Sausage and.... shrinkage

sincitydisciple01 · Jun 25, 2013

I'm going to be smoking some fresh sausage on the drums this weekend for an upcoming 4th of July get together. There's a mom and pop sausage shop here in KC and there stuff is amazing off of the smoker. One question though... Every time I cook it (very low and very slow) by the time it has been on the counter to cool, the casings begin to shrivel from the expansion during cooking. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent such shrinkage? It the end, it may not matter for this particular smoke because I'll be freezing and then re-heating a few days. But just wondering if there's a step I'm missing. thanks!

cpw · Jun 25, 2013

Good question...I haven't been able to successfully smoke sausage without the same problem.

CharredApron · Jun 25, 2013

Take them hot off the grill to a Ice Water Bath. That will prevent the shrinkage!
Tried and true!
Jed

sincitydisciple01 · Jun 25, 2013

Hometruckin said:
Take them hot off the grill to a Ice Water Bath. That will prevent the shrinkage!
Tried and true!
Jed

How long in the bath?

dajogejr · Jun 25, 2013

There are some differences in opinion, but ice bath until internal temps reach 100 to 120 internal.

Q Junkie · Jun 25, 2013

Putting my sausage in an ice bath has ALWAYS caused shrinkage.

Weird huh?

WineMaster · Jun 25, 2013

sincitydisciple01 said:
How long in the bath?

15 min or so if the water is icee cold. also helps stop the cooking process and solidify the fat

legendaryhog · Jun 25, 2013

sincitydisciple01 said:
I'm going to be smoking some fresh sausage on the drums this weekend for an upcoming 4th of July get together. There's a mom and pop sausage shop here in KC and there stuff is amazing off of the smoker. One question though... Every time I cook it (very low and very slow) by the time it has been on the counter to cool, the casings begin to shrivel from the expansion during cooking. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent such shrinkage? It the end, it may not matter for this particular smoke because I'll be freezing and then re-heating a few days. But just wondering if there's a step I'm missing. thanks!

What is the KC shop? I may have to try. Local Pig? These guys are correct about the casing shrinkage in this thread too. Dipping them in a water bath will relax the casing back into it normal shape.

WineMaster · Jun 25, 2013

IMO, I think most Casing shrinkage with deep wrinkles is a by by product of cooking too hot. you can render 1/4 inch in and get it pretty bad. I like sneeking up on the temps real slow.

sincitydisciple01 · Jun 25, 2013

legendaryhog -

Krizman's House of Sausage over in KCK. Super nice folks. They provide the polish for a handful of the BBQ joints in KC. They also have a BBQ (mild and hot) pork sausage that's REALLY good. I dig Local Pig, but I haven't done much w/ their sausages yet.

Bludawg · Jun 25, 2013

I normally stay out of cold water to avoid Shrinkage

Sorry I couldn't resist that one:mrgreen: In all seriousness spray them with cold water to stop the casing from shrinking.

DownHomeQue · Jun 25, 2013

score them before you cook them.. helps them not to swell as much.. lets some of the rendered fat get out..

rabeb25 · Jun 25, 2013

I put soy protein in my sausages, http://www.sausagemaker.com/14100soyproteinconcentrate1lb12oz.aspx

Works great!

Bryan

Sausage and.... shrinkage

sincitydisciple01

Full Fledged Farker

cpw

Babbling Farker

CharredApron

Babbling Farker

sincitydisciple01

Full Fledged Farker

dajogejr

Knows what a fatty is.

Q Junkie

is Blowin Smoke!

WineMaster

Babbling Farker

legendaryhog

is Blowin Smoke!

WineMaster

Babbling Farker

sincitydisciple01

Full Fledged Farker

Bludawg

somebody shut me the fark up.

DownHomeQue

is Blowin Smoke!

rabeb25

Full Fledged Farker

Similar threads