Deer Snack Sticks

[bigdaddyviking67]

Just smoked up some venison snack sticks, they turned out great.....now all we need is beer, oh ya I got plenty of that in the kegerator--A nice dark winter bach 10% alcohol.

 

[salmonclubber]

hey bigdaddy
those look awesome dont forget to save some for the big game on sunday go hawks
salmonclubber

 

[bigdaddyviking67]

Hopefully the Seahawks can win, time for some teams that have never won it to get in the books. I plan to have some of them with me for the game, 10 lbs of meat made 117 sticks, not to bad. I might have to poach a damn deer, I'm runnin low on venison.

 

[dacdots]

Bigdaddy those look great.Im hopeing to make some within the next week or so.Love your fridge smoker.Looks like you spent a lot of time linking your sticks.I guess Im lazy cause I stuff mine long as my smoker is wide then when there done cut them into lenghts.If its not to foward of me to ask,would you give up the recipe.Ive used a mix from The Sausage Maker before and there pretty good but Im always looking to do better.

 

[bigdaddyviking67]

well this time I used the snack stick kit from askthemeatman.com here is the link http://www.askthemeatman.com/snack_stick_kits.htm

I always add a little of my own things in too, like mustard seed, garlic powder, a bit of fresh ground black peppercorns and some really fine ground ceyanne peppers if I am making hot sticks. But the above site sells all kinds of different flavored kits and they come with the casings and cure so you don't need to buy the crap seperatly. I have read about using encapsulated citric acid, it is what gives the sticks the tang like the store bought ones have. As far as the linking goes, I cut the casings all the same length first then fill them, it takes more time, but when there done I pack 10 in a vacpack bag and freeze the ones I aint going to chow down on right away. The smoker goes on auto pilot, I set the temp with the thermostat and start the smoke generator and I can go off to do other things while one of the smoking phases is going. If you have any other questions just let me know.

 

[dacdots]

Bigdaddy,the tang is something Ive tried to get with limited sucess.In the recipe I use it calls for Fermento,which I have used and seems to add a little tang but nothing like store bought.I have read about latic acid starter culture that is used.If you look on the ingrediants on slim jims it is in there.From what I can understand it causes fermentation which is what gives you the tang.I found a place to order it from but it is frozen and you have to buy quite a lot of it at once and is very expensive.When you make dry cured sausages like pepperoni it is fermented giving the tang but the methods used to produce a dry cured sausage are very precise.You have to be able to control humidity to the letter and takes a long time.Maybe someone else can shed some light on this issue.

 

[bigdaddyviking67]

Here are the instructions for the Encapsulated Citric Acid, I think I will try this with my next batch...

This citric acid is coated with hydrogenated vegetable oil which will melt and release into the meat product at 135 degrees F.

Used to give certain products such as summer sausage and snack sticks their distinctive tang without going through a lengthy fermentation cycle.

Suggested usage for this purpose is 3 oz. for 25 lb. of meat. Encapsulated citric acid should be added near the end of the processing cycle as not to rupture the capsules during the mixing cycle. During processing the encapsulated citric acid is inactive until the temperature reaches 135 degrees F. and then the capsule is melted releasing the citric acid into the product.

 

[smoksignlr]

I just love the dialogue. But I do have a question. How many capsules would it take to make 3 oz. I find it interesting that it would mix thouroughly after being released. This is quite a science. VEEEERY Intrestiing. Gary

 

[dacdots]

OK Kevin will you tell me where to buy the citric acid,I am gonna make up a batch soon and would like to try it out.Thanks David

 

[bigdaddyviking67]

If you go to this link you can order a good amount for cheap. Remember don't run it through the meat grinder,

http://www.butcher-packer.com/pg_sausage_citric.htm

 

[dacdots]

Thank you for the info and the link.I found some at Allied Kenco and ordered it there.Now if I can only get off work for two days in a row.Im getting too old for this working stuff its cutting into my smoking time too much.

 

[kiskahead]

In regards to the encapsulated citric acid, if I use a grinder with a stuffer tube to stuff my mixture into casings am I still ok regarding rupturing the citric acid ? I know over mixing by hand may cause problems so thats why I question the grinder auger(no blade or plate)

 

[bigdaddyviking67]

You might still break the caps as the auger turns the meat. Plus any grinder Iv'e seen, need a plate to hold the shaft of the auger.