- Jan 11, 2014
- 4
- 10
Good evening everyone. I am from CT and have been hunting for over 20 years. A few years back I started butchering, grinding and making my own sausage. I have been very successful with simple things like bratwurts, jerky, links, and patties. I have had mixed success with venison snack sticks in the smoker and am beginning to get very frustrated. Let me give you the run down on my frustrations and see if anyone can help.
I have a masterbuilt electric smoker with digital controls. Here are a few attempts I have made. I have had some come out ok and tried to follow the same exact step with very different results.
All have been with Backwoods snack stick seasonings.
I use the built in meat thermomter as well as an additional digital one and I also check the temp with a pen thermometer. I try to only open the door once during the cooking cycle. I have found that my thermometers have been accurate.
1st attempt
60% venison
40% center cut pork loin (as fatty as I could find)
19mm collagen casings
course grind all meat
stuff using a LEM stuffer
in fridge overnight
let stand on counter the next day for a few hours
preheat smoker with no water to 100 degrees and let stick hang for 1 hr to dry
120 for 2 hours after adding water but no smoke
120 for 1 hour with smoke
140 1 hr
160 until internal temp of 152
They came out with very little color and were extremely dry
2nd attempt
same meat and pre smoke instruction
100 degrees for 1 hour no smoke to dry
135 for 1.5 hours with smoke
145 for 1 hr
155 for 1 hr
165 until internal temp of 152
Very dry again with little color (these have come out good in the past with the same seasoning)
3rd
40% venison
50% pork loin
10% pork back fat
same presmoke info
130 for 1.5 hours
140 2 hrs
145 2 hrs
150 2 hrs
160 until internal of 152
no color and again very dry
On another attempt that I found on this forum I also tried the 60% venison and 40% pork loin mix smoked at 130 for 3 hrs and then poached in water at 175 until internal temp of 155. I am sure this works for some but these did not work for me. Pale color and dry.
Please help me figure out what my issue is. I can cook summer sausage all the time with no issues.
Thanks Travis
I have a masterbuilt electric smoker with digital controls. Here are a few attempts I have made. I have had some come out ok and tried to follow the same exact step with very different results.
All have been with Backwoods snack stick seasonings.
I use the built in meat thermomter as well as an additional digital one and I also check the temp with a pen thermometer. I try to only open the door once during the cooking cycle. I have found that my thermometers have been accurate.
1st attempt
60% venison
40% center cut pork loin (as fatty as I could find)
19mm collagen casings
course grind all meat
stuff using a LEM stuffer
in fridge overnight
let stand on counter the next day for a few hours
preheat smoker with no water to 100 degrees and let stick hang for 1 hr to dry
120 for 2 hours after adding water but no smoke
120 for 1 hour with smoke
140 1 hr
160 until internal temp of 152
They came out with very little color and were extremely dry
2nd attempt
same meat and pre smoke instruction
100 degrees for 1 hour no smoke to dry
135 for 1.5 hours with smoke
145 for 1 hr
155 for 1 hr
165 until internal temp of 152
Very dry again with little color (these have come out good in the past with the same seasoning)
3rd
40% venison
50% pork loin
10% pork back fat
same presmoke info
130 for 1.5 hours
140 2 hrs
145 2 hrs
150 2 hrs
160 until internal of 152
no color and again very dry
On another attempt that I found on this forum I also tried the 60% venison and 40% pork loin mix smoked at 130 for 3 hrs and then poached in water at 175 until internal temp of 155. I am sure this works for some but these did not work for me. Pale color and dry.
Please help me figure out what my issue is. I can cook summer sausage all the time with no issues.
Thanks Travis
