Still on the stix train....Pepperoni & Romano cheese

[indaswamp]

Pulled out a 10# bag of goose breasts along with 5# bag of deboned leg meat. I had bought 2 double packs of boston butts when they went on sale recently, $1.39/#. I used one double pack for the jalapeno and cheese, the other one I used here. I found the Romano cheese for a good price and wanted to make more of these Goose/Pork Pepperoni & Romano Cheese snack stix because they are so damn good! I ended up with almost 40# of meat paste and stuffed it into 23mm collagen casings which are about 0.9 inches diameter. Fermented in smokehouse for 42 hours to pH of 4.75 then rolled some smoke to them nice and slow. Pulled them when INT reached 138*F for 30 minutes. Got them cooling on chairs now, then will transfer to spare room with a crack in the window, small fan blowing on a pan of water to increase the RH% to 50-60%RH.

Here is the last batch I made and the recipe I use:

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...peroni-and-romano-cheese-snack-sticks.311192/

 

[indaswamp]

I used hickory and cherry...gave a really nice red color. I don't know why, but these collagen casings have what looks to me to be some kind of an oil on the outside. They were slightly sticky when I stuffed them. Never had this before. That is why the stix look shiny in the smokehouse.

 

[indaswamp]

Pepperoni and Romano stix are dried tonight. Just finished packaging them up.

21# 10oz. of Pepperoni Romano cheese stix...

...and I have about the same amount of jalapeno and cheese stix too.

 

[pineywoods]

Those look very good and I'll bet with the Romano it tastes good

 

[indaswamp]

Those look very good and I'll bet with the Romano it tastes good

One of the best combos I have tried to date. The Romano is a little pricey, so I try to find it on sale. But it is just so good, I do not mind paying for it. Might could substitute parmesan...I have not tried it yet.

 

[bauchjw]

Those shiny ones look terrible, I might have to get rid of them for you! Wow, incredible as always! Your mix of science and art is always impressive!

 

[crazymoon]

IDS, Nice batch of sticks ! The collagen casing I get from PS Seasoning also have a slight film on them , never affects the final product though .

 

[indaswamp]

IDS, Nice batch of sticks ! The collagen casing I get from PS Seasoning also have a slight film on them , never affects the final product though .

I found these collagen casings for a really good price and stocked up on them knowing I was going to make a pile of stix. $7 for 4 tubes per pack, enough to do about 30#. I think I bought 10 or so packs....some are sticky, most are not.

 

[chopsaw]

Those look good . Had a guy I worked with from Illinois that made sausage from duck and goose . It was always fantastic . I've talked about the guy that hangs the sausage in the barn with a smoke drum and green hickory . Really good .
I know you have yours dialed in . Nice work .

I don't know why, but these collagen casings have what looks to me to be some kind of an oil on the outside.

Maybe at some point they got some condensation inside the bag ? Just a thought .

The Romano is a little pricey, so I try to find it on sale. But it is just so good, I do not mind paying for it.

I started using the Romano in my Italian . Can't go back . Makes a great taste difference . I know it's good in the stix .