On the fence...

[NorthernSmoker]

Just a newbie but with some background.  I'm a chef by trade and have had much success with my Weber Smokey Mountain over the years but am looking for a significant step up in temp control.  I am also looking to do some smoked sausages where I will want lower temperature range control.  So this is where the fence part comes in.  Looking for some advice between a 3D or a 3.5D unit.  I'd like to be able to hang sausages in the smoker rather than placing them on a rack and am a bit concerned about the height within these units.  Is hanging just not an option or would placing a half sheet pan in the bottom help distribute heat more evenly.  Thanks in advance for your replies and wisdom.

 

[barelfly]

A friend of mine have come up with a way to make hanging rods for the 3D, I just haven’t made them because I don’t make sausage that often. So, I just use the racks and lay them. I think there are rods sold on the site you can purchase. But, I can’t see why you wouldn’t be able to hang and control your temps.

There should be a heat deflector available as well, or your idea with a sheet pan and then frozen 2L bottles are other ways people on here have helped with cold smoking cheese.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[old sarge]

I don't do sausage (at least not yet). Have you considered the model 4?  Much more interior height for hanging and the heating element, while still a calrod type, is of a larger design which may spread out the heat more uniform.  But it is pricey.  Also, there are stainless steel jerky/sausage rods in the accessories section for each model  so hanging is certainly possible.  If I was starting from scratch all over again I would get the 4 just for the larger rack size and the element configuration.  And if I decided to make sausage I would enjoy the added interior height.

 

[forvols]

I have been making various sausage for years using a Weber Smokey Mountain 22in. Before Christmas I bought a 3dwifi, so far I have smoked meat sticks(2 15-20lb loads) and summer sausage(1 15lb load) (layed it on the racks). I love the temp control, especially with the amount of babysitting and charcoal arrangement I had to do with the WSM. I think you could hang smaller sausages in the 3, meatsticks would be an issue. All of mine turned out great, I didnt rotate the racks and didnt experience any fat out.