Snack Sticks

[mulepackin]

Finally got around to doing a batch of slim jims, which I'd been wanting to do all year. Gave me an opportunity to try out my meat mixer and stuffer, both of which worked like a champ. Mixed, stuffed, and linked on Fri.. Smoked on Sat. and cut and bagged yest. I took them out of the smoker at about midnight, and it was pouring so didn't get a shot of that. When I took them out I could of sworn my digital was reading 153, but when I checked in the house the warmest reading I got was 107 so I put them in the oven to finish. Turned out very good. I think my digital probe wasn't inserted far enough into a link, and I was getting internal smoker temp more so than meat. My daughter helped me with every step, otherwise it wasn't happening.

 

[seboke]

Great looking setup ya got there! Glad everything turned out well, it's the end result that counts!!

 

[fireguy]

MP- you da man...glad to see your doing good and your daughter gave ya a hand...Pun intended

good job

 

[daboys]

I bet those are really good. Love to get a stuffer some time and try some of these diff. things.

 

[mulepackin]

Here are the finished shots. Always amazes me what you end up with versus what you start with (shrink):

 

[mulepackin]

I used the Sausage Makers mix and added Fermento. I have done them previously, using the recipe from Ryteks book, which should be identical, but I think they were better from scratch. I suppose spices lose their uumph, etc. in the mixes, and they probably rely more on salt, and less on seasonings. I also couldn't tell that the fermento did much for them. It is old, so I wonder if it looses it's effectiveness? As an aside, if anyone ever uses the books' recipe for 25#, the salt ratio is wrong (too much) at least in my edition. I found that out the hard way.

 

[pineywoods]

Looks fantastic every thing except that arm in the sling hope its coming along good. I take it you like the mixer? Nice setup and smoker


Looks very Good

 

[smoke_chef]

That's cool. Home made Slim Jim's. I bet those are awesome.

 

[kookie]

Damn goodlooking stixs.................I need to make some this weekend again too.................Good job..............

 

[cowgirl]

Mule, it looks great.....

 

[dacdots]

Mule,try some citric acid,gives them that zing taste your looking for.

 

[mossymo]

mulepackin
Great looking meat sticks as usual from you !!! Also glad to see your using the DICK (sausage stuffer)..... is it a 30 lb.?

 

[mulepackin]

Thanks dacdots, I think I will give the citric a try. Although the recipe calls for Fermento, I really think it needs more time to work, and is more for a true dry cured sausage. I really liked using the mixer. It was fast, thorough, and no more numb hands. Worked fine with 25#, even though it's a 50 lb.unit. The stuffer was the real treat. I'd always "got er done" with my grinder in the past, but the stuffer was so quick, easy and no mushed meat, or the backing up, or other problems and frustrations associated with grinder stuffing, especially with these small diam. casings. That is a 30 pound capacity (still have two for sale). That black splint is all I have to wear now, but still can't use that hand yet.

 

[earache_my_eye]

I know those splints well...had one for each arm at different times. One good (?) thing out of all this.....your arm will be a good barometer for changing weather from now on!! People say that's bogus, but it'll ache when a big weather change is coming.....

L8r,
Eric

 

[lcruzen]

Some fine lookin stix ya did there. Perfect for breakfast sittin in a blind.

 

[rosencra38]

Yep, you gotta hate the shrinkage...

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Awesome looking sticks by the way, I just ordered up the high mountain kit and should be doing some of my own here shortly.

 

[nogoer]

Mule, the last time and the first time i made slim jims i used Ryteks recipe. I substituted the fermento with encapsulated citric acid because i just can't get on the fermento bandwagon. I've used the citric acid in summer sausage as well and can attest to it working very well. Plus the fact it's much much cheaper than fermento!

It also took a few days for the sticks to reach thier true slim jim flavor. When i tasted both the slim jims and summer sausage after cooling neither tasted like they should have. After a day or so a retaste revealed a miraculous transformation.

The one problem i had with the slim jims form Ryteks recipe was they started getting soggy. I left them on the counter and open so humidity wouldn't collect and after 3-4 days they lost thier snap completely. I should learn to recheck temps like you did because they did cook to 152, but i don't think they dried out enough.

 

[bb53chevpro]

Looks great. I have been wanting to make some of these for a long time. Having a hard time finding casing small enough around here.

 

[kosy1993]

What mixer do you have? Does it clog? Do you find a big difference between hand mixing and with the mixer?

Oh, the links look great.

Kosy1993

 

[mulepackin]

I've got a Sausage Maker TSM-50 (50#) mixer. I like it a lot. I don't think it could clog. It handled 25# very well. I don't see a difference between it and hand mixing, just no cold, achy hands, and one more thing to clean up. I have mixed a pile of sausage by hand over the years and it worked great. A mixer is admittedly low on the list of sausage making equipment.