Snack sticks

[colorado russ]

Not sure who else likes to make their own snack sticks but I do!  Made 10 lbs this weekend and just finished vacuum sealing.


7 lbs ground whitetail
3 lbs ground pork
Add spices and cure from the spicy snack stick box plus add additional black pepper, chipotle, aleppo and guajillo chiles.


Cased in 21mm collagen casings.


Used pecan wood and smoked for 2 hours around 200 degrees then another 2 1/2 hours with no smoke.  Turned out excellent!!

 

[DTP]

Yum yum yum!!!!! Looks great Russ!  :upthumb:

 

[colorado russ]

Text me when passing by on I-40 and I'll bring you a couple packages!


Wait another month and I'll have some chipotle/white cheddar summer sausage to toss in. 

 

[Boom]

dang!!

you win!  around here, a snack stick is a carrot

 

[DTP]

Text me when passing by on I-40 and I'll bring you a couple packages!


Wait another month and I'll have some chipotle/white cheddar summer sausage to toss in. 

Deal! I'll drop off some red snapper and oysters on the way.  :upthumb:

 

[cohunter14]

We make sticks a lot as well! Only difference is that we don't use the casings, we just use a jerky gun and the snack stick attachment to form the stick. Russ, I'd also throw it out there that I doubt you need to add any pork if you didn't want to. We have made sticks and jerky with those type of kits using plain elk, antelope, and even goose. The flavor is so good in those seasonings combined with the smoke that you wouldn't know if you were eating goose or elk. And even lean antelope or elk grind doesn't get too dry without pork. Just an idea!

 

[colorado russ]

That's funny Cliff!


Dan, depending on time of year, I may have some of those orange sticks that Cliff mentioned.


Derek, agree lots of different ways to end up with close to the same thing and guess it comes down to preference.....and time.  It does take more time to grind/mix/case and smoke these than ones without casings.  I think the pork fat binds well to the venison and gets the meat mixture 'tight' when in the casing.  I've got a jerky gun as well just don't like it as much.  I have used it to try a recipe before making lots since easier. 


And, the casings will generally peel off easily if don't want to eat.

 

[DTP]

That's funny Cliff!


Dan, depending on time of year, I may have some of those orange sticks that Cliff mentioned.

dang!!

you win!  around here, a snack stick is a carrot

Last time I checked you guys weren't rabbits
Cliff, I've got one pack left of Jalape?o elk snack sticks... I can mail you them if you want.

 

[cohunter14]

Derek, agree lots of different ways to end up with close to the same thing and guess it comes down to preference.....and time.  It does take more time to grind/mix/case and smoke these than ones without casings.  I think the pork fat binds well to the venison and gets the meat mixture 'tight' when in the casing.  I've got a jerky gun as well just don't like it as much.  I have used it to try a recipe before making lots since easier. 


And, the casings will generally peel off easily if don't want to eat.

Good to know Russ! It always drives me crazy when you have to spend money on a bunch of pork just to cook game, so I figured I'd throw it out there. I have to be honest, when we tried it with goose and added no pork, I figured it would be like most goose meat and taste horrible. But I was pleasantly surprised!


I do want to try them using the casings and stuffer though. You can probably make them twice as quick with half the mess using the stuffer versus the jerky gun.

 

[colorado russ]

Derek, since you tossed out the 'H' word, guess I should come clean.  In all Honesty, I probably need the extra pork fat so I don't dry out the game meat.  There, I said it and feel cleansed!!


Cliff, I have an extra pack I could send you too - probably not as good as what Dan had made but likely no more than 1 beer off!    Could get you a frozen sample of green chili posole too if want to try a different version than using red.

 

[cohunter14]

Derek, since you tossed out the 'H' word, guess I should come clean.  In all Honesty, I probably need the extra pork fat so I don't dry out the game meat.  There, I said it and feel cleansed!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:


You should try a batch, even a small one, without the pork added. I think you'll be surprised. Our jerky and sticks don't end up getting dried out at all, even when using lean elk or antelope grind.