Mastering the Art of Smoking Sausage on a Weber Smokey Mountain

For barbecue aficionados, there’s nothing quite like the smoky, savory flavor of sausages hot off a smoker. And one of the most popular smokers for achieving competition-worthy results is the Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM). This charcoal smoker is specially designed to infuse foods with smoky richness. With the right techniques, you can make amazing smoked sausages on your WSM.

Benefits of Smoking Sausage on a WSM

Smoking sausage on the WSM has many advantages:

• Infuses sausage with delicious smoky flavor
• Allows control over entire process from start to finish
• Imparts much more flavor than grilling or pan frying
• Sauces become tender and juicy without drying out
• Large capacity to smoke multiple batches of sausages
• Maintains steady low temperature ideal for smoking
• Portable for smoking sausages on camping trips or cookouts

With minimal hands-on time, the WSM does most of the work while you reap all the rewards of incredible smoked sausage.

Tips for Success with a WSM Smoker

Follow these tips for smoking sausage perfection every time:

• Choose sausages with a fat content of 20-30% for best moisture.

• Use natural casings like sheep or hog for traditional snap and texture.

• Keep ingredients and meat grinder chilled to maintain integrity when grinding.

• Use a binder like nonfat milk powder to help sausages retain moisture.

• Apply dry rubs or marinades for extra flavor before smoking

• Use an instant read thermometer to monitor internal temp of sausages.

• Smoke at lower temperature around 150-170°F to fully infuse flavor without overcooking

• Immediately chill sausages in ice bath once removed from smoker to stop cooking.

Step-by-Step WSM Smoking Method

With a few simple steps, you can smoke sausages like a pro:

1. Prep the Sausages

Create sausages using preferred recipe. Add binders, spices, and other flavorings. Stuff mixture into casings.

2. Prep the Smoker

Fill WSM charcoal ring with briquettes and light. Regulate vents for steady 150-170°F temp. Add wood chunks or chips.

3. Smoke the Sausages

Place sausages directly on grates, making sure they aren’t touching. Smoke for 2-3 hours until internal temp reaches 152°F.

4. Finish and Chill

When done, briefly submerge sausages in ice bath to stop cooking. Let cool completely before refrigerating.

Choosing the Right Wood

The type of wood used for smoking also impacts flavor. Options include:

• Hickory – Robust, smoky, bacon-like flavor

• Mesquite – Intense smoky flavor good for bold sausages

• Apple – Mild, sweet, fruity smoke flavor

• Cherry – Fruity, slightly tart smoke perfect for chicken or pork

• Alder – Delicate smoke well-suited to fish and seafood

• Oak – Stronger smoke works well with rich meats like sausage

Experiment to find your favorite wood smoke flavor.

Handy Accessories for Sausage Smoking

Having the right gear makes sausage smoking much easier:

• Meat grinder – Grinds meats evenly for proper texture

• Sausage stuffer – Efficiently and evenly stuffs sausage mixture into casings

• Instant read thermometer – Monitors internal temp without cutting sausage

• Wood chunks – Imparts flavor and smoke instead of chips

• Water pan – Creates moist environment to prevent sausages drying out

• Grill gloves – Protects hands while handling hot sausages

While not mandatory, these useful tools can help streamline the smoking process.

Serving Up Smoked Sausages

Smoked sausages shine in so many dishes:

• Breakfast tacos or burritos with eggs and peppers

• Charcuterie or antipasto boards alongside cheese, nuts, olives

• Hearty soups and stews as a flavorful protein

• On kebabs or skewers as an appetizer or side dish

• Chopped up in pasta sauces, casseroles or baked ziti

• Split lengthwise and piled high with toppings like peppers, onions and kraut

Take your recipes to new heights of flavor with smoky, juicy homemade sausage smoked to perfection on your Weber Smokey Mountain.

Common Smoking Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions:

• Can any sausage be smoked? Yes, but those with at least 20% fat content work best.

• How long does smoked sausage last? About 1 week refrigerated, 2-3 months frozen.

• What causes sausage to dry out when smoking? Insufficient fat content, smoking at too high temperature, or inadequate moisture.

• My sausage split its casing, what should I do? Remove and re-stuff sausage into a new casing. Smoke as normal.

• Can I re-smoke sausages if they aren’t smoky enough? Yes, you can resmoke for 1-2 hours to deepen smoke flavor.

For hometown sausage smoker flavor, the Weber Smokey Mountain cooker can’t be beat. Follow the tips in this guide for incredible results. With minimal active effort, the WSM infuses sausages with smoky depth and juicy tenderness. Experiment with different woods, recipes and serving ideas. Soon you’ll be cranking out competition-worthy smoked sausages.