brine and in marinade it went. After it was well mixed into the bag it went overnight.

I put it on the racks and I let it dry for about two hours than I applied smoke for another 2 1/2 to 3 hours and then started the actual drying into jerky. What was 5 lbs of raw meat became 2.5 lbs of very tasty jerky.

Damn that looks delicious, great job.

Thanks, it does take time but we all know that Good Things Come To Those Who Wait.