How To Prevent Sausage From Drying Out On Traeger

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Do you love smoking sausages but always find them dried out after cooking? 

Learning how to perfectly smoke a sausage can set you up to make a wide variety of easy meals, and are sure to always be a big hit amongst guests.

Read on to learn about everything you need to know to prevent a sausage from dying out on the Traeger. 

Why Does The Sausage Dry Out? 

The sausage drying out on the Traeger is usually due to the temperature.

If you cook a sausage over high heat it is likely to shrink considerably, drying out the exterior or even splitting whilst potentially leaving the centre uncooked.

Too high a temperature will also liquify the fat content that has been carefully mixed into your sausage to keep it moist and juicy, making the sausage dry. 

Hence, you do not want to overcook the sausage to keep it moist. 

How to Smoke Sausage on a Traeger

Smoking a sausage on a Traeger grill is easy and quick to do. 

Firstly, preheat the smoker to 225°F. You’ll have to be careful to not cook them at a very high temperature to prevent them from drying out.

After your smoker has reached 225°F, take the sausages and place them evenly throughout the smoker, closing the lid. 

Let the smoked sausages cook for roughly 1.5 hours. They may need a few more minutes depending on how thick they are. 

You can insert a digital thermometer probe into the end of the sausage, towards the center, to monitor the temperature. Once the sausages reach an internal meat temperature of 165°F – 170°F, they are safe to take out of the smoker. 

While checking the meat temperature, it’s best to open the smoker as little as possible so it doesn’t lose heat and lower the temperature. 

How Long Does It Take to Smoke Sausage? 

On average, smoking sausages can take up to 1.5 – 3 hours, depending on the size of the sausage and the temperature at which you cook.

Sausages that are on the thin side will take less time to cook than thicker sausages. 

However, the most important thing to ensure the sausage is done is to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. 

Furthermore, you rather maintain a lower temperature of 225° than a higher temperature of 275° which can prevent the fat from being easily cooked out and the sausages run the risk of drying out easily.

Allow the Sausages To Cool Before Serving Them

Sausages are liked for their juicy interiors, which means they need time to cool.

If you try to eat your sausages too soon, you are likely going to get splashed with the hot juice from the meat.

Let the sausage rest for a few minutes before you dive in. Once they are cooled, serve them up!

Sausage Smoking Tips 

1. When you place the sausages on the smoker, ensure you leave at least 1-inch space between each sausage to allow them to get sufficient smoke and cook evenly

2. You may have to change the wood chips, depending on the cooking duration. A filling of wood chips will typically take about one hour to one hour and a half to burn out. To ensure that smoke is being constantly produced and that your sausages get evenly smoked, be ready to add more wood chips after every hour and a half.

3. Turn sausages when you’re halfway through the cooking process to ensure even cooking.

4. Don’t smoke sausages at very high temperatures, as that could cause the fat to be cooked out and cause the sausage to come out dry.

Which Sausage Is The Best To Use? 

Smoked sausage is a highly versatile dish; the final product can come down to the type of sausage you use. 

Many people like to use Italian sausages while making a standard smoked sausage. Italian sausages come in a collection of different flavors, including spicy and sweet. These sausages can be great for many different recipes.

Other more exciting sausage options include bratwursts, chorizo, and kielbasa.

What Is The Best Wood For Smoking Sausage?

For a stronger wood flavor, go with hickory wood.

When the sausage already has a strong flavor, I go with fruity wood like apple.

If you want a milder wood flavor, then it is recommended to use pecan.

Storing And Reheating Smoked Sausage

Store any leftover cooked smoked sausage in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator.

When properly stored, smoked sausages should last up to 4 days. 

To freeze the smoked sausage, wrap them in air-tight plastic wrap and place them into a freezer zip-lock bag. Get all the air out, and you may freeze for up to 2 months.

Bottom Line 

It can be frustrating to always find sausages dried out right after they come out of the smoker. 

However, you can prevent this by following the tips mentioned above and ensuring that you aren’t smoking the sausages at very high temperatures!

Smoke On!

Charlie

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