Venison Snack sticks...aka "slim jims"

[WANNAKETCHUM]

Anyone got a good recipe for " snack sticks" I'm not looking for a reply like....I get my seasoning packets from Cabela's, Gander Mt, Sausage Maker, etc. etc. I want something spice by spice, ounce by ounce etc, so I can make 2 lbs. or 10 lbs. or whatever not just " this packet does 25 lbs". I'm willing to trade one of my own personal sausage recipes if you PM me......WK

[Pail Rider]

mmmmm, snack sticks...a tree-stand favorite!!

Check it out...

5 Lbs. Pork shoulder
10 Lbs. venison
6 Tbs.  Salt
9 Tbs. Paprika
1 Tbs. Chile powder
1.5 Tbs. Cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. Crushed red Chile flakes
1.5 Tbs.  Black pepper
1 Tbs. White pepper
1 Tbs. Prague powder #2
1 Tbs. Mace
1.5 Tbs. Sugar
3 Tbs. Ground Mustard
3 Tbs. Ground Coriander
6 Tbs. Milk powder
¼ tsp. starter culture
1 liter cold water
Grind meats through a fine plate, re grind to mix. Add spices and water, mix well. Dissolve starter culture in ½ cup of water and mix into meat. Stuff into 22mm collagen casings. Link into 10 “ lengths. Incubate for 48 hrs at room temp. Hang in smoker and dry for about 1 hr. at 130 F, apply a heavy smoke for about 3 hrs. Cold smoke to 140 internal. Allow to cool. Then hang to dry to desired texture.

[Snapper]

Looks good, or you can go to conyeagerspice.com they have cheap and easy ways (idiot proof) to make any and everything.

[teacup13]

Anyone got a good recipe for " snack sticks" I'm not looking for a reply like....I get my seasoning packets from Cabela's, Gander Mt, Sausage Maker, etc. etc. I want something spice by spice, ounce by ounce etc, so I can make 2 lbs. or 10 lbs. or whatever not just " this packet does 25 lbs". I'm willing to trade one of my own personal sausage recipes if you PM me......WK

All amounts are per lb of meat:

1/2 TBS Tender Quick
1 TBS of Powdered Milk
1/8 Cup of Dark Brown Suger
1/8 Cup of Worchestershire Sauce
1/4 Cup of Soy Sauce
1/4 TSP Dry Mustard
1/4 TSP of Black Pepper
1/4 TSP of Liquid Smoke
Red Pepper Flakes or Cayenne to taste

you can eliminate the smoke if you are doing it in the smoker...this is an oven recipe

[o2rmk800]

looks like a great recipe. i'm gonna try that one for next year. thanks

steve

what temp in the oven? for how long? thanks

[teacup13]

i lay them on the racks of my oven

oven temp about 200F

cook until internal temperature reaches 165F

these are alright in the oven but if you do them in the smoker they are way better

I usually smoke these at 175 for about an hour and then kick the temp up to 200 until the internal temp of the sticks reach 165. I have tried using cherry and apple but we prefer hickory along with 3 or 4 briquets of Kingsford charcoal in the wood box.

[WANNAKETCHUM]

OK....your recipes sound GREAT!!! but I have questions for each of you.....
For teacup13....
I assume your recipe is for each (1) lb. of meat. I have the ingredients you listed on hand but my smoker (Brinkman electric) does not have a thermostat...it gets hot, stays hot and you babysit it or "burn". I'm gonna cheat this time and use a jerky shooter with the "stick" nozzle and do them in the dehydrator. Because your recipe uses Morton tender quick salt which has sodium nitrite/nitrate would you feel safe doing them in a snackmaster dehydrator that only has a max setting of about 135 degrees? I have been making "cut" jerky in it for years and it comes out great...

For Kenman....
What is starter culture? I checked ConYeager's website and didn't see anything like that listed....

I have a packet ( I know....I said I didn't want to use one) of Hi- Mountains jerky seasoning that someone gave me and they have the instructions for using their product with ground meat as it has "cure" in it. I have about 6 lbs. or so of lean clean venison that I was saving for just something like this but it just doesn't warrant buying casing, cures, etc. etc for a small batch.  Mama bought me a nice stuffer from Sausage maker for Xmas so next year the sticks will be done like Kenman does....in a casing, in the smoker, and then in the gullet!!!! I have the plans to build a smoker from a old refrigerator and I'm gonna make it happen!!!!! And thanks to both of you for your speedy replies. It's nice to know there are fellow sportsmen out there willing to help.......WK

[WANNAKETCHUM]

And just in case you boys are wondering....I used the Hi-Mountain mix and personalized it a bit....I added 4 tsps. Garlic powder, 1 tsp. Cayenne and 1 tbsp. of Mustard seed to their seasoning packet and instead of the prescribed 1/2 cup of water per lb. of meat.....I USED BEER!!!!!... I will post the results...Oh that reminds me, I won't tell my Mother in law I put beer in the mix....she's a "Bible thumper" and I just wanna see her rave on about how good it is if it turns out to be....LOL..WK

[Pail Rider]

Hey wannaketchum,
Google "Butcher-Packer", they make the culture I use.  It helps in the fermentation/drying process...

