Snack Sticks

[dale2242]

I have been making snack sticks for a while now after buying Cabelas Jerky Shooter.
I buy ready-made seasoning.
Adding water to the mix is necessary to get it to flow through the Shooter.
If the meat won`t flow through the Shooter easily, add more water.
You will be drying the sticks so adding water will just take a little longer to dry.
I first put the newly made sticks in my pellet grill set at 200* to bring the internal temperature of the sticks to 180* to be sure to kill any bacteria.
I then transfer them to my Big Chief smoker to dry to the firmness that I want.
If you don`t dry them enough they have a pasty consistency and too dry they are brittle.
A dehydrator will work just as well to dry them but will not get hot enough to kill bacteria.
If using a dehydrator you need to bring them up to at least 160* in the oven before placing them in.
I prefer pepperoni seasoning but also like summer sausage flavor.

[Tripplebeards]

Thanks for the tips. I’m gonna give it a try today in my smoker for the first time. I normally smoke them first and then I put them in the oven for about 10 minutes until they whistle and take them out with regular jerky. I just like to make sure they’re cooked properly so food poisoning and projectile pooping through a screen isn’t going to happen. Been there, done that. lol. I’m wondering if I like you do if I’m not getting a good seal with smoke? I’ll also give it a try with water if I can’t get it to squirt through my shooter.

I won’t be using any skins, just squirting them through my shooter. Think I’m gonna try putting them in the oven in the house first to get them to 180 and then put them in my smoker? They might not have the ultimate smoke taste when I’m done but I at least will know they’re cooked properly so no one gets sick. Sounds like a good tip.

[MaryB]

Thanks for the tips. I’m gonna give it a try today in my smoker for the first time. I normally smoke them first and then I put them in the oven for about 10 minutes until they whistle and take them out with regular jerky. I just like to make sure they’re cooked properly so food poisoning and projectile pooping through a screen isn’t going to happen. Been there, done that. lol. I’m wondering if I like you do if I’m not getting a good seal with smoke? I’ll also give it a try with water if I can’t get it to squirt through my shooter.

I won’t be using any skins, just squirting them through my shooter. Think I’m gonna try putting them in the oven in the house first to get them to 180 and then put them in my smoker? They might not have the ultimate smoke taste when I’m done but I at least will know they’re cooked properly so no one gets sick. Sounds like a good tip.

Once food lasses around 135 it quits taking up smoke. Smoking then oven is fine, use a thermometer and check internal temp! 165f minimum for 5 mins. If you use a cure this is not an issue...

[georgerkahn]

I wish I still had the book I read many years ago, written by a person who interrogated -- in detail -- exactly what he did and it took as the "chuck-master" in a wagon train -- the job fellow's dad had, with him being there just as cook's son. I recall being surprised to learn that the small wood barrel, generally on the "sunny side" of the wagon's rear was for sourdough starter -- a most precious commodity to have. I do not recall "yeast" ever mentioned, and -- if/when lucky enough to others to provide game -- which could be anything from varmints to critters to "anything"; fish; and or birds -- it was his job to both cook it, as well as preserve it for (following) days which may not have fresh game. The cook several times noted the real preciousness of potable water, and most often extra game was heavily salted; then left for a "patina" to develop; after which it was smoked. One of the kid's jobs was to get water from the leather or canvas bags used for watering the horses and roll green branches/roots in it to mix in fire to make the smoke.
Never mentioned in the book, but I'd make quite a wager that in those days no one had a thermometer to ascertain cooking/smoking temps; or, for that matter ever looked at a timepiece to pace cooking or smoking times.
Again, I wish I had the book still -- it belonged to an English professor friend; I returned it; he died quite a few years back...
Thems were the real good ole' days. In all my readings the only "poisoning" I ever read of was from lead (bullets ).
geo

[Tripplebeards]

