Snack stick issue

[Kaley Bentz]

I am new to making snack sticks and am having a problem.......all is well after grinding the meat and after mixing the cure and seasoning into the meat. However, as soon as I add the citric acid to lower the Ph, the meat changes color, becomes far less tacky and almost seems to “sweat” in the mixer, creating a pool of liquid at the bottom of the mixer and a very foul meat mixture that cannot be stuffed because of its consistancy and wet nature.......
I am being gentle with the acid and of course not grinding it.....simply putting it in the mixer with the meat for less than 1 minute.....
Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[chef jimmyj]

PM NEPAS. He has talked about ECA Encapsulated Citric Acid being easy to work with. Maybe Powdered Buttermilk would give the right tang and, it's a good binder...JJ

 

[chopsaw]

I have never used it , but I think it's supposed to dissolve at a higher temps . How warm is your mix ?

Look thru this while you wait
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/eca-question-in-last-post.129680/

 

[Kaley Bentz]

Mix was very cold......had just added ice water with the salt/seasoning disolved into it. CA releases at around 135 degrees so that wasnt the problem.......
Could there be a chemical reaction going on?

 

[chopsaw]

I don't know , but sounds possible .

 

[zwiller]

I am no Nepas but just making sure you are using ENCAPSULATED citric acid, right? Doesn't sound like it. With ECA there should be no immediate color or pH change. When using ECA and IT hits 135F, the oil releases the acid/pH changes, accelerates the cure, and then would change the the color.

 

[smokininthegarden]

Like zwiller said above, it needs to be encapsulated citric acid. If you are using powdered citric
acid it will “cook” the meat upon contact, your description would suggest that is what is happening.

Cal

 

[daveomak]

Don't use citric acid crystals... Like others have noted, it instantly cooks/dissolves the meat...
That's the reason they make Encapsulated Citric Acid... to eliminate that chemical reaction...

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I have never had ECA do this. Your ECA is food grade right?

ECA is encapsulated with food grade gelatin, the capsulation melts at heat between 134-150* releasing the CA into the meat.

Using powdered CA at a high amount will make the meat sweat and start to turn white and mushy. Powdered usually mixes with a small amount of you mixing water and added last.