venison snack sticks...temp question

jack07 · Oct 18, 2012

I have a batch of venison snack sticks smoking right now. The INT temp hit 129 and then stalled out for over an hour. The INT slowly got up to 136 and then started going down? Smoker temp has stayed the same and I am using my Maverick to monitor. Has anyone ever experienced this before. INT dropped back to 130 and after another hour it is back at 136. Sticks have been in the smoker for 6 hours now. Started low 140 and now yo to 190 smoker temp. Any advice?

woodcutter · Oct 18, 2012

I think your thermometer had a hick up. Your smoker temp should be no higher than 160. The fat will render or melt and form pockets of lard or run down and collect in the bottom of the stick. If you have another thermometer you may want to try it.

jack07 · Oct 18, 2012

I will try another thermometer...thanks

toby bryant · Oct 18, 2012

I do venison snack sticks often in my mes30.

100° no smoke for 1 hour

140° with smoke for 3 hours

160° til internal temp hits 150°, usually only takes about 2 hours

Into an ice bath to stop the cooking

Hope this helps

woodcutter · Oct 19, 2012

How did the sticks turn out?

diyelker · Nov 9, 2012

Toby Bryant said:
I do venison snack sticks often in my mes30.

100° no smoke for 1 hour
140° with smoke for 3 hours
160° til internal temp hits 150°, usually only takes about 2 hours
Into an ice bath to stop the cooking

Hope this helps

When you give the temps...are those the temps that you set? What temp fluctuations are you seeing with those settings? I hate the temp fluctuations. I may have to go to work on my mes 30.

BGKYSmoker · Nov 9, 2012

Here is my table for sticks. I use a Bradley smoker with a PID.

1. Start at 130* for 1 to 1.5 hours (no smoke or water in the pan) This gives the casings time to dry some.

2. 140* with smoke for 2 hours. I use my water pan here, keeps the casings from being to brittle during the heat PID programs.

3. 150* for 2.5 hours. Check IT of the sticks with thermapen (from the top of the sticks) smoke opt

4. 160* for 2.5 hours, check IT again. You should see approx IT of 125-130 and may even see a stall time. smoke opt

5. 170* for 2.5-3 hours. Again check IT as you should be getting close.

6. If needed bump to 175* while checking IT. Your looking for an IT of the meat of 152*

6a. Try not to exceed 180* smoker IT or you could have a fat-out of the meat.

At times i pull the sticks at 149-150 IT and let them at room temp (no cold water) they will IT to 152* by them self.

This is how i do it. Sometimes the times are shorter. Your results may vary.

Yes its a long time but you will like the end results.

diyelker · Nov 9, 2012

Do you have a specific thermometer to recommend?? I feel like my mes thermometer is way off. It'd be nice to have a probe inside one of the sticks at all times. Dunno. I'm a complete newb.

BGKYSmoker · Nov 10, 2012

I use a thermapen and a Taylor 9305 instant read thermo. I dont use a stand alone probe in the sticks like a Maverick, it gives false temps readings in the meat.

smokinhusker · Nov 10, 2012

I follow Rick's smoking temps and tips and always have perfect sticks!

big casino · Nov 10, 2012

Nepas has you covered here, I have had my maverick give me fluctuating temps b4 as well, I still use it to monitor things, but I always spot check with and instant read thermo, to make sure I'm up to the IT I want

diyelker · Nov 10, 2012

Glad I asked. I was just about ready to pull the trigger on a maverick. Taylor 9305 it is. Are there other good instant read thermos out there too? I may just pick one up locally, but if the Taylor is above average quality, then maybe ill just pay to have it shipped.

big casino · Nov 10, 2012

I use a maverick instant read thermo, havent had issues with it yet it comes with a certificate of calibration and is ruggedized, thermapen is a big name in the instant reads, I still recommend you use something like a maverick to monitor your smoker temps, and I still like to use my maverick to monitor my sausage, that way I don't have to needlessly open my smoker to check for IT temps too often

diyelker · Nov 10, 2012

Ok. Good idea. Thanks guys!

toby bryant · Nov 10, 2012

The mes30 has a very hot back right corner as shipped. Buy a 12x12 ceramic tile and slide it into the back right corner above the chip loader. This will even out the temps inside.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

exromenyer · Dec 4, 2013

nepas said:
I use a thermapen and a Taylor 9305 instant read thermo. I dont use a stand alone probe in the sticks like a Maverick, it gives false temps readings in the meat.

Just curious, I read your post about the thermometers that you use. I have the Maverick Temp gauge and have usually stuffed it into the snack sticks and I sometimes run into issues figuring out the IT. Any suggestions ? That is the part that gives me the most headache is the temp. I've followed the time instructions but it always seems that mine are in the smoker longer than they should be. Any help would be great.

Thanks

Tony

hawkwardhunter · Dec 16, 2015

Toby Bryant said:
I do venison snack sticks often in my mes30.

100° no smoke for 1 hour

140° with smoke for 3 hours

160° til internal temp hits 150°, usually only takes about 2 hours

Into an ice bath to stop the cooking

Hope this helps

This method I really liked, I used cherry wood on mine for the smoke, but the sticks cooked just right so that you could barely tell there was a casing on it. The smell and taste was immaculate. This was actually my second attempt at snack sticks and this just nailed it for me. The first hour I left the water pan out to allow the casings to dry somewhat.

My first batch I think i cooked it a little too high at 180 degrees the whole time, stopped once it hit 160 degrees internally. The other mistake I made on the first batch was throwing them in an icebath without putting them in a ziploc bag first. You've already spent the time trying to dry the casings out so why rehydrate them and cause seperation? I used hickory on the first batch, but I don't think i could have enjoyed them as much as I did the second batch because the casings seperated and had an odd taste compared to the second batch that I stuck ziplocked in an icebath.

At some point I will give the 12 hour method a shot, but this one right here works very well too. I'd post pictures but I already at all of the second batch and I'm ashamed of the first one. I just wish i did more sausage in the second batch than the first.

beerman303 · May 14, 2016

Starting a batch. About 3 hours in around 145. Had some meat sitting on the side leftover...got some good spice ...should of made more for sampling.

venison snack sticks...temp question

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