If the stuff you have has 'the cure' in it, it is probably some sort of bacteria culture doing the same thing as starter culture.

Casings make a big difference, give them that extra "SNAP"....

[teacup13]

hey WANNAKETCHUM

i have some mods for your brinkman electric and all the help you need with your fridge smoker project

i will send you a pm with all the info you need

[teacup13]

here's a recipe that is used by a pro

INGREDIENTS FOR 10 LBS.

2 tsp Instacure #1
4 Tb paprika
1/3 cup ground mustard
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground white pepper (kinda hot)
1 tsp ground celery
1 Tb mace or 2 Tb nutmeg
1 tsp granulated garlic
5 Tb salt
1-1/2 cups powdered dextrose (corn sugar)
citric acid ( use amount recommended on the label)
1 lb cheese (if you want to make meat/cheese sticks)

MEAT


Beef or Venison 80% lean 20% fat
Beef Chuck works well,I use hamburger


PROCESSING


Chill ground meat to 30-32 deg.I add all ingredients to about 1-1/2 cups of water or so and run through a blender to mix well,add to meat.Stuff into whatever size casings you want.Place meat into a 98 to 110 degree pre heated smoker,smoke at this temp for 8 to 12 hours.Raise smoker temp to 160 and smoke until internal temp of the meat reaches 145 deg.Remove from smoker and place in a dry room at 50-55 deg until meat is cooled.The sticks will reach full flavor in about 24 hours then enjoy at will.

[WANNAKETCHUM]

And thanks again Kenman and teacup13....You guys have been a great help!!!!... WK

[WANNAKETCHUM]

And just in case you boys are wondering....I used the Hi-Mountain mix and personalized it a bit....I added 4 tsps. Garlic powder, 1 tsp. Cayenne and 1 tbsp. of Mustard seed to their seasoning packet and instead of the prescribed 1/2 cup of water per lb. of meat.....I USED BEER!!!!!... I will post the results...about how good it is if it turns out to be....LOL..WK

It's ok but the texture is like leather....I'm not too wound up about using ground meat and the "Jerky Shooter" to make sticks. Next time I do them I'll stuff them in a casing and smoke cook (the right way)!!!!!!.....WK

[BlueDuck]

I use a commercial mix for Snack Sticks from Eldon's Sausage Supply in Kooski Idaho.   I like it alot.   Id like to try the recipes listed just to compare.  Thats the cool thing about cooking, there are lots of good ways to do it.   I stuff my 3/4 venison, 1/4 pork in 21mm casings and put um in the smoker until 155 degrees internal temp.  There as good or better then anything I have ever bought or tasted.   

[Stump Puller]

Can you tell me what ptague powder #2 is , and where I can get it?

mmmmm, snack sticks...a tree-stand favorite!!

Check it out...

5 Lbs. Pork shoulder
10 Lbs. venison
6 Tbs.  Salt
9 Tbs. Paprika
1 Tbs. Chile powder
1.5 Tbs. Cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. Crushed red Chile flakes
1.5 Tbs.  Black pepper
1 Tbs. White pepper
1 Tbs. Prague powder #2
1 Tbs. Mace
1.5 Tbs. Sugar
3 Tbs. Ground Mustard
3 Tbs. Ground Coriander
6 Tbs. Milk powder
¼ tsp. starter culture
1 liter cold water
Grind meats through a fine plate, re grind to mix. Add spices and water, mix well. Dissolve starter culture in ½ cup of water and mix into meat. Stuff into 22mm collagen casings. Link into 10 “ lengths. Incubate for 48 hrs at room temp. Hang in smoker and dry for about 1 hr. at 130 F, apply a heavy smoke for about 3 hrs. Cold smoke to 140 internal. Allow to cool. Then hang to dry to desired texture.

[teacup13]

Can you tell me what ptague powder #2 is , and where I can get it?

Prague Powder #2 is a cure for dry meats, containing sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite.its what gives that tang when you bite into a snack stick

prague powder should never be used if you are going to fry the sausage - no high temps

canadian sites

http://www.stuffers.com/
http://yellowpages.ca/business/category.html?id=1159000