Venison summer sausage with hot cheese
- Thread starter Bear
- Start date
Pork Belly
Moderator
These are the only snack sticks we make, http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=86_112&products_id=382 we have made other brands but love the flavor of these. We like to add the high temp Cheddar cheese at a ratio of 2 pounds of cheese to 25 pounds meat. High temp cheese is necessary so you don't get a melt down during the smoking process. I have made nearly 300 pounds over the past four years.
You will need 19 pounds of venison, six pounds of pork (Butt works fine), 2 pints of water and the contents of that kit to make 25 pounds of sticks. The cheese is optional but tasty.
I know gear is expensive but I recommend at least a 5lb stuffer and a snack stick tube for it. Get a stuffer with metal gears. Stuffing directly off a grinder even with the stuffer plate totally changes the texture of the meat. I have even seen where the pressure of doing so forces meat goo back into the grinder motor on a poorly sealed grinder. Butchering equipment is like guns and knives; you don't buy junk.
My process alters from the instructions on the kit:
We course grind all the deer, pork and pork fat, then regrind one third again through the course plate. Apply the seasoning and beat binder (sodium phosphate) directly to the meat and blend thoroughly. Then the citric acid, curing salt and smoke flavor is added to ice water then blended with the meat.
I have 50 lbs stuffed in the garage I will start smoking in the morning. Good luck with yours.
You will need 19 pounds of venison, six pounds of pork (Butt works fine), 2 pints of water and the contents of that kit to make 25 pounds of sticks. The cheese is optional but tasty.
I know gear is expensive but I recommend at least a 5lb stuffer and a snack stick tube for it. Get a stuffer with metal gears. Stuffing directly off a grinder even with the stuffer plate totally changes the texture of the meat. I have even seen where the pressure of doing so forces meat goo back into the grinder motor on a poorly sealed grinder. Butchering equipment is like guns and knives; you don't buy junk.
My process alters from the instructions on the kit:
We course grind all the deer, pork and pork fat, then regrind one third again through the course plate. Apply the seasoning and beat binder (sodium phosphate) directly to the meat and blend thoroughly. Then the citric acid, curing salt and smoke flavor is added to ice water then blended with the meat.
I have 50 lbs stuffed in the garage I will start smoking in the morning. Good luck with yours.
Bear
New member
Pork belly, thank you for the great feedback... Going to give it a try.
I purchased this grinder
http://t.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Electric-Meat-Grinder-by-LEM-Products/product/40794/#desc-tab
And it has a stuffer attached. Should that stuffer work or should I purchase a different one?
What type of wood do you use and what temp do you go with and for how long?
Thanks for the assistance!
Bear.
I purchased this grinder
http://t.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Electric-Meat-Grinder-by-LEM-Products/product/40794/#desc-tab
And it has a stuffer attached. Should that stuffer work or should I purchase a different one?
What type of wood do you use and what temp do you go with and for how long?
Thanks for the assistance!
Bear.
Pork Belly
Moderator
I have the LEM #8 it is great. I considered bigger but I'm glad I didn't spent the extra money. That #8 went through two buffalo in an afternoon. I have the LEM 5 lb stuffer it works great also.
I like LEM equipment but find that there spices and mixes are over salted and seasoned. Also any sausage making ingredients are overpriced compared to other souses. I like Butcher and Packer in Detroit.
I like LEM equipment but find that there spices and mixes are over salted and seasoned. Also any sausage making ingredients are overpriced compared to other souses. I like Butcher and Packer in Detroit.
NDKoze
Moderator
My family smokes about 200 labs of snack stix a year. We make a lot of different kinds, but this is by far our favorite:
http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-4490-pepper-stick-seasoning.aspx
Make sure you don't use too thin of casings if you are going to use cheese. I wouldn't use anything smaller than 19mm and prefer 21mm casings when using cheese. Trying to push cheese snack stick meat through small stuffing tubes is real hard on your stuffer gears.