I am experimenting. Mary chimed in just about too late. The first rack I put in the oven till it got to about 135 to 138 degrees. Old non digital temp gauge is not accurate. The other batch I am putting directly into my smoker. I’ll check on them every hour till they look like they are dry and bend without braking. Guessing about 3/4 hours max? Then I’ll put them back in the oven till they are at least 180 degrees internal. Just want to make sure they are cooked all the way through. The ones that were in the oven just started sweating when I pulled them out. Patted them off and stuck them in the smoker. If I don’t like smoked stuff I’m guessing I could just leave them in the oven till 165/180 degrees internal and eat? I used some of last years venison burger that was mixed with beef tallow and I used the mix in the box with the provided cure.




I just remember trying to make the stuff 25 years ago and it would always be mushy on the inside and raw even after hours of smoking. I wasn’t smart enough back, then to stick it in the oven after smoking to internally cook it after the initial smoke. I started doing this a few years ago with my regular jerky. I get the nice smoky flavor and it still stays soft inside so it’s edible and easy on my teeth. To be honest, I never really taste a “smoke flavor” on any of my smoke stuff through the decades but I sure can smell it.


I guess it’s either leave them in the smoker for 3 to 4 hours or just pull them out quicker after a couple hours and throw them in the oven to finish them off either way so they have some smoke flavor and sealed with the smoke in the process. I made sure to spray my trays with oil so the sticks don’t stick. I also poured a little Teriyaki honey pepper glaze into the mix to kick it up. Not a fan of Teriyaki anything but was out of Worcestershire.

[Tripplebeards]

I just turned them over after an hour. Barely look like any drying on the top side. Bottom have grate marks and a little dry.

[Tripplebeards]

3 hours of smoking and then back in the oven for both this time till internal temp of 170 was hit. I started out at 200 degrees for an hour and couldn't get to 150 degrees internally. Kept bumping up the temp to 250 degrees and I finally got to 170 internal temp. They are bendy, cooked all the way through, and super tender. The old cowboys and cowgirls with a low tooth count could eat these all day long. They are super tender and melt in your mouth. I don't care for one on the flavors which is the one I didn't pre cook first. The one I put in the oven to cook before smoking definitely tastes better n
And is darker in color. They both have about thr same smoke flavor. My pop's is a little light on tooth count and is pounding them as we speak. He calls them Beer sticks.lol




After three hours of smoking and about and hour and half in the over to get to 170 degrees. I’m sure I could have bumped the heat up to get them to temp but didn’t want to rush it.




And after a grease wipe off…

[MaryB]

I wish I still had the book I read many years ago, written by a person who interrogated -- in detail -- exactly what he did and it took as the "chuck-master" in a wagon train -- the job fellow's dad had, with him being there just as cook's son. I recall being surprised to learn that the small wood barrel, generally on the "sunny side" of the wagon's rear was for sourdough starter -- a most precious commodity to have. I do not recall "yeast" ever mentioned, and -- if/when lucky enough to others to provide game -- which could be anything from varmints to critters to "anything"; fish; and or birds -- it was his job to both cook it, as well as preserve it for (following) days which may not have fresh game. The cook several times noted the real preciousness of potable water, and most often extra game was heavily salted; then left for a "patina" to develop; after which it was smoked. One of the kid's jobs was to get water from the leather or canvas bags used for watering the horses and roll green branches/roots in it to mix in fire to make the smoke.
Never mentioned in the book, but I'd make quite a wager that in those days no one had a thermometer to ascertain cooking/smoking temps; or, for that matter ever looked at a timepiece to pace cooking or smoking times.
Again, I wish I had the book still -- it belonged to an English professor friend; I returned it; he died quite a few years back...
Thems were the real good ole' days. In all my readings the only "poisoning" I ever read of was from lead (bullets ).
geo

Back then a lot of deaths were labeled natural causes... most likely food poisoning! And the salt content of the food was WAY higher than what we would do. It had to be soaked in fresh water several times to make it edible

[Tripplebeards]

My sticks seemed to “firm”up a little sitting in the fridge overnight and also a better flavor imo.

