Snack Stick Prep Question.

[BillTheButcher]

Hi, smoking uncased beef snack sticks tomorrow 9/30 and was thinking, could I gun the sticks out on my screens tonight,and let sit in fridge overnight and smoke them tomorrow.
Would they get too dried out doing this ?
Thanks for any help!!

 

[chopsaw]

You could , but I would cover them with plastic wrap .

 

[BillTheButcher]

TY chopsaw, I was thinking that but am concerned putting pressure on it might push the meat down into the screen and cause it to stick.
Probably should just gun it right before smoking.
Thought I could save a step beforehand, but sometimes there ain't no easy way I guess.
Never made sticks without casing, gonna see how it goes...

 

[Fueling Around]

If you're using something as a Frog Mat give it a spray with cooking spray
You don't have to pull the plastic wrap tight, just cover as chopsaw suggested.

 

[BillTheButcher]

If you're using something as a Frog Mat give it a spray with cooking spray
You don't have to pull the plastic wrap tight, just cover as chopsaw suggested.

I'm currently using screens from my dehydrator... time to invest in frog mats .
Still new to all this smoking stuff, allot to learn.

 

[BillTheButcher]

Ok, felling pretty stupid ... My wife was starting to pay attention to what I was doing and saying I needed ,she went into a cabinet and handed me these . Bought when I ordered the smoker, but forgot about them.
Their frogmat knockoffs .... gonna give them a try on next batch using the smoker grates.
Thanks, (Fueling Around ) for the advice.

 

[Fueling Around]

My mats are also knockoff that I got for $2 each at Rural King on closeout.
If my wife puts something away:

1. I cannot find it or
2. I forget about it, too

Also if you form your sticks after the initial mixing and protein extraction (sticky meat) and let them air dry overnight they should be easier to handle the next day

 

[BillTheButcher]

My mats are also knockoff that I got for $2 each at Rural King on closeout.
If my wife puts something away:

1. I cannot find it or
2. I forget about it, too

Also if you form your sticks after the initial mixing and protein extraction (sticky meat) and let them air dry overnight they should be easier to handle the next day

 

[BillTheButcher]

Well this cook was a fail.
I used 80/20 burger (no pork added) and it was a completely greasy mess. I started at 130 temp and bumped up slowly for 5 hrs to 160.Grease started to render out at 140 - 150 deg.
At first I thought it was moisture on it but after I pulled out a rack to check temp, realized it was grease.. and I mean allot

Should have used 90/10 but this was the meat I had on hand.
Made 2nd batch in dehydrator, and it was ok, a little greasy but nothing paper towels couldn't handle .
Will only use cased sticks in the smoker from now on.

It's a shame because the batch from the smoker smelled frikin awesome..
The trash can thought so too.

I'm fairly new to smoking, so maybe I did something wrong ....not sure, blaming it on the burger.