Such a beautiful summer day out, I decided to make a batch of beef & pork franks and some snack sticks.
I used two mixes from AC Legg. I had used their snack sticks mix before with good results. This time I wanted to add a little heat so I added two tsp of cayenne, two teaspoons of hot smoked paprika, and a tablespoon of hot chili flakes. This was for a five-pound batch.
I used 10 pounds of fine-ground (3mm plate) beef & pork (70% beef/30% pork) for both recipes. 21mm collagen cases for the sticks & 22mm natural sheep casings for the franks.
Got everything stuffed & hung in the smoker. Using apple wood pellets for smoke.
Figured I'd throw in about a dozen fresh jalapenos (chipotles) for later use.
All hung & ready to go:
No smoke for the first hour; just 120° heat to dry the links a bit. Then smoke.
Two hours in and the links are getting some good color.
After a bit over 2 hours, I pulled the franks & plunged them into a hot water bath (175°).
The initial IT of the franks was 132° so I was curious to see how long they'd need to poach before hitting the mark.
Less than 12 minutes later, I got my answer as the alarm went off so it was time to pull the franks from the bath.
Cooling on racks by a large fan:
Left to bloom for a while so I can keep an eye on the sticks still in the smoker.
The sticks took a bit longer (no poaching) so I increased the temp from 160° to 180° over the course of the next hour & a half.
Pulled & blooming along side the franks:
The smoked jalapenos smell great. I'll keep these for another recipe.
Tasting the franks: My boys have already eaten four of them. I'm very happy with both the texture & flavor of the franks.
Light bit of smokiness that really works well with the seasoning.
After a night in the fridge, I sliced up some of the sticks for 'easy access'. Not as HOT as anticipated, but I added heat cautiously this time.
Overall, a very satisfying experience. I'm always happy when the results are well received by my taste-testers.
—Kevin
I used two mixes from AC Legg. I had used their snack sticks mix before with good results. This time I wanted to add a little heat so I added two tsp of cayenne, two teaspoons of hot smoked paprika, and a tablespoon of hot chili flakes. This was for a five-pound batch.
I used 10 pounds of fine-ground (3mm plate) beef & pork (70% beef/30% pork) for both recipes. 21mm collagen cases for the sticks & 22mm natural sheep casings for the franks.
Got everything stuffed & hung in the smoker. Using apple wood pellets for smoke.
Figured I'd throw in about a dozen fresh jalapenos (chipotles) for later use.
All hung & ready to go:
No smoke for the first hour; just 120° heat to dry the links a bit. Then smoke.
Two hours in and the links are getting some good color.
After a bit over 2 hours, I pulled the franks & plunged them into a hot water bath (175°).
The initial IT of the franks was 132° so I was curious to see how long they'd need to poach before hitting the mark.
Less than 12 minutes later, I got my answer as the alarm went off so it was time to pull the franks from the bath.
Cooling on racks by a large fan:
Left to bloom for a while so I can keep an eye on the sticks still in the smoker.
The sticks took a bit longer (no poaching) so I increased the temp from 160° to 180° over the course of the next hour & a half.
Pulled & blooming along side the franks:
The smoked jalapenos smell great. I'll keep these for another recipe.
Tasting the franks: My boys have already eaten four of them. I'm very happy with both the texture & flavor of the franks.
Light bit of smokiness that really works well with the seasoning.
After a night in the fridge, I sliced up some of the sticks for 'easy access'. Not as HOT as anticipated, but I added heat cautiously this time.
Overall, a very satisfying experience. I'm always happy when the results are well received by my taste-testers.
—Kevin
