Proper temperature to smoke venison snack sticks

[keitht2]

I read various viewpoints regarding the correct temps to smoke venison snack sticks. A lot of people say to start out cool and work up to around 180. However - my Pitt-Boss smoker only goes down to 180. And I believe that is pretty common for most pellet smokers. So should you start out at 180 in the smoker? Or do something else? I can always put them in the dehydrator, but I'd much rather smoke them.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Do you have cure in the mix? If you do then get an amnps so you can burn sawdust or pellets and cold smoke them. Smoking at 180 you're risking fat out.

Ryan

 

[JckDanls 07]

Experiment with an empty smoker. Run it as low as possible and then crack the cook chamber door open. Use a remote thermometer in the cook chamber to see how low you can get it. See if you can hold it steady at 130°.

Yes you don't want to start out cooking at 180°.

 

[tallbm]

I read various viewpoints regarding the correct temps to smoke venison snack sticks. A lot of people say to start out cool and work up to around 180. However - my Pitt-Boss smoker only goes down to 180. And I believe that is pretty common for most pellet smokers. So should you start out at 180 in the smoker? Or do something else? I can always put them in the dehydrator, but I'd much rather smoke them.

Hi there and welcome!

180F is too high to start with. I wish I had a real suggestion for you other than maybe put down some sort of heat block pan or something to keep direct heat off your sausages and hopefully create a slightly cooler environment in a section of the smoker where they are.

Let us know what you land on and how it works. Best of luck on it!

 

[keitht2]

Hi there and welcome!

180F is too high to start with. I wish I had a real suggestion for you other than maybe put down some sort of heat block pan or something to keep direct heat off your sausages and hopefully create a slightly cooler environment in a section of the smoker where they are.

Let us know what you land on and how it works. Best of luck on it!

Well, knock on wood, the two batches of meat sticks that I've made yesterday and today have actually turned out great. They were both started out at 180. EXCEPT I did put the meat into the smoker when it was cold, and it was cold outside. So it did take a little time to build up to that 180 degrees. So technically, it did not start out at 180.

 

[tallbm]

Well, knock on wood, the two batches of meat sticks that I've made yesterday and today have actually turned out great. They were both started out at 180. EXCEPT I did put the meat into the smoker when it was cold, and it was cold outside. So it did take a little time to build up to that 180 degrees. So technically, it did not start out at 180.

That sounds like a good plan to follow! :D

 

[mike243]

If you can set the cycle you may get it lower than 180 , not sure how low mine will run but the outside temps will affect it, also you risk flame out though I have never. I have seen some folks say they never have problems with too high of heat, I don't chance it as I have a choice when I know better, love my MB electric for sausages and such.

 

[slavikborisov]

Crack your door open an inch or two and it will help get a lower temp for an hour or so

 

[keitht2]

Crack your door open an inch or two and it will help get a lower temp for an hour or so

I thought about that, but then the augur would go crazy pushing pellets making more fire which would soon drain the bin.

 

[chopsaw]

augur would go crazy pushing pellets making more fire which would soon drain the bin.

Or overflow the burn pot . As long as you keep an eye on it , you'll be fine doing it like you did .
I do smoked sausage on my SmokeFire @180 if the weather is cool . I actually like the results better .
The sausage on the left is from my MES . About 6 hours , then poached to finish .
Sausage on the right ( wire rack ) is from the SmokeFire . 2 hours start to finish .

Cut shot of the SmokeFire cooked sausage . Not as much smoke taste , but it was really good . No issues with fat out . You just have to keep a close eye on it , and pull when it's to temp .

 

[slavikborisov]

I thought about that, but then the augur would go crazy pushing pellets making more fire which would soon drain the bin.

I do it on my smoke daddy pellet hoppers all the time with no issues…I can’t speak to the brand you are using

 

[keitht2]

Perhaps when I feel richer, I'll invest in a grill just for jerky. If so, what would you recommend? Something like the Materblend 800 gravity series???

The other option that I'm set up for now: Start it out nice and low on a dehydrator and then switch it over at the end to the smoker???

 

[tallbm]

40Perhaps when I feel richer, I'll invest in a grill just for jerky. If so, what would you recommend? Something like the Materblend 800 gravity series???

The other option that I'm set up for now: Start it out nice and low on a dehydrator and then switch it over at the end to the smoker???

Best option in my opinion, get a used Masterbuilt Electric Digital Smoker 40inch (MES40). You can find them on Facebook garage sale, Craigslist, or other places for cheap or free.
Wash it out at a car wash.
Do the simple rewire (cut ends off 4 wires and wire nut to make 2 whole wires) and then slap on a PID controller (Auber PID controller is like $150-160).
And you will have an electric smoker that out performs $1,000 electric smokers!
You will be able to do sausage, bacon, jerky ,etc. all with tight control where it holds dead on or within 1-2 degrees of your set temp. No minimum temps and no temp swings.
If you replace the safety cutff switch with one that has a higher temp limit you can do fast 325F chicken and turkey smokes and get crispy skin vs leather skin.

At this point you can basically do anything with it and it is big enough to do plenty of sausage, bacon, or jerky :D

I rock one of these so I tell you from experience ;)

 

[chopsaw]

Yup . My Auber controlled MES is dedicated to sausage and hams .

 

[nlife]

You are correct in that if you open the door a crack, the auger will just add more pellets to make up for the temp drop.

I have a Traeger pellet smoker and have temperature limitations as well. The smoke setting on mine ranges from 160-180f when fully warmed up. It's not ideal, but I have still been making sausages and pepperoni on it. You just need to really watch it and use shorter smoke times since everything will be a hot smoke.

I will add that I'm in northern British Columbia and my current ambient temps are hovering between 5c to -5c. I'm actually having problems keeping my temperatures up high enough so that my Traeger doesn't shut down on me, which I found out by accident. Apparently if my smoker doesn't hold 125f for 10min+ it shuts down. In order to compensate for this I turn it up to the 180f setting when I start it up and put a welding blanked over it help with insulation. It's usually ready when it warms up to 150ish.

After I finish putting in the meats, the temp has dropped considerably and it takes awhile for it to rise. In the meantime, it's pumping out a whack of smoke trying to compensate for the meat temperature and overall heat loss.

I have also been using BGKYSmoker 's recipe and cooking guide. He runs them at 170f for 2 hours 15 minutes. This works out for my pellet smoker as well. I'm not sure how it'll do in the summer though or with higher ambient temps.