Weekend Processing
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Got to do a little home processing this weekend. Made some deer sticks 70% deer 30% pork fat and some Deer brats same ratio.
The brats i used a Custom blend recipe and i have to say i dont think i could get a deer brat any closer to a traditional brat flavor. they where great!
The Sticks Started with Pepper Stick and added a few other spices along with Sodium erythorbate, sure gel, and sure cure. I opted out of citric acid just for something different. The Sticks come on slow with a smoky flavor ending with just the right amount of kick! I stuffed into 19mm casings and smoked on the green mountain. I was surprised it only took 2 hours to smoke the sticks.
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Cabelas90
What plate did you use for the brats? Last ones I did In January had a gritty texture to them. 50/50 venison pork. 4.5mm plate final grind. -
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Cabelas90
Thanks. Going to try 7mm on next batch for final. -
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Cabelas90
Thanks again. Kinda looking for the texture of the store bought ones. -
Cabelas90 What was your smoke schedule for those on the GMG? Start at 150 and just deal with it or did you prop the lid?
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Jonathon I started at 150 with the lid propped for 1 hour the i closed the lid for one hour. I was trying to get the roaster going inside to finish them off. When i temped them to move them they where already done so i quick got the ice bath ready and tossed them in. It felt like amateur hour but ended well lol
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Cabelas90
Wow, only a couple hours? They look great and nicely packaged. Awesome! -
Cabelas90 I’ve been really lucky thus far with quick snack stick cooks. Our smoker at the shop isn’t the best for low and slow. It tends to cook FAST…less than an hour to get to 150. I then finish in a water bath. I mix everything by hand until I feel I get the protein extraction I need and have yet to experience fat out.
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Joe Hell Do you get any smoke flavoron them if they smