Please help! Mushy beef snack sticks

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I gave my wife a very short example of buying "Fresh Ground Beef, Every Day".
She went shopping late yesterday afternoon. I texted her meat I wanted.
Most was not available. I imagine the Super Carnivores grabbed plenty for Super Bowl. She said she was kind of surprised how things seemed out of stock.

She came home with 5.91 lbs. of "Fresh Ground Beef" in a Styrofoam shrink wrapped package.
I just finished doing my repackaging of it into 1/4 pound patties, 1 pound (8"x 8"), vacuum bags. They are freezing before I vacuum them for storage. I use a patty press, and patty papers to do my sub-dividing. Makes the GB real easy to work with later on.
But during the process, she happened to come into the kitchen. I asked if I could show her something. "Sure."
I pointed out, with my gloved hands, the middle looked like meat, and the surface was painted.
"Meat, Paint." I said. "They all seem to do it." I told her. Hopefully the small observation will stick with her.

If it is "Fresh Ground Every Day", why does it need to be painted red?

Now something I've noticed with chubs, (those plastic tubes), No paint. Ever. And naturally red meat as I repackage it into our preferred working sizes.
We also buy the packaged 1 pound, 6 pounds total, plastic packages which really save a lot of time and materials. We just freeze them. And we have Pounds to thaw and cook as desired. Again, No Paint.

Lastly, if you choose a chunk, then have your Butcher custom grind it, why would you believe it is any less contaminated?
Do you think the grinder is cleaner than your own at home? (I can guarantee yours is cleaner. Even if it is dirty, it is your dirty in it.)

To me, if I was going to home grind (and I am/do), it's to assure what is coming out the other end. I don't like vanes or artery parts looking at me when I bite into something. So I remove things I find objectionable when prepping.
If I just buy Ground Beast, I accept it may not be up to my personal standards, but is edible when cooked to death.
It's got to be a cut above a hamburger mixed with a mystery green slime coming out of a window served by someone of questionable health.

Life is a crap shoot. You take the shot, and hope you don't get the craps.
I can say I trust the USDA more than some food truck, or some street vender.
I know neighborhoods where people set a barbecue in their front yards, and sell food cooked right there.
Now that, is damn plain crazy. That is asking to get food poisoning. :emoji_mask:

I have to wonder if the red paint is lead free.... :emoji_thinking:
It will still be contaminated Sonny, just not to the degree of meat that has been ground, contaminated, then packaged and put out for sale. You have no idea how long that meat has been sitting there....with bacteria growing in it.
Best to grind and use immediately when making smoke sausages, not let it sit around letting the pathogens grow. That is fine if you are making burgers or fresh sausages that will get through the danger zone (40-140 in 4 hour period) and cooked hot and fast and not held at a low temp for an extended period of time.
 
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Just a shot in the dark here, but have you checked the thermometer you are using in ice water and boiling water? I'm not seeing anything major in your methods to cause them to be mushy, so perhaps the thermometer is off?
 
Just a shot in the dark here, but have you checked the thermometer you are using in ice water and boiling water? I'm not seeing anything major in your methods to cause them to be mushy, so perhaps the thermometer is off?
excellent point.

Also to the OP: are you using a digital thermometer?
 
It will still be contaminated Sonny, just not to the degree of meat that has been ground, contaminated, then packaged and put out for sale. You have no idea how long that meat has been sitting there....with bacteria growing in it.
Best to grind and use immediately when making smoke sausages, not let it sit around letting the pathogens grow. That is fine if you are making burgers or fresh sausages that will get through the danger zone (40-140 in 4 hour period) and cooked hot and fast and not held at a low temp for an extended period of time.

Didn't say it wouldn't. Did you read what I wrote?
Nothing is "Not contaminated". One sneeze contaminates 35 Cubic Feet of air. Hold your breath on your next elevator ride.
And don't even imagine what smelling a fart is akin to. :emoji_astonished::emoji_laughing:
 
Just a shot in the dark here, but have you checked the thermometer you are using in ice water and boiling water? I'm not seeing anything major in your methods to cause them to be mushy, so perhaps the thermometer is off?
I have, If its off, its not by much. I have thermo pro thermometer. I dont think you can calibrate them can you? What will the boiling water do? reset it? or just let me know how far I am off?
 
