How to Cold Smoke Sausage in 7 Easy Steps

Are you looking for soft and juicy sausage direct from the smoker? Well, you need cold smoking, not burning the meat out.

Now the next question in your mind should be how to cold smoke sausage?

Cooking the sausage below around 115 degrees Fahrenheit is the first step of cold smoking. The next step will be to use a good quality smoker using the wood chips. Curing the sausage will play a big role in cold smoking. And for best taste, you need to ensure proper storage of the cooked sausages.

If you’re looking for all the detail on how to cold smoke sausage, look no further. I will show you how to cold smoke sausage in just seven easy steps.

What Is Cold Smoking?

Cold smoking is a technique used to cook food at low temperatures over an extended period. Unlike hot smoking, which cooks the food quickly through heat, cold smoking slowly cooks the food using smoke.

This results in a more tender and moist end product.

While cold smoking can be used to prepare a wide variety of foods, it is especially popular for smoked meats, such as bacon, sausage, and ham. Foods that are cold smoked have a different flavor and texture than those that are hot smoked.

How To Cold Smoke Sausage?

Have you ever wanted to make your sausage dripping meat juices with each bite? It’s delicious and brings a lot of satisfaction to you as the grill master.

Cold smoking may sound complicated, but when you do it following the pro-level steps, things will be easier out there. Let me share what I have learned from all the legendary Texan grill masters.

1. Prepare the Equipment Beforehand 

Sausage smoking is a process by which the sausage is cooked and smoked. You’ll need a few things before you get started:

• A smoker: You can use either an electric or charcoal smoker for this process.
• Wood chips: Choose a type of wood that complements the flavor of your sausage. For example, hickory goes well with pork sausage.
• A pan or tray to catch the drippings.
• A rack to place the sausage on while it smokes
• Aluminum foil.

2. Cure Your Sausages First 

The next step is to cure the sausages, which helps to preserve and gives them a distinct flavor. To do this, mix salt, sugar, and spices in a bowl.

Then, rub the mixture all over the sausage links. Be sure to cover them completely. After that, place the sausage links on a rack in the fridge and let them cure for 24 hours.

3. Preheat the Smoker

Set the smoker to 110 degrees Fahrenheit and preheat it while preparing your sausage. If using a charcoal smoker, place half of the coals on one side of the smoking chamber. It will create indirect heat, which is necessary for cold smoking.

If using an electric smoker, set it up according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the sausage in the smoker, on the cool side of the smoking chamber if using a charcoal smoker, or on the racks provided in an electric smoker.

4. Place the Sausages in the Food Chamber

Now that you’ve prepped your smoker, it’s time to place the sausages in the food chamber. If you’re using a colder smoking method, like the one described above, you’ll want to put the sausages on the top rack of your smoker.

This will ensure that they don’t get too much direct heat and cook too quickly. If you’re using a hot smoking method, you can put the sausages on any rack in the smoker.

Once the sausages are in the smoker, close the door and let them cook for the prescribed amount of time.

5. Cook the Sausages

The next step is to cook the sausage. Cook until they are cooked through, and then remove them from the heat. Once the 45-minute timer has passed, open up your cooker and allow whatever meat you’ve got to cool before flipping it over so that both sides can cook evenly.

After about 30 more minutes of cooking on each side, remove from heat, then cover again until ready for eating.

You may ask how do you smoke fresh sausage? It’s almost similar, taking 2 to 3 hours to smoke.

6. Remove Once Done

Once the sausage is cooked, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. Once it’s cooled, you can slice it or leave it whole. If you’re going to slice it, make sure that the slices are evenly cooked when you smoke them.

7. Storing Sausage

When it comes to storing sausage, there are a few different options. You can either freeze it or keep it in the fridge. If you choose to freeze it, make sure to wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap.

This will help to keep the sausage from drying out. If you plan on keeping it in the fridge, you can store it in a covered container or wrap it in plastic wrap.

Why Cold Smoke Sausage?

There are many different types of sausage in the culinary world in the culinary world – Italian sausage, chorizo, and bratwurst, just to name a few. And then there is cold smoked sausage.

So why would you choose to cold smoke your sausage?

The main reason is that it allows you to infuse the sausage with a deep, rich smoky flavor without cooking it. This is perfect if you want to add some extra flavor to your sausage without changing its texture or consistency.

Another benefit of cold-smoking sausage is that it helps to preserve it. When meat is exposed to smoke, it creates a barrier that prevents bacteria from growing. As a result, your sausage will last longer when it’s cold smoked.

Finally, cold smoking is a great way to cook sausage if you’re worried about drying out. Because the temperature is so low, the fat in the sausage stays intact and prevents the meat from drying out.

