Snack stick help

[275]

G'day all,

I've long been interested in the world of curing (eventually want to do salami and kabanos etc.) and figure snack sticks (twiggy sticks in australia) is a nice easy intro.

I've no idea where to start so was thinking of getting a hi mountain snack stick kit to try my first batch. Are they any good and are they worth trying?

Just from what I've read its as simple as mixing the seasoning and cure with minces meat, stuffing, allowing to sit for 24 hours and then smoking?

Any other info worth knowing? I'm not sure of smoker temps or ideal finish temps for the meat. Can they be vac sealed and frozen and still retain their texture?

Or if the HM stuff is rubbish am i better off using another recipe from somewhere?
Appreciate any help.

This is the deer from a few weeks back I've been eating on lately.

 

[Mark Krenn]

Hello, I’ve been making pepper sticks, salami, brats, you name it for 25 years. I even did it commercially for 5 years. Recipes are all over the internet. For the snack stick casing, I use 21mm mohagany collagen that I buy from either Sausage Maker or Midwestern Research. I grind 40-50% pork butt into this mix NO beef fat!!!! Very important. I stuff 24 hours after you grind and mix. Sticks need a minimum 7 hour cook. Smoke the first hour or so. Runn the smoker at 150 degrees the first 5-6 hour then crank it up to 170-180 until internal meat temp reaches 152. Cool immediately after the cooking process completes. Once cooled? I vac pac. Always refrigerate after vac packing for 24 hours. Then you can freeze. Check freezer to make sure it runs 0-5 above. Good luck!

 

[fivetricks]

Go ahead and search "snack stick" in the search forum page. You will find oodles of threads that will answer all of your questions :-)

 

[275]

Go ahead and search "snack stick" in the search forum page. You will find oodles of threads that will answer all of your questions :-)

Yeah fair point, i got a bit carried away there. The main question is meant to be whether the HM kits are worthwhile or not.

 

[fivetricks]

From what I read, plenty of people use them.

Give these guys a try. Seems to be where the experienced sausage guys buy their stuff from.

http://www.sausagemakersupplies.com

 

[crazymoon]

275,I know folks have good things to say about about HM products, I have not used them. IMHO it would be a good way to start . I would have my smoker set at 120-130 for the first hour with no smoke and dampers wide open to dry .Then add smoke for a few hours and bump your temp up but don't exceed 170 to reduce fat running out of your product. Take to an IT of 152ish and cool quickly down to 120ish and then let rest on the counter for a few hours. I vac seal and fridge only, no freeze ,eating some sticks 6-7 months later and they are fine! Have fun and that is a nice but strange looking deer! :)

 

[Mark Krenn]

I guess I’ve never tried the HM products. They’re prolly fine. Thing is the kits are expensive compared to buying spices and casings.
I want to irritate getting the sticks cooled after the cook. 80-120 degrees is the critical temperatures. Listeria can grow in that temp range. Thus the reason to get through it as fast as possible. Also smoke penetrates meat the quickest when meat is between 50 and 80 degrees. That’s why I smoke first. Good luck!

 

[Winterrider]

Have used High Mountain seasonings many times. I do prefer High Country though if that is available. They do have the starter kits also $19.95 what I saw yesterday at local Home Of Economy.

 

[275]

Have used High Mountain seasonings many times. I do prefer High Country though if that is available. They do have the starter kits also $19.95 what I saw yesterday at local Home Of Economy.

Thanks, i will look into whether these are available in Australia. The HM kit for snack sticks is $50 plus postage here in aus so not cheap.

 

[checkdude]

Ouch! That's pricy. I would look at the many recipes posted and choose the one I like ingredients and go from there. But then I'm frugal (cheap). Plus it gives you option of modifying the spice profile to your taste. Good luck.

 

[SonnyE]

Save money for cartridges and spices.
Follow Disco's Free advice!
https://oldfatguy.ca/?p=5910#more-5910
I liked it so much I simply ordered in the Fennel Seed and Mustard Seed to make batches as I eat my way along.
(The rest I have on hand)

I got a few Hi Mountain Kits from my local butcher shop who was closing them out. They were good, but you are far better off gathering the seasonings and finding your own taste. Begin in recipes, and work on variations.
To me, the fun is in the customizing. I've grown a lot of seasonings I never might have thought of a few years ago.
And I still have a Lime Hi Mountian kit in the dry pantry.
I've made a few mistakes, like too much Cayenne Pepper that'd make your butt glow. But it's a learning process.

Nice Deer! Enjoy!

 

[murraysmokin]

Personally I like tha AC legs snack sticks seasonings & I have had good luck with ask the meatman good prices & fast shipping.

 

[SonnyE]

Personally I like tha AC legs snack sticks seasonings & I have had good luck with ask the meatman good prices & fast shipping.

Ee's in Australia, Murray.
Land of the 25 ounce Fosters. Because it's a ways between waterin 'ole's...

Daveomak pointed me to AC Legg's, and I have some Hot Italian Sausage Seasoning on hand for when the meat wagon arrives. Soon actually, because I'm eating my way through my batch of snack sticks already. But have some meat reserves in the freezer.

 

[murraysmokin]

Ee's in Australia, Murray.
Land of the 25 ounce Fosters. Because it's a ways between waterin 'ole's...

Daveomak pointed me to AC Legg's, and I have some Hot Italian Sausage Seasoning on hand for when the meat wagon arrives. Soon actually, because I'm eating my way through my batch of snack sticks already. But have some meat reserves in the freezer.

Ahh used to really e joy the fosters oil can...

 

[275]

Ee's in Australia, Murray.
Land of the 25 ounce Fosters. Because it's a ways between waterin 'ole's...

Daveomak pointed me to AC Legg's, and I have some Hot Italian Sausage Seasoning on hand for when the meat wagon arrives. Soon actually, because I'm eating my way through my batch of snack sticks already. But have some meat reserves in the freezer.

Haha in point of fact, it's incredibly hard to find a can of fosters in Australia! But it is a long way between anything so the old aussie "long neck" aka 750ml (25 oz) bottle does the trick!

 

[indaswamp]

go easy on the amount of water you use in snack sticks...

 

[xray]

I’ve used the High Mountain kit before with good results. I think the seasonings are a bit on the tame side, so I add extra seasonings (not cure!)

The kit comes with 2 packs of seasonings, 2 packs of cure and two strands of collagen casings. They make up to 20lbs of sticks.

Now, if you don’t want to get stuck with the same flavor for 20lbs of meat, or if you are making a lesser amount...Buy the jerky seasoning. The jerky seasoning is basically 1/2 of the snack stick kit.

So, one jerky kit will make 10lbs of snack sticks. Another plus is that the jerky kits have more variety, the snack stick kit only has limited flavors. Also a lot cheaper!!

The only downside is you have to buy the collagen casings separately. The sporting goods store where I buy the seasonings also sell the casings separately...so it’s not a problem for me.

Here’s the latest sticks I made with the HM seasonings:

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/made-venison-snack-sticks-over-easter-weekend.274189/

Hope this helps.

 

[SonnyE]

go easy on the amount of water you use in snack sticks...

Good Point. I added only 1 cup (slowly) to a 5 pound batch. I added .06 L (1/4 cup) (60 ml ? ) at a time, and finally just tossed the last bit in.
Just enough to help the seasonings and Cure#1 to move along during the mixing.