I gave my wife a very short example of buying "Fresh Ground Beef, Every Day".
She went shopping late yesterday afternoon. I texted her meat I wanted.
Most was not available. I imagine the Super Carnivores grabbed plenty for Super Bowl. She said she was kind of surprised how things seemed out of stock.

She came home with 5.91 lbs. of "Fresh Ground Beef" in a Styrofoam shrink wrapped package.
I just finished doing my repackaging of it into 1/4 pound patties, 1 pound (8"x 8"), vacuum bags. They are freezing before I vacuum them for storage. I use a patty press, and patty papers to do my sub-dividing. Makes the GB real easy to work with later on.
But during the process, she happened to come into the kitchen. I asked if I could show her something. "Sure."
I pointed out, with my gloved hands, the middle looked like meat, and the surface was painted.
"Meat, Paint." I said. "They all seem to do it." I told her. Hopefully the small observation will stick with her.

If it is "Fresh Ground Every Day", why does it need to be painted red?

Now something I've noticed with chubs, (those plastic tubes), No paint. Ever. And naturally red meat as I repackage it into our preferred working sizes.
We also buy the packaged 1 pound, 6 pounds total, plastic packages which really save a lot of time and materials. We just freeze them. And we have Pounds to thaw and cook as desired. Again, No Paint.

Lastly, if you choose a chunk, then have your Butcher custom grind it, why would you believe it is any less contaminated?
Do you think the grinder is cleaner than your own at home? (I can guarantee yours is cleaner. Even if it is dirty, it is your dirty in it.)

To me, if I was going to home grind (and I am/do), it's to assure what is coming out the other end. I don't like vanes or artery parts looking at me when I bite into something. So I remove things I find objectionable when prepping.
If I just buy Ground Beast, I accept it may not be up to my personal standards, but is edible when cooked to death.
It's got to be a cut above a hamburger mixed with a mystery green slime coming out of a window served by someone of questionable health.

Life is a crap shoot. You take the shot, and hope you don't get the craps.
I can say I trust the USDA more than some food truck, or some street vender.
I know neighborhoods where people set a barbecue in their front yards, and sell food cooked right there.
Now that, is damn plain crazy. That is asking to get food poisoning. :emoji_mask:

I have to wonder if the red paint is lead free.... :emoji_thinking:

OK you lost me there, however i think you're saying the logs are "eh ok" but of course grinding your own is better.
What cut do you grind?
 
my suggestion would be to confirm your temps in the MES with a reputable thermometer (that's been calibrated in boiling water) ... MES's are notoriously off by up to 50`... Also.. as nepas said... try with no water... just put the Cure in with the other spices and mix as you have been... Myself.. I like to use about a 1/4 cup of water (for 5 lbs of meat) to put the cure in .... A whole cup is wayyyyy to much water ...

1st,
I have a thermo pro, which might be garbage idk? How do I calibrate it in boiling water?
2nd) Im liking the less water idea. I had no idea! Wish I would have done that a long time ago! I think Ill cut back to 1/4 cup first then go to none
Thank You!
 
It will still be contaminated Sonny, just not to the degree of meat that has been ground, contaminated, then packaged and put out for sale. You have no idea how long that meat has been sitting there....with bacteria growing in it.
Best to grind and use immediately when making smoke sausages, not let it sit around letting the pathogens grow. That is fine if you are making burgers or fresh sausages that will get through the danger zone (40-140 in 4 hour period) and cooked hot and fast and not held at a low temp for an extended period of time.

Well, I like that theory and explanation too. What cut of meat do you use to grind, lets say for snack sticks? I want all beef.
Just curious, isnt the cure there to help us through the danger zone at low temps?
 
excellent point.

Also to the OP: are you using a digital thermometer?
Just a shot in the dark here, but have you checked the thermometer you are using in ice water and boiling water? I'm not seeing anything major in your methods to cause them to be mushy, so perhaps the thermometer is off?

also, I let them sit in extra hot yesterday. Took the ITs up to 170! I pulled a few different ones at different temps: 155, 160,165,and 170---all mush. But maybe I took them up that high too fast? Im hoping thats the case. So now theyve been in since 1pm, its 821 here. Im not pulling by temp, but by look. My new theory gathered from all the great help today is too much water in the recipe. So If I've been pulling the meat out at 155 IT... but it gets there in 4 to 6 hours... maybe that wasnt enough time for all the water to evap out? Im hoping thats the issue. we shall see. And hopefully not at 3am!
 
