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  • Help Needed

    Hi Guys

    Just found this site while looking for help with a problem I have just run into. Some of you guys have far more experience than I have so I'm sure you must have run into this before.

    The last couple of attempts at cooking salami has been a wash. My smoker is a converted freezer with an electric element in the bottom with a outside smoke box. I have two sensors for the heat. One attached to the controller and one for the outside dial thermometer. For a meat thermometer I use a remote unit attached by a cable and a dial to double check before removing the meat. Everything seams to to be working just fine but I can't get the internal temperature of the meat over 140 F with the smoker temperature set at 165 F. The temperature of the smoker, as I've said is double checked and is sitting at 165-168 F. The ambient temperature is around 35 F. I've smoked meat at -20 F before so I'm not looking at that as the reason.

    The last two batches have come out early and have been crumbly and dry. There should have been enough fat in them and there wasn't any fats dripping out of the salami.

    I could really use a little insight here, at least some ideas of where I should start looking.

    Thanks again
    Jim

  • #2
    Here is a link to a salami post by DangerDan.
    http://smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=259

    You could also send him a pm-I am sure he would be willing to help you.
    KCBS/CBJ #56408

    "Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will always teach you." -Shihan

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    • #3
      Jim,

      be patient there are many people here that can help you out with this one. I for one am not one of them. but you WILL get the help your looking for.

      while your waiting, stop off at our new members area http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3 tell us a little about yourself, your smoker, experiences etc etc. Let us welcome you to our family all official like. :-)
      Last edited by BigRedQ; 03-16-2009, 11:08 AM.

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      • #4
        Jim,

        You said "it should of had enough fat". What would you say the fat/lean ratio was? Dry & crumbly sounds like not enough fat to me if it wasn't rendered out in the cooking process. As for the smoker temp, where are you taking the temp from? If toward the bottom by the element then the temp will be cooler toward the top of the chamber. Just a few thoughts.
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        • #5
          Hmm if you can't get temps over 140...AND seem to be overcooking... check that thremo again? If you think you had enough fat..it went SOMEWHERE.
          In God I trust- All others pay cash...
          Check out the Mad Hunky and products at https://madhunkymeats.com or https://www.facebook.com/MadHunkyMeats
          Lang 60D, The Beast, 18 and 22 WSM, Brinkmann Backroads trailer, Weber 22 Kettle, gutted MB burning watts

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          • #6
            25% fat.....to start with. Temperature readings are taken from the back of the smoker near centre. Everything is double checked.

            Can something be causing incorrect readings. Either with the smoker temperature or the internal meat temperature. Can you "sear" the outside like you can a steak which makes it harder to increase the internal temperature. The cookbook I have says increase the temperature gradually. With the cooler temperatures outside, causing the element to be on longer cook the outside of the salami to fast??

            At this point I can only try waiting for a warmer day and see if that makes a difference.

            Jim

            And thanks guys for helping out.

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