Also, you need a jerky dryer. I tried a batch without it last year and the results were not good. They basically steamed in the smoker because if all the moisture in the smoker.
We have a number #12 LEM grinders and regularly run 400-500 pounds of venison and pork through it in a day. I wouldn't want to go any smaller than this for this amount of meat. But for lesser amounts the smaller grinders will work really well.
We have a 15lb stuffer but the 5 would still work really well. In fact LEM doesn't recommend running cheese snack stix through their grinders larger than 5lbs. We have stuffed cheese stix with our 15lb stuffer with no ill effects. We bought our stuffer at Northern Tool for a fraction of the cost of a LEM stuffer and from what I can tell from looking at both brands, it appears that the Northern Tool stuffer is just a rebadged LEM stuffer. For only $30 more you can buy a 15lb Northern Tool stuffer verses a 5lb LEM stuffer.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200425065_200425065
Here is the thread from my most recent batch:
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2284.0
http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-4490-pepper-stick-seasoning.aspx
Make sure you don't use too thin of casings if you are going to use cheese. I wouldn't use anything smaller than 19mm and prefer 21mm casings when using cheese. Trying to push cheese snack stick meat through small stuffing tubes is real hard on your stuffer gears.
Also, you need a jerky dryer. I tried a batch without it last year and the results were not good. They basically steamed in the smoker because if all the moisture in the smoker.
We have a number #12 LEM grinders and regularly run 400-500 pounds of venison and pork through it in a day. I wouldn't want to go any smaller than this for this amount of meat. But for lesser amounts the smaller grinders will work really well.
We have a 15lb stuffer but the 5 would still work really well. In fact LEM doesn't recommend running cheese snack stix through their grinders larger than 5lbs. We have stuffed cheese stix with our 15lb stuffer with no ill effects. We bought our stuffer at Northern Tool for a fraction of the cost of a LEM stuffer and from what I can tell from looking at both brands, it appears that the Northern Tool stuffer is just a rebadged LEM stuffer. For only $30 more you can buy a 15lb Northern Tool stuffer verses a 5lb LEM stuffer.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200425065_200425065
Here is the thread from my most recent batch:
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2284.0
Pork Belly
Moderator
That is a good deal, I may need to upgrade.
Moonz
New member
Gonna try a small batch of snack sticks in the # 2
But just don't think it's big enough and I won't have a dryer.
We like leggs seasoning for summer sausage, definitely try out
Butcher packers, snack kit. Cabelas 1 horse grinder
Weston stuffer, both been working great for 5-6 years
Lots of good info on here, thanks everyone
But just don't think it's big enough and I won't have a dryer.
We like leggs seasoning for summer sausage, definitely try out
Butcher packers, snack kit. Cabelas 1 horse grinder
Weston stuffer, both been working great for 5-6 years
Lots of good info on here, thanks everyone
Pork Belly
Moderator
Sticks can be done in a #2 or any model, laid flat on the racks. Do NOT do sticks without the jerky Dryer of a vent fan that was featured in another link. Without the fan the smoker sweats the sticks and makes a poor quality product.
mcinore
New member
If you don't have the jerky dryer you can leave the door cracked opened about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch and you will get plenty of air circulation. Have done this too many times to count with very good results. I have the #4 now and have invested in a jerky dryer. Have yet to do a batch of sticks though. Will let all know how they turn out when I do.
Moonz
New member
Yupp I will post results thanks for info, I'll just do small batch for this year
until I've used it more, we're on our last pack of stix and the summer has been gone for a month now from last years hunt , I just want to
Mention I smoked 5-7lbs of salmon today the last that I have and it was the best I've ever done, I will have a #3 by the fall awesome smokers and great forum!!!
until I've used it more, we're on our last pack of stix and the summer has been gone for a month now from last years hunt , I just want to
Mention I smoked 5-7lbs of salmon today the last that I have and it was the best I've ever done, I will have a #3 by the fall awesome smokers and great forum!!!
