Cajun Sweet Heat Goose/Pork Snack Sticks

[indaswamp]

Got started around 9am this morning. Finished up around 3:30pm. Made 35# with this batch of sticks. (could not pass up pork butt @$0.79/lb.)

Here's the meat paste after final grind, seasonings, cure #1, NFDM, water and salt added...

Stuffed and in the drying chamber overnight (set the temp. to hold 35-39*) for the casings to dry to the touch. Will smoke them in the morning.

And here's a trick for electric stuffers... insert a rod or small wood dowel stick to feel where the end of the meat paste is in the tube so you know when to stop the motor to prevent overflow of the meat paste out of the stuffer horn before you can tie a knot in the casing to begin stuffing. (I leave the casing open to exclude the air out of the stuffer horn.)

More pics. tomorrow...

 

[forktender]

Damn, those are going to be awesome I can't wait to see the finish product.

Some tweaker's broke into my house and stole all of my meat, fish and all of last seasons ducks and geese. Talk about pissed off!!!
I would've loved to catch them in the act. They stole my wife's silver set my appliances and power tools as well. They must've taken their dear sweet time because they stole more than one truck load of my s#!t. Oh and they stole four lanyards full of Lares, Rich-n-Tones & RM duck calls and my Redbones, Ground's & my Bay County Shore Thing goose calls and my old Butch Richenback made Rich-n-Tone calls that Butch made specifically for my calling style. And 43 of my bands 46 yrs worth that were on separate lanyards that I displayed on my call collection case. Yep, they stole most of my collection as well.
The thing that hurt the most was I had the dog tags from my past two lifetime Lab's on my lanyards and I know they just dumped them in the trash.

Sorry about my rant, it still makes my blood boil thinking about my birds, calls and bands that are irreplaceable.

 

[crazymoon]

IDS, Looking excellent ,I'm in!

 

[tx smoker]

Some fine looking sticks!! Please share some pics of the finished product. Always love seeing your sausage endeavors, that's fo sho!!

Robert

 

[SmokinAl]

Holy cow! You are gonna be eating sticks for months.
Al

 

[indaswamp]

Damn, those are going to be awesome I can't wait to see the finish product.

Thanks Fork!

IDS, Looking excellent ,I'm in!

Thank you crazy!

Some fine looking sticks!! Please share some pics of the finished product. Always love seeing your sausage endeavors, that's fo sho!!

Robert

Thanks Robert. The sticks are hanging in the smokehouse to dry right now. About to roll some smoke to them. Check back, pics. later....

Holy cow! You are gonna be eating sticks for months.
Al

Thanks Al... these will be dried to 45% weight loss for a shelf stable product, then I'll cut them down to 6" sticks and package them 8 to a pack. Most of these will be for out of town trips this fall and on the boat for the rest of the summer...

 

[indaswamp]

FYI, I measured the sticks out 50"... twist off 4 times, then smooth out the bubble of meat bulging at the twist with your fingers, then cut with scissors. No need to tie on sticks.

I went 50" to allow for shrinkage. Then twist 2 times in the middle to give you (2) 25" sticks. This is about 1 pound of meat per hook, which is the max. the small dia. hooks will hold. When dried to 45% weight loss, you will have (2) 24" sticks. The longer sticks fit better in my drying chamber.....

 

[Winterrider]

Yes sir , nice batch of sticks.

 

[Cajun Smokes]

Very intrigued with the sweet heat. Curious if the recipe would be available to share. Watching this close. Oh... and I looked at those $0.79 butts today but don't have enough room in the freezer lol

 

[indaswamp]

I really only make large batches. Take a smoke sausage recipe of your choice (I have one that I can not share, but you can buy Veron's sausage seasoning or make your own). For a 25# batch add:
8g Black pepper (1 TBSP)
2TBSPS. cayenne pepper flakes
1/2 cup Steen's syrup
1/2 tsp. finely ground by leaf

 

[Cajun Smokes]

That cane syrup is the trick, gotcha. I have been playing with syrup in sausage and really like it. Thanks for the insight

 

[indaswamp]

Done Smoking...used 50/50 Hickory and Cherry.

The slice...

And here are the ends after smoking....just twisted and cut. They will hold together nicely.

Really speeds up the process....

In cold water bath for 10 minutes and back in the drying chamber 54* 75%RH until 45% weight loss is achieved....see you in about a week...

 

[Cajun Smokes]

Looks fantastic!!

 

[indaswamp]

Looks fantastic!!

Thanks Cajun Smokes!

 

[indaswamp]

Yes sir , nice batch of sticks.

Thanks Winterrider!

 

[indaswamp]

Per USDA rules for non acidified snack sticks that will be dried to 45% weight loss, I smoked the sticks to 146* for minimum 30 minutes.

 

[indaswamp]

I weighed my tagged sample this morning. 32% weight loss so on track to reach target by Saturday night...losing 4-5% per day. I have the humidity bumped down to 65% now....pics. when I pull 'em.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Awesome looking snack sticks you for sure have a stash that will last awhile.

Warren

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks Warren, though I will keep some, most of these are for my friend in Kansas.....

 

[HalfSmoked]

I'd be glad to be your friend indaswamp.

Warren