Sausage and.... shrinkage

sincitydisciple01 · 06-25-2013, 09:44 AM

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 · 06-25-2013, 10:07 AM

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

CharredApron · 06-25-2013, 10:14 AM

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

sincitydisciple01 · 06-25-2013, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hometruckin

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 · 06-25-2013, 10:58 AM

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

Q Junkie · 06-25-2013, 10:58 AM

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

Weird huh?

WineMaster · 06-25-2013, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sincitydisciple01

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 · 06-25-2013, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sincitydisciple01

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 · 06-25-2013, 11:15 AM

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 · 06-25-2013, 11:43 AM

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 · 06-25-2013, 01:35 PM

I normally stay out of cold water to avoid Shrinkage

Sorry I couldn't resist that one

In all seriousness spray them with cold water to stop the casing from shrinking.

DownHomeQue · 06-25-2013, 01:51 PM

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

rabeb25 · 06-25-2013, 02:07 PM

I put soy protein in my sausages, http://www.sausagemaker.com/14100soy...te1lb12oz.aspx

Works great!

Bryan

06-25-2013, 09:44 AM	#1
sincitydisciple01 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-18-08 Location: Prairie Village, KS Name/Nickname : Jason	Sausage and.... shrinkage 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! __________________ UDS x 2 Pitmaster iQue 110 Vertical offset Bandera knockoff KCBS: 2010 CBJ: 2011 Damn near impossible to lose [COLOR=Lime]BRIGHT GREEN[/COLOR] superfast Thermapen On Twitter @BigIronBBQ

06-25-2013, 10:07 AM	#2
cpw Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-28-11 Location: Savannah, Georgia Name/Nickname : Chad	Good question...I haven't been able to successfully smoke sausage without the same problem. __________________ ________________ [COLOR=Orange]Outlaw 2860 Porch Model[/COLOR] Lang 84 Deluxe Yoder YS640 Savannah, GA [URL="http://www.facebook.com/yesdearbbq"]Yes, Dear BBQ on Facebook[/URL] Proudly sponsored by Royal Oak Charcoal and [URL="https://www.atlantabbqstore.com/"]The Atlanta BBQ store[/URL]

06-25-2013, 10:14 AM	#3
CharredApron Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-24-13 Location: Port Charlotte, Florida	Take them hot off the grill to a Ice Water Bath. That will prevent the shrinkage! Tried and true! Jed __________________ Proud recipient of the coveted "Aussie Lamb Farker Tick of Approval" Award

06-25-2013, 10:58 AM	#5
dajogejr On the road to being a farker Join Date: 04-25-13 Location: Metro Detroit, MI	There are some differences in opinion, but ice bath until internal temps reach 100 to 120 internal. __________________ bumsteerbbq.com...BGE XL

06-25-2013, 11:15 AM	#9
WineMaster Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-16-07 Location: Southern MN	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. __________________ Dan MJH From Backyard Bomber BBQ -- Junior YS 640 Comp 22.5 Weber Kettle Blue Thermopen Comp Team Wine & Swine

06-25-2013, 10:58 AM	#6
Q Junkie is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-07-12 Location: San Marcos, CA	Putting my sausage in an ice bath has ALWAYS caused shrinkage. Weird huh?

06-25-2013, 11:43 AM	#10
sincitydisciple01 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-18-08 Location: Prairie Village, KS Name/Nickname : Jason	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. __________________ UDS x 2 Pitmaster iQue 110 Vertical offset Bandera knockoff KCBS: 2010 CBJ: 2011 Damn near impossible to lose [COLOR=Lime]BRIGHT GREEN[/COLOR] superfast Thermapen On Twitter @BigIronBBQ

06-25-2013, 01:35 PM	#11
Bludawg somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-04-09 Location: Jonesboro,Tx	I normally stay out of cold water to avoid Shrinkage Sorry I couldn't resist that one In all seriousness spray them with cold water to stop the casing from shrinking. __________________ I'm a Proxy Vegetarian> Cows eat grass & I eat cows.

06-25-2013, 01:51 PM	#12
DownHomeQue is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-11-12 Location: Jonesboro. AR Name/Nickname : DHQ	score them before you cook them.. helps them not to swell as much.. lets some of the rendered fat get out.. __________________ [URL]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=243527[/URL] 150 Gallon Build (2017) [URL]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=148660[/URL] 250 Gallon Offset Build (2012) [URL]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211078[/URL] 600 Gallon Offset Build (2016)

06-25-2013, 02:07 PM	#13
rabeb25 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-15-08 Location: Albertville, MN	I put soy protein in my sausages, http://www.sausagemaker.com/14100soy...te1lb12oz.aspx Works great! Bryan __________________ Few Eggs, FEC100, Custom Bates, Midnight Smoker, UDS, and A Pitmaker Vault