Snack stick question

[bnew17]

I am going to be making some venision/pork butt snack sticks for the first time. I am either going with a 50/50 mix or a 70/30 mix. I am using the AC Leggs pepperoni snack stick mix. I have a few questions i was hoping some could answer.

-Mix says it is for 25 lbs. I notice most people mix only 20 lbs. I have done it this way with summer sausage and brats I just wanted to make sure that is the case with snack sticks.

-I like the twang of “slim jims” so i bought some ECA. I am a little hesitant to add the whole pack and over do it. Does anyone have any experience with this?

-I am a little confused about how to add the ECA. I have read where you need to let mix sit overnight and i have read where you don’t want ECA to sit long at all because it will burst. Could I let the mix sit overnight and add ECA immediately before stuffing and smoking? Or do the actual links need to sit overnight already stuffed?

-Smoke until an IT of 152?

I plan on cutting up my deer tomorrow. It has been in my cooler (on ice) for a week so I plan on doing this, this weekend. Thanks

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Add the eca in just before stuffing.

 

[tallbm]

I am going to be making some venision/pork butt snack sticks for the first time. I am either going with a 50/50 mix or a 70/30 mix. I am using the AC Leggs pepperoni snack stick mix. I have a few questions i was hoping some could answer.

-Mix says it is for 25 lbs. I notice most people mix only 20 lbs. I have done it this way with summer sausage and brats I just wanted to make sure that is the case with snack sticks.

-I like the twang of “slim jims” so i bought some ECA. I am a little hesitant to add the whole pack and over do it. Does anyone have any experience with this?

-I am a little confused about how to add the ECA. I have read where you need to let mix sit overnight and i have read where you don’t want ECA to sit long at all because it will burst. Could I let the mix sit overnight and add ECA immediately before stuffing and smoking? Or do the actual links need to sit overnight already stuffed?

-Smoke until an IT of 152?

I plan on cutting up my deer tomorrow. It has been in my cooler (on ice) for a week so I plan on doing this, this weekend. Thanks

Your venison is basically 100% meat and no fat. Pork butts are about 80/20 meat to fat.


You want to shoot for at least 20% overall fat in general or maybe a little more.
Of your two options I would go with 50/50.

Now my personal practice is I buy trimmed pork back fat and I go 80% venison meat and 20% pork fat and boom, my ratio is done and I am eating mostly venison :)

The only time I change is when I use beef fat instead of pork fat for certain types of sausages/meat flavors I'm looking for :)

I hope this info helps :)

 

[Fueling Around]

I like a 10% mix of pork meat in the sticks as it helps with the bite to my taste. The 20% fat can be pure pork or a blend of beef if you want a different flavor

 

[foamheart]

What the heck is ECA??

I just made 10# of pepperoni snack sticks last week. I did use some powdered buttermilk (binder) that gives it sort of that buttermilk Twang. Its a lame excuse for faux fermentation.

I did about 80/20 and of that 20%, probably 1/2 was fat (its where the flavor hides). I sometimes add phosphates but thats when I am doing Hammie Stix and they are juicy and not dried in the smoker.

I smoked mine for 12 hours to get lots of smoke on there, but at very low temp till the end when I raise the temp. Just till the fat starts to render then pull it. BTW that mean don't skimp on the cure.

No complaints. Remember thought, first time = K.I.S.S. Next time experiment because you'll know what to expect.





PS: Live dangerously and add mustard seeds, it sorta follows the pepperoni theme and gives it a little crunch that everyone likes.

Good luck, pictures!

 

[Norwester55]

I use 3 1/2 to 4 tsps of ECA per 5 lbs of meat for summer sausage depending on how tangy I want it, but I haven't used it in snack stix. As mentioned, add it just before stuffing and hand mix, don't run it through your grinder. It releases at 150* so 152* should work.

 

[Fueling Around]

What the heck is ECA??
...

Encapsulated Citric Acid or the twang for fake fermented product. Along the same taste line as your buttermilk powder.

 

[foamheart]

Encapsulated Citric Acid or the twang for fake fermented product. Along the same taste line as your buttermilk powder.

Thanks, I just never heard it called ECA. Was always just citric acid. Used a lot in canning also.

Thank you again.

 

[Fueling Around]

There is an important difference between generic citric acid and buttermilk powder versus ECA.
Citric acid and buttermilk is mixed in the meat and adds the fermented taste through out the stick.
ECA stays isolated from the meat until ~ 150° in the smoker. The capsule melts releasing the citric acid for a sharp taste in the stick, but leaves the meat flavor original.

 

[bnew17]

I have everything mixed up. Taste is ok. I am thinking of adding some Cayenne Pepper and some Cajun Seasoning (Slap Yo Mamma). I will add the ECA and then stuff. I am thinking of only adding half the recommended amount of ECA due to not wanting to over do the flavor, especially since I dont know what the flavor will even be. I will report back.

 

[bnew17]

Well the electric smoker died as I was getting it set up. Will it be a waste to cook these in the oven?

 

[JckDanls 07]

Well the electric smoker died as I was getting it set up. Will it be a waste to cook these in the oven?

Yes.. Oven will not work as the heat will not go low enough... hopefully you can get the electric smoker working very soon... good luck ...

 

[bnew17]

I have a RF smoker. I may try it.

 

[boykjo]

If the ECA is mixed in and the the sausage is stuffed it needs to get cooked ASAP. Try the RF or maybe Sous vid. Try to control your temps.

Boykjo

 

[bnew17]

I have not mixed the ECA in yet nor have i put into casings. I may wait until tmrw and see if I can get my hands on another electric smoker.

 

[boykjo]

 

[bnew17]

I did find a “Big Chief” electric smoker tucked away in my shop I forgot about. Looking at the manual, it cooks at 165 deg. I think that may work. How long do you think it will take at a constant 165?

 

[Dennis6431]

I did find a “Big Chief” electric smoker tucked away in my shop I forgot about. Looking at the manual, it cooks at 165 deg. I think that may work. How long do you think it will take at a constant 165?

4-6 hours
meat temperature 155 - 160

 

[tallbm]

Well the electric smoker died as I was getting it set up. Will it be a waste to cook these in the oven?

What is going on with your smoker?
If the controller is turning on but getting no heat then it is likely a connector to the heating element went bad or a connector to the safety switch went bad.

If the controller wont turn on then you are out of luck and would have to replace the controller with something like a PID Controller after a simple rewire (cut ends off 4 wires, splice to make 2 wires).

You can always grill your sausage if they are links.
I often stuff, link, cut, and vacuum seal cured sausgae and smoke at a later date or grill fresh. So you don't have to commit to cooking them now.

 

[Fueling Around]

I did find a “Big Chief” electric smoker tucked away in my shop I forgot about. Looking at the manual, it cooks at 165 deg. I think that may work. How long do you think it will take at a constant 165?

I used my Big Chief to smoke many pork shoulders.
I would smoke a couple hours and then move to the oven at 300° to finish the cooking.