Hey Paul ,,,
My opinion , store bought ground beef is a crap shoot .
I have two Thermo pros . TP-20 , TP-08 . Both work fine .
I don't temp my sticks , I go by feel .
I read the same thread about the Tube beef . I believe the thought was " ground in a more controlled " environment .
I grind my own beef , I use chuck .
I let the sticks hang out in the fridge to help them dry . ( after smoking ) Fridge temp 36 F . I put the sticks in a paper bag .
I only add the moisture that is needed to the mix . Sometimes it's a cup per 5 lbs , sometimes it's a 1/4 cup .
Good luck , you will get it figured out .
 
I have, If its off, its not by much. I have thermo pro thermometer. I dont think you can calibrate them can you? What will the boiling water do? reset it? or just let me know how far I am off?
The boiling water is not to "calibrate", but rather to see what temp the thermometer is displaying with the probe in boiling water. Most of us double check our thermometers in boiling water, then also in ice water just to make sure they are reading the correct temp.
If the thermometer is not the issue, as was mentioned earlier cut back on the water. Something I would recommend you do to check the heat distribution in your smoker is the biscuit test. Buy a can or two of cheap off brand biscuits and place them at different spots on your racks and see how the cooking compares at the different levels and front/back of your racks. With the large pans you have in there they might well be affecting the temps above them.
 
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Hey Paul ,,,
My opinion , store bought ground beef is a crap shoot .
I have two Thermo pros . TP-20 , TP-08 . Both work fine .
I don't temp my sticks , I go by feel .
I read the same thread about the Tube beef . I believe the thought was " ground in a more controlled " environment .
I grind my own beef , I use chuck .
I let the sticks hang out in the fridge to help them dry . ( after smoking ) Fridge temp 36 F . I put the sticks in a paper bag .
I only add the moisture that is needed to the mix . Sometimes it's a cup per 5 lbs , sometimes it's a 1/4 cup .
Good luck , you will get it figured out .

I don't know what thermo pro I have. Its the one that is wireless. I feel its pretty accurate. You go by feel? I assume that feel comes with experience? I'm just going to let them go for a long time until they look like the store bought ones. They have been in for 8.5 hours now, and don't even look close.
What kind of casing do you use and size? I use 19 mm collagen. They come out real thick, I assume because I have never gotten them done.
Thanks for the help
 
The boiling water is not to "calibrate", but rather to see what temp the thermometer is displaying with the probe in boiling water. Most of us double check our thermometers in boiling water, then also in ice water just to make sure they are reading the correct temp.
If the thermometer is not the issue, as was mentioned earlier cut back on the water. Something I would recommend you do to check the heat distribution in your smoker is the biscuit test. Buy a can or two of cheap off brand biscuits and place them at different spots on your racks and see how the cooking compares at the different levels and front/back of your racks. With the large pans you have in there they might well be affecting the temps above them.

Ok great. Thank you for the tips. I try to rotate my racks. I know for a fact the bottom rack is hotter, as it is closest to the heating element. I will try my thermometer in boiling water.
 
Didn't say it wouldn't. Did you read what I wrote?
Nothing is "Not contaminated". One sneeze contaminates 35 Cubic Feet of air. Hold your breath on your next elevator ride.
And don't even imagine what smelling a fart is akin to. :emoji_astonished::emoji_laughing:
Another thing to consider when buying pre-ground meat...

The store has a cut of meat that is not selling, or maybe it has a cut that has sat in the meat case for 3 days...they need to do something with it. What do you think they do with it so they don't take a loss on it? That's right, they make it into ground meat. How old is that meat? Do you know?
 
Hanging it? in a 30?! Damn it was stuffed huh? You got double what i can get
Yes, hanging it...with 1" clearance between each coil hanging on a rod. Probably can't get 12.5# of snack sticks in there though.
Did you do the sausage hanger mod to your MES? There are some guys that have posted pictures....
 
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