Cookshack Smokette

[SmokinJoeM]

I will be smoking my first batch of hot dogs tomorrow and I have a few questions... and please let me know if I am correct... too! I am using a Cookshack Smokette smoker.

1) The dogs are stuffed into synthetic casing that has to be removed after cooking
2) I do not have sawdust, but do have hickory shavings. How much of it should I use?
Just thought about it... I also have hickory chunks, but how much? I use about 4 Oz when I smoke brisket and shoulder.... but what about dogs?
3) Should smoke be present through out the cooking?
4) I plan to cook at about 120 Degrees (no Smoke), for about 1 1/2 hr to dry the dogs
5) Add wood, Raise the temp every 1/2 hr to 165 degrees.
6) Cook until internal temp is 152 Degrees
7) Cool down in cold water bath

Did I get it right...?

Thanks!

[CrankyBuzzard]

Sounds good to me so far.

I've used edible casings for hotdogs before but haven't used the removable synthetics.

Amount of smoke depends on a lot variables. How much does your smoker produce, how smokey do you want them, etc, etc...

I'd go for what you think is a lit smoke for the first batch and then add/reduce smoke time next batch. Each smoker is different.

Use enough of the shavings to make a good clean smoke without flare ups.

I'm sure others will chime in soon. Please post the results.

Charlie

[SmokinJoeM]

Thanks for the advice... I was just thinking...

I also have hickory chunks, but how much? I use about 4 Oz when I smoke brisket and shoulder.... but that's at a much higher temp and the chunks will burn and for a longer time, but at the lower temp they may not burn.

[Chuckwagon]

Hi Joe,
Yup, it sounds about right! Synthetic casings are meant to be removed, giving you a skinless sausage. Remember, never smoke fresh sausage or any meat product without using an actual curing agent (sodium nitrite) in the meat recipe. During the prep-cooking of your sausages, they become "fully-cooked" at about 155° F. (68°C.). It is important not to go over about 160°F. (71°C.) as the collagen will "break" and the fat in the sausage will become liquid. If this happens, nothing will save the sausage. It cannot be salvaged once it is overcooked and it tastes awful and the texture will be just like sawdust. Ol` Rytek used to say, "sawdust... just like sawdust", the shake his head.
The length and intensity of smoking is completely up to you. Start by placing the doggies into a pre-heated smoker without smoke. When the meat comes up to temp, the surface will dry and take on smoke. Introduce smoke as heavily and as long as you like, but be aware - it`s just like my banjo music... a little goes a long, long, way! Most people like just a little smoke in hot dogs. You`ll be surprised at how much flavor just an hour of heavy smoke will produce. Sawdust is the preferred medium because the tiny particles have so many surfaces. Use a stainless steel pan (to keep the metal from burning up). Place about a cup of moistened sawdust in the pan to begin with. Spread it out evenly, and then with your index finger, make a "hole" in the center of the sawdust so it looks like a doughnut. Moistened saw dust smolders nicely and it isn`t as harsh as dry sawdust (controversial). I like to put a cup or two of hickory sawdust into a plastic zip-lock bag with a few tablespoons of water. I just toss the bag into the fridge with the meat to be smoked to keep everything together. After an hour, the sawdust will absorb all the moisture evenly and it will be ready to use. With shavings, you may wish to crush them a bit before using them. If you are using your own shop wood shavings, be sure that they are not from chemically-treated wood. You wouldn`t believe what manufacturers put into their products. For this reason also, never use a broomstick handle etc. for smokesticks.

Okay Joe, you`re right on the money with cooking! Monitor the temperature of the sausages as they poach. Pull them out at 152°F. (67°C.) and immediately place them beneath cold running water or into a bath of icewater so the temperature does not continue to climb (called the "carryover effect"). During the prep-cook, if you take your time and SLOWLY bring the temperature up, the sausages will be perfect. If you rush the process, they will be inedible and dry, but great for shotgun practice because when they take a direct hit from your 12 gauge, they will break apart in a flash of dust!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

[SmokinJoeM]

I finally cooked my dogs yesterday... they came out REAL FINE!

Biggest problem was regulating the heat in the Cookshack. (weather was cool in the 40s yesterday). I had to constantly monitor the low setting... and that those low temps the chips weren't burning so I had to use a blow torch to help them along.

It started getting real cold about four hours into the cook but the dogs hadn't reached internal temp, so I took them out of the smoker and put them into the kitchen oven at 165 until they reached 152.

I ate six of them this afternoon!!! I actually used Michael Ruhlman's recipe from Charcuterie...the flavor is a real NY Style Hot Dog...

Thanks for all your help!!

[SmokinJoeM]

Using artificial casing