[MT Gianni]

Are you casing them or just making the sticks by hand? Never mind I re read TripleB's post. They look good.

[Tripplebeards]

Are you casing them or just making the sticks by hand? Never mind I re read TripleB's post. They look good.

I didn’t have any casings. Just shot them out of the shooter.

[dale2242]

I used 19MM collagen casings.
They were easier to handle with a casing.
It took less than 2 hours in the pellet grill to get the internal temp up to 170 degrees.
It was smoking during that time.
It took a few hours in the Big Chief to dry them.

BTW Tripplebeards, your sticks look great.

[Tripplebeards]

I didn't know where to get casings locally so I just Winged It. Think I've seen them at farm and fleet over the years.

[Half Dog]

Well, now I need to try this form of magic. Can you recommend a way, to eliminate many attempts, to find a good seasoning choice? Are there samples etc...

[Tripplebeards]

I just used the kit it came with and the seasonings provided for the Snack sticks. The pepperoni tasting one doesn’t trip my trigger but the other one is really good. I use the Hogh mountain brand for jerky. I’m sure it’s the same stuff used for the snack sticks.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

ground Beef ?
or ground pork ?
Or a mix ?
what percentage of fat content ?

[Tripplebeards]

Don’t know what the OP uses.



I used venison burger had ground by the local butcher. He did add beef tallow to it. I think around a pound of tallow per 7/8 or so pounds of venison if I had to guess. Might be a 10/1 ratio.

[dale2242]

I have a batch mixed with the seasonings to make tomorrow.
It will be pepperoni made with straight ground beef.
I prefer to make the sticks from ground game meat and adding a little fat.
I think that I added 10% high quality beef fat.
I had the butcher get me trimmings from prime rib or rib steaks.
It looks like Tripplebeards has figured how to make them without casings.
I prefer to use 19MM collagen casings because I heat the sticks to 180* in my pellet grill and transfer them to my Big Chief smoker to dry without smoke.
They are pretty cheap, and a package goes a long way.
The seasoning mix that I use does not make the sticks spicy enough, so I add 2 teaspoons of chili flakes.
I feel that one of the biggest mistakes that you can make is not adding enough water.
Taking a little bit longer to dry is the only issue but it is worth the to get it to flow through the gun easier.
I think that I will try making some flat jerky with gun.
Since I have been making snack sticks, people have been giving me all kinds of seasoning mixes.

[Tripplebeards]

I just ate the last of it 3 days ago. I took out 2 pounds of venison burger to make sticks again. Tomorrow's project. The kit I used came with 2 sized snack stick tubes. I used the bigger one. It also came with flat spouts to make flat style jerky. I never had to add water but dumped some worchestershire sauce in the mix. Imo heating it in the oven till it got to 135 to 140 degrees made the sticks look darker and there was zero difference in smoke taste quality vs the sticks I put directly into my smoker.

[Tripplebeards]

Round two in the smoker. I used two more of the seasonings that were included in the box. Once was Cajun and the other one was some forest blend…or some other made up name. I still did not get any Worcestershire sauce to add instead of water. This time an added orange duck sauce and sweet and sour sauce! I made the same big diameter sticks and put them in the oven at 225 degree for 18 minutes till 135/138 degrees internal temp. I sipped off most of the grease that sweated out, rolled over, and repeated wiping. I then put them in the smoker and covered the smoker with a couple towels since it’s 1 degree out. The cherry tree sticks didn’t even completely burn down from the last four hour smoke so I soaked them in water and added a a few fresh sticks. In two hours I’ll rotate the two trays and roll the sticks over and leave in for another 2 hours or so and then back in the house oven till at least 165 degrees.

You should have smelt them out of the oven at 135 degrees. It smelt like a Chinese buffet!