where did i go wrong with beef sticks

[ajb2320]

I got a lot of fat pockets in my sticks today when I was smoking them. What would have caused this. I use a mes 40. Hang the sticks from dial rods I made a plate to cover the heat box so the right side would not get done to quick. I start out at 130* to dry the casings for 1hr and then bump the temp to 160* for about 2-1/2hrs. And then raise to 170* and keep it there till they reach a internal temp of 155* for some reason I get a lot oroisture dripping done the glass of the door,is this bad. The only time I open the vents is early when I'm drying out the cases. After that I keep them closed. Could the Hamburg that I used have been way to fatty. I did notice that when I was stuffing them the rings felt very greasy. Other than the loose pockets on the skins from the fat or grease in the casings the sticks turned out half decent. They just didn't look very good.
Any advice would help
Thanks
Allen

 

[smoking b]

You should keep your vent open when smoking. Did you have water in your pan? That could have caused all the condensation with your vent being closed. It sounds like you rendered the fat in your sticks. One of the sausage gurus should be along to clear things up.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I got a lot of fat pockets in my sticks today when I was smoking them. What would have caused this. I use a mes 40. Hang the sticks from dial rods I made a plate to cover the heat box so the right side would not get done to quick. I start out at 130* to dry the casings for 1hr and then bump the temp to 160* for about 2-1/2hrs. And then raise to 170* and keep it there till they reach a internal temp of 155* for some reason I get a lot oroisture dripping done the glass of the door,is this bad. The only time I open the vents is early when I'm drying out the cases. After that I keep them closed. Could the Hamburg that I used have been way to fatty. I did notice that when I was stuffing them the rings felt very greasy. Other than the loose pockets on the skins from the fat or grease in the casings the sticks turned out half decent. They just didn't look very good.
Any advice would help
Thanks
Allen

Temp is the problem

130 is fine to start then bump in 10* increments every 2-3 hours not exceeding 175 smoker temp. Keep the vent full open all the time.

130

140

150  check IT of meat between the 150-170 mark

160

170

175 until you get the meat IT you need.

 

[gamehawg]

Check your smoker temperature with a trusted thermometer, over the years mine is way off.  Your temp was too high. 

and keep the vent open.

This was saturday nights haul:

sticks.JPG

• gamehawg
• Nov 26, 2012

 

[ajb2320]

That was another question. My thermometeron the smoker read 170 and I have digital that you stick in the meat read 150 about a 20* differ. When I stuck it in the vent hole. I do not use a water pan. I did crack the door open little and that took some of it away

 

[ajb2320]

Is it ok to use the meat probe that came with the mes 40. Or should I use the digital I have. why would there be such a difference in temp from what it said on the display compared to when I used the digital in the vent hole.

 

[smoking b]

The factory MES therms are known for being off by a considerable bit... Most recommend using other thermometers...

 

[smoking b]

You could also check your digital in boiling water & ice water to make sure it is accurate...

 

[ajb2320]

To check the internal temp of the smoker where would you put the probe.

 

[smoking b]

A lot of people put the probe in a potato or block of wood & set it on the cooking grate where the food is. Some probes come with a clip to hook them to the cooking grate but generally you want to monitor the temperature where the food is at...

 

[spec]

I'm with NEPAS,

Sounds like fat cavitation, I have 3 themometers on my big smoker and 2 on my smaller unit plus I use 2 digital for checking the meats

one thing to keep in mind, your smoker will vary in temp from top to bottom and from ene to end...I use side fire boxes with R/F baffles so

they are pretty even in temps across the board but still are wamer on the fire end and on the top..

Testing your temp in the center id prolly bes...or you could take temp. reading top...middle...bottom on both sides latteraly and average them

When I was designing my little one I went as far as dropping the probe down the stacks to check exhaust temp

Hope this helped

 

[ajb2320]

Is there a certain brand probe that is good for that.if if I put the probe in the middle I want it to read close to what it says on the outside LCD screen. If they don't should I ajust the smoker temperatures on the outside to meet way it says on the inside?

 

[spec]

Is there a certain brand probe that is good for that.if if I put the probe in the middle I want it to read close to what it says on the outside LCD screen. If they don't should I ajust the smoker temperatures on the outside to meet way it says on the inside?

 I use Taylor probes "Cuz they are cheap and pretty accurate, and come with a Stainless hi-temp probe... some of the electronic probes come with a rubber cord that can't take the higher temps, (good for checking temps outside of the oven/smoker)

By all means Always use the accurate probe for your I.T. as your guide...But your ambient temp should not be higher than it should be OR your going to render the fat

NEVER GO OVER 1758 Personally I try to thin blue smoke and keep temps to the 160* range, and finish in my dehydrator at 160* for good measure, Plus it shrinks the skins and crispy's them up a bit