Smoke moist or dry?

Moonshiner · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Az.

I got smoking instructions with some casings I bought and they said to heat the smoker without smoke and vent open to dry the surface of the sausage because the smoke flavor won't take if they are wet. I bought a DVD from Sensca Creek on sausage processing to maybe pick up some tips. They say to keep the surface moist or the smoke flavor can't penetrate. I'm surprised that two companies that should know the business disagree. I've been reading your forums for a few months before signing up and figure you guys are the experts so which is right? Keep the sausage surface moist, dry or doesn't it matter?
I have a Cabela's 48" SS propane smoker that has a water pan that I always fill. Thanks for any opinions.
This is a great forum and I spend hours reading the information here. Smile

SoEzzy · Posted: Jan 24 2008 Post subject:

Welcome to the forum Moonshiner!

I don't make sausage, but I do make sure my meat surfaces are spritzed on a regular basis as I do believe that the moist approach works better for me than the dry approach.
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Harry Nutczak · Posted: Jan 26 2008 Post subject:

the opposing directions could also be referring to different casings too.

Are you using natural or collagen??

Try the sausage making forum instead of the smoked foods thread and see what you get over there.
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Moonshiner · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Az.

Harry...
Maybe that's it. I buy only natural casing on line and make breakfast sausage and brats in them. I don't smoke them, only snack stick in collagen and summer type sausage. Maybe natural casings needs to be dry and collagen should be moist? Anyway thanks for the input. It seems this isn't a problem for the majority of the smokers...