Homemade Sausage Making

Here a few pictures of my smoker being built. It was built using 2"x4" studs foam insulation and the interior is 3/4" to 1" concrete. It is heated by two electric heaters rated at 5000 watts apiece @ 480 volts but I am running them on 240 volts so that gives me 2500 watts apiece or 5000 watts total by running them at half power they should last longer and don't get bright red at full power. I am using a honeywell controller that drives two eurothrem 425a scr's to keep things running smooth. The range of the controller is -40 to 220 degrees fahrenheit and will keep temperature to plus or minis 1 degree.

Here it is framed up



And concrete board going in.



Time to mud the inside it took 50 lbs of hi-temp groat



Now the wheels and damper pipes that are 2" o.d. 304 stainless. The wheels are on a 3"x2" angle iron frame that is lag bolted to the smoker.



OK on it's wheels time to add thermocouples, run wire, chimney and insulate





I didn't take any pictures of the insulation but I used 3 1/2" Styrofoam then wrapped it with plastic and put up the siding.



After sealing the siding its time to add the electrical boxes, controller and run the liquid-tight.



Now its time to add the scr's the control relay, amp meter, shunt and a 12 volt power supply. The shunt and power supply are for the amp meter.



Here are the heaters. I made a frame for them and when I wired them I left enough wire so they lift out and sit on the ground. Makes cleaning easy.



The cover for the heaters.



Here is a pan on one of holders there is another above that one.



The door is installed. It is a steel door 3" thick and foam insulated.



It's time for a test run and it was a success!



Add the trim and a smoke generator at the left side of smoker. and it's all done.



I could not have built this without my helper here she is taking a chocolate break.



Thanks for taking the time to view my smoker Trosky

Wow , this looks very nice & professional.
Congratulations to both of you, excellent work.
Where should I send my order?

I am full of admiration for your skills and you assistant is cool

Wow, absolutely amazing! That is a smoker that will be passed on down to your little helper!

Fantastic job.

Hi Trosky,
Your smoker is incredible! Looks like it will survive a hurricane even when its in use. You are obviously a professional construction engineer but I think the little chocolate smile is the real drive behind your skills. What a cutie! What is her name?
Hey, the idea of removable heating elements for cleaning is great. Question: Did you include holders for smokesticks for hanging some sausages vertically? (such as "rope" kabanosy).
You've built your smoker so it will not vary by one degree while you use it in those tough, cold, Ohio winter months too. Nice going!
Best wishes, Chuckwagon

Thanks Chuckwagon. I do hang my sausage vertically you can just barely see them in the 5th picture. Depending on what diameter sausage I'm doing I can get four rows up there. I also use "S" hooks to lower them if I need to. The one in the middle is where I smoke turkeys and whole butts I don't use the sheet pan that's in one of the pic's for anything it was just for setup. My helper is my granddaughter Kaylyn. I haven't smoked any thing lately it's been to hot and humid. But I've been getting ready for winter making allot of Nalewka. should help keep us warm.

Take care: Trosky

Hey Trosky,
With talent and skills like yours, why not build yourself a dry-curing chamber for fermented meats? You'll need temperature and humidity controls and some savvy about Bactoferm. Pick up a copy of Stan Marianski's book "The Art Of Making Fermented Sausages" and you'll be making premium fermented salamis in no time at all. There are lots of instructions and recipes in the book too. If you like fermented pepperoni like I do, making your own is especially rewarding. Store bought stuff just doesn't even come near to the taste of your own quality product after you have just a bit of experience. Hope you try his recipe for Summer Sausage too. He's really got a winning recipe on page 225 with full instructions of how to ferment the product. I really liked Rytek Kutas' recipe and had his original (1966) instructions, but Marianski's recipe is even better. I like to lightly smoke the stuff just a bit.
Best wishes, Chuckwagon

Talent,Skills you must have bumped your head CW. But things are already being gathered for a fermenting chamber. I have all the electronics and heaters and I think I have a way figured out to keep it cool I just need a chamber. I have all of Stan's books and I have been reading the one on fermented sausages. Do you think if I order the next one from him I'll get a signed copy I would like to try to make something this fall.

Take care Trosky

Wow, very nice! Looks professionally built!

Trosky, I can see that the diameter of the chimney is relatively small in your smoker.
As drying meet and sausages is essential to smoking process, please tell me how your smoker dries meat and sausages before you apply smoke?

I preheat the smoker put the sausage in with bottom dampers open and there's plenty of air flow to dry them. The dampers are the two pipes on the bottom of the smoker and are centered under the heaters so they bring warm air up past the sausage and out the stack. I don't do very much sausage at a time the last batch was the most I've ever done @ 7.449 kg. It took two hours to dry @ 71f. When I hot smoke it dries much quicker.

Siara; I have re-read your question and I did not answer how I dry sausage before I apply smoke. Its electric, basically a oven until I start the smoke generator. I do not relay on burning wood for heat. You are correct "Life is full of beautiful moments".
Regards Trosky

Trosky, are you using a smoke dady or home brew smoke generator? Im starting to colect parts for a new smoker. also howmutch heat wil I need, or how can I figure it out.IE watts of electric. My curent smoker it is hard to keep temp down. I havnt totally decided electric or gas, what are your thoughts? thanks any info will be put good use.
ps Do you know anything about pid controlers. ssr ect

Kjuncatman: I am using a smoke daddy, How much heat you'll need depends on how big your smoker will be, Mine is a little over 19 cubic feet and is capable of 5000 watts but right now I have it turned down to 900 watts and it runs just fine there. As far as electric or gas of course I'd say electric with a good controller your temps will stay spot on and no moisture like you get from natural gas or propane. The controller I use is a PID, a little different than most out there in that it uses two thermocouples one in the smoker and one outside. they can both be seen in pic 9and 12. The one in 9 is sticking out on the left side of the controller that's the smaller box on the right. As far as ssr's I don't like them, They run hot and don't seem to last and are a little hard on the heaters. You figure out how big it's gonna be then how much heat it will take to get the job done. Good luck on your smoker build and welcome to the forum Any ? just ask.

Thanks Troski, Ive been looking at lots of smoker stuff on the net. Ive got a couple of Questions. What does pid stand for? If I understand correctley they pulse the heater to hold an even themp? ssr solid state relay ?
My chamber is going to be a comertial upright freezer I havent measured it yet but it would hold a whole hog without touching top bottom or sides looks like the big sausagemaker smokehouse.
The smoker I use now is made of wood and looks like a mini outhouse . It has a turkey burner with a chip pan for smoke and heat . when the chips take off the temp goes up.
It makes holding even temp imposible.