Homemade Sausage Making

I made a simple cinder block smoker that I got from the smokehouse design book. No mortar or anything. I would like to give Kabanosy and cold smoking a try this winter. I wonder if I should burn off the grass first?

Very nice Nick! And it looks like you've got some great help too! Is your helper going to eat kabanosy too? The fence is a terrific idea too! Oh, I don't see why you'd have to burn off the grass. I didn't on mine and it was just fine.
Best wishes, Chuckwagon

Thanks chuck! He loves sausage, so he'll definetly help us tear it up! I had to put the fence around cause I didnt mortar the cinder bocks and he thinks its his new playground. Could get dangerous.

Well a burn ban in my area is preventing me from testing out the smoker. You guys been smoking any lately?

Burn Ban? Wow
I always figured I would never live where I couldn't build a campfire and I'd never marry a woman who didn't eat as much garlic as I do! Better move to the mountains Nick
Best wishes, Chuckwagon

Haha...I eat a lot of garlic!! I live out in the country. But the county fire marshall put out a burn ban cause its been very dry here lately. As soon as we get a few days of rain they'll lift it.

Well FINALLY we got a couple days of good rain fall. Gave the smoker a test run and it works perfectly! Here's a quick video I took with my cell phone. I'll try to take a better quality video when I try my first smoke in it in a couple weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okQclZiLjGg

I will probably give buckboard bacon (smoked butt) a try first.

Nice job atcNick. What where your temps in the smoker? Buckboard bacon sounds like a good choice. Its just getting cold enough around here to start smoking.

It was about 120-170 depending on how close i moved the fire. I can probably get it much hotter if I needed.

120-170 should be enough. I've never had mine over 170 but it will go up to 220. Right now I'm getting ready to cold smoke Polska wedzona. Its my first try at cold smoking the weather is cold enough now and they say it might snowing tomorrow. Good luck with your bacon.

Thanks Trosky. I would love to see pictures of your cold smoke and progress if you have time for it. I eventually want to make polska wedzona kielbasa cold smoked.

I'll take some pic's but i have to try and remember how to post them

Hey Nick, You wrote:

Here's a quick video I took with my cell phone. I'll try to take a better quality video when I try my first smoke in it in a couple weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okQclZiLjGg

Great photo for a cell phone! Looks like the smoker is getting a pretty good trial run. When does the kielbasa go in?

Best wishes, Chuckwagon