How Long Should You Smoke Sausages For The Ultimate BBQ Crisp And Juiciness

American cooking is unique in its diversity, produce, and influences — but of all the varied faces of this most exciting and complex of cuisines, barbecue has surely got to be up there as one of the finest. Originating in the South and pioneered by African Americans, barbecue is now one of America's favorite foods. And across smokehouse menus the humble smoked sausage has become a beloved staple. Salty, fatty, deeply savory, with the perfect balance between a crisp casing with snap and a bouncy, juicy interior, a good smoked sausage is about as delicious as you can get. Making one is an art form, but there are a few tips and tricks that you can use to help you nail it every time.

The first thing to consider is what kind of sausage you're smoking — in particular, whether your sausage is raw or pre-cooked. If it's raw, like a fresh Polish kielbasa, then you'll need to leave them in a little longer (around an hour and a half) to reach a safe internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. For pre-cooked sausages, meanwhile, you'll only need about 30 to 45 minutes at a similar temperature — just long enough to warm them through and crisp up that casing.

The secret to smoking a great sausage is a two-stage cooking process. First, in true barbecue tradition, a low and slow cook, to keep the meat tender but still bring it up to a safe temperature, and infuse the sausage with a deep, smoky flavor. Set your smoker to around 225 degrees Fahrenheit, and place the sausages in the cool zone; it's important to keep them away from direct heat to avoid splitting the casings. Leave them there for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on their thickness and how many sausages you're smoking.

Then, finish your sausages over high heat by moving them to the direct heat area of your smoker. Wait until the internal temperature gets to around 150 degrees Fahrenheit before doing this. This will help to keep the texture of your sausages tender and juicy. Keep them there for around 15 minutes, turning frequently until they come up to temperature. This two-stage process gives you the best balance of flavor and texture, the juiciest meat, the smokiest aroma, and the ultimate barbecue crisp.

That two-stage smoking process is going to put you in the best position to truly nail your smoked sausages, but to be a true master of the grill there are a few other tips and tricks worth keeping in mind. The first, is to keep a close eye on internal temperature. As good as timings and instinct are, the internal temperature of you meat is the only truly foolproof way of ensuring you get a perfect cook on your sausages. Use a probe thermometer, either one you leave in or an instant read device.

Make sure you don't over smoke your sausages. Smoking is a great way to get delicious flavor into your meat and leaves you with a perfect texture, but too much time on the smoker and you'll risk drying out the sausage and ruining their mouthfeel. Make sure you cap their time on the smoker at two hours before finishing them off on the heat. Then, rest them for a few minutes and let carry over cooking do the rest of the work for you.

Finally, make sure you get yourself some high quality sausages — your dish is only as good as the encased meat you use. Grab some high quality wood for your smoker, too: Milder ones like apple will keep things from getting too overpowering, while stronger ones like hickory will enhance the meat's natural flavors and add some of their own!