slimmys and cheese question

[ldrus]

going to make some slimmys tomorrow  going to do 3 lb cheddar and 3 lb pepperjack (hi-temp) the cheese is 1/4 inch cube(purchased from butcher/packer)  do i need to make it smaller for the slim jims?

 

[couger78]

If your stick funnel tube can handle 1/4" cubes, you should be fine.

I cut a pound of cheese into fairly uniform 1/4" cubes and had no problems even when using my grinder & the small diameter funnel shown below. No clog nor obstructions during the whole process thanks in part to the stuffing auger, and wound up with some pretty even cheese distribution in my 19mm sticks.

I'm certain if I'd use my kirby cannon, the cheese would have presented no problem there either. The KC is powerful enough to practically push a whole brick of cheese through the tube.

-Kevin

 

[boykjo]

What size casings are you going to use. If using 19mm to 22mm I would cut them up into smaller pieces unless you want to have meat then a hunk of cheese in the smaller diameter casings.

Dont forget to post some qveiw of your process...............

Joe

 

[big casino]

I agree with Kevin you should be fine, I never used butcher packer cheese b4 but where I get my cheese  the 1/4 size seems to be the biggest pieces there are lots of smaller chunks mixed in with it, how much are you planning on using per lb?

 

[gersus]

Sorry for being off topic, but that pic is amazing, Couger!

 

[ldrus]

I agree with Kevin you should be fine, I never used butcher packer cheese b4 but where I get my cheese  the 1/4 size seems to be the biggest pieces there are lots of smaller chunks mixed in with it, how much are you planning on using per lb?

i used 10%  so for 3lbs of meat i used 4 oz cheese

 

[terry colwell]

 I know this is a silly question buutttttt,,, How do you get all the stuff out of the tubes? Is it just wasted, is there a ramrod? Is it done be hand after you run out and finish up?? As you can tell I haven't made any sausages,,, Yet...

If your stick funnel tube can handle 1/4" cubes, you should be fine.

I cut a pound of cheese into fairly uniform 1/4" cubes and had no problems even when using my grinder & the small diameter funnel shown below. No clog nor obstructions during the whole process thanks in part to the stuffing auger, and wound up with some pretty even cheese distribution in my 19mm sticks.

I'm certain if I'd use my kirby cannon, the cheese would have presented no problem there either. The KC is powerful enough to practically push a whole brick of cheese through the tube.

-Kevin

 

[couger78]

I used 1lb of cubed cheese for my recent 7.75lb batch of sticks (19.8%). They were plenty 'cheesy.'

-Kevin

 

[couger78]

How do you get all the stuff out of the tubes? Is it just wasted, is there a ramrod? Is it done be hand after you run out and finish up??

Terry, when I get to the end of the load being fed into the grinder, inevitably there is meat remaining within the grinder's auger as well as the stuffing funnel.This happens with all sausages (not just sticks with cheese). Standard procedure is to manually remove the leftover from the grinder (unplugged & disassembled)  and by means of small push dowel or wooden handle to force the remaining content out from the funnel end. From my understanding, this is a pretty standard procedure with all stuffing funnels to remove the 'leftover' meat  and not waste the content. Some sausage-makers grind FAT or bread through their grinder to clear the passage at the end of the process.

-Kevin

 

[sprky]

Sounds great. I also wondered what one did with the meat left in stuffer. I just figured you cleaned it out and fried it up fresh.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

My last batch i made for a friend i used the 1/8" cuber.

Sorry my cheap camera.

Its fun to see how we all do things different.

 

[terry colwell]

Terry, when I get to the end of the load being fed into the grinder, inevitably there is meat remaining within the grinder's auger as well as the stuffing funnel.This happens with all sausages (not just sticks with cheese). Standard procedure is to manually remove the leftover from the grinder (unplugged & disassembled)  and by means of small push dowel or wooden handle to force the remaining content out from the funnel end. From my understanding, this is a pretty standard procedure with all stuffing funnels to remove the 'leftover' meat  and not waste the content. Some sausage-makers grind FAT or bread through their grinder to clear the passage at the end of the process.

-Kevin

Thanks Kevin, So do most sausage kits come with "clean out rods" ? Or is that something you have to make on your own?

 Nepas,,

 What the heck is that little gadget??

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Thanks Kevin, So do most sausage kits come with "clean out rods" ? Or is that something you have to make on your own?

 Nepas,,

 What the heck is that little gadget??

Its a press cuber. Makes small 1/8" cubes. I have a 1/4 press somewhere? Maybe still packed up.

To answer the clean out of the tubes. You have to make some. Use wood dowels that fit inside each tube. Or even wooden spoon handles work.

 

[terry colwell]

So you use that to cut the cheese to fit into the sausage?

 

[jrod62]

 
 Nepas,,

 What the heck is that little gadget??

Its a press cuber. Makes small 1/8" cubes. I have a 1/4 press somewhere? Maybe still packed up.

To answer the clean out of the tubes. You have to make some. Use wood dowels that fit inside each tube. Or even wooden spoon handles work.

that little gadget works great !!!! I ask Nepas the same thing when he posted it on one of his sausage post. went right out and found one at Bed Bath and Beyond for around $10.

it made the cheese the right size for snack sticks.

so Nepas thanks for post.

don't have a Bear-view but you can see the size of the cheese in the snack stick

 

 

[upinflames]

I just spent about 40 minutes searching the 'net for this little gem and drew a blank. Need  some help please

 

[big casino]

The company I buy my cheese from says to use 15% cheese but I found that to be more than my liking I cut it back and use around 10%

I use a wooden spoon handle to clean out my stuffing tube, and then what ever I couldn't get into casings I fry and eat as a snack while I am smoking

and your right Gersus,...

Kevin takes awesome pics of everything

 

[ldrus]

 

[jrod62]

I just spent about 40 minutes searching the 'net for this little gem and drew a blank. Need  some help please

Genius Mini Nicer Dicer     http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?MC=1&RN=200&SKU=17767100

 

[upinflames]

ikrus & jrod, thanks guys. Whipped out my CC and one is on the way to its new home. Earlier I plugged DICER into the BB&B search and drew a blank ???

Thanx again, UIF.