How Long Should I Cold Smoke Sausage?

Many people wonder how long it takes when comes to smoke sausage. The cold smoking process is slow, and it takes time for the flavor to penetrate the meat.

The length of time required for cold smoking varies depending on the food being smoked and the smoker’s temperature.

If you’re grilling your sausages, make sure they stay on the grill for at least eight hours. If you’re smoking them as a smoker, plan on smoking them for 24 hours.

The ideal temperature range for cold smoking is between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Or, you can cook them while smoking them. If you choose to do this, make sure that the internal temperature of the sausage reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tips On How To Cold Smoke Sausage

When smoking sausage, it’s important to keep these tips in mind:

1. Choose A High-grade Sausage 

The first and crucial step is finding a good quality sausage – the foundation of your dish. Select sausage with high-quality ingredients and a consistent texture.

Type of Sausage	You Can Try
Italian Sausage	PREMIO ITALIAN SAUSAGE
Chicken Sausage	Gilbert’s Craft Chicken Sausage
Bratwurst	Howe’s Uncured Nuremberg Bratwurst
Breakfast sausages	JOHNSONVILLE Breakfast Sausage
Polish Sausage	LEM Backwoods Polish Sausage

2. Cure The Sausage 

You will need to cure the sausage before you can cold smoke it to prevent bacteria growth in the meat. To cure the sausage, mix:

• ½ cup of salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup pink curing salt.

Then, rub this mixture all over the sausage. Next, cure the sausage for 24 hours in the fridge, rinse it off and pat it dry.

3. Choose The Flavor Of The Smoke

• If you want a milder smoked flavor, try light smoke wood such as alder or apple.
• If you want a stronger smoked flavor, try a heavier smoke wood – hickory or mesquite.
• You can also experiment with different types of wood to create your unique flavor.

4. Recommended Woods

Several blocks of wood work great for smoking sausage. Hickory, pecan, and mesquite all provide a nice flavor.

You can also use fruit woods like apples or cherries. Experiment to find the flavor you like best. Soak your wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes before using them.

5. Gather Topnotch Equipment

Whether you’re cold-smoking sausage for the first time or a seasoned pro, having the right equipment is key. Investing in a quality smoker and some top-notch wood chips will make the difference.

Here is a list of the top 4 smokers to make your task fun and easy.

What Types Of Food Are Best For Cold Smoking?

It is true cold smoking enhances the flavor of sausages. However, there are other types of food that you can cold smoke, enhancing both flavor and shelf life.

Meat

Meat is the most common one to come for cold smoke. You have to grill or cook the meat before the process to boost the flavor. Few of the cold smoke meats items are-

• Pork chops
• Beef steaks
• Chicken breast
• Bacon
• Ham.

Fish

Like meat, you can also cold smoke fish, especially fatty fish. It provides your fish with a denser texture and an alluring smoky flavor. You can cold smoke several small or medium fish, including-

• Trout
• Salmon
• Whitefish
• Grayling
• Tuna.

Cheese

Cheese is the most popular food people opt for cold smoke. Being the easiest to smoke, you can go wild with experimenting. They are delicious, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion. Some famous sold smoke cheese include-

• Mozzarella
• Cheddar
• Swiss cheese
• Pepperjack
• Gouda
• Fontina

Eggs

Eggs are also suitable for cold smoke, however not the raw ones. Boil your eggs first – hard or soft – as long as they’re boiled, you are good to go.

Fruits & Veggies

Cold smoking fruits and veggies are a great way to eat the original textured, colored, nutritious food. You are missing nothing. You can cold smoke-

• Lemon
• Apple
• Peaches
• Grapes
• Pineapples
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Garlic
• Onion

FAQs:

• What Temperature Do You Cold Smoke Sausage At?

The ideal temperature for cold-smoking sausage is between 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit. Pro grillers recommend keeping the smoker’s temperature below 110 degrees Fahrenheit for the juiciest outcomes.

You may ask how do you smoke sausage without drying it out? – just opt for high humidity, approximately 180-190⁰ while cold smoke sausage.

• Why Is Cold Smoking More Dangerous Than Hot Smoking?

The main reason cold smoking is more dangerous than hot smoking is that bacteria have a greater chance to grow. However, as long as you take the proper precautions and cook the sausage properly, there is no need to worry about safety.

Final Words

Cold smoking sausage is a great way to add flavor and preserve the meat. The key to safety is to ensure that your smoker is properly ventilated and that you cook the sausage properly.

With the right equipment and some top-notch wood chips, you’ll be able to cold smoke sausage like a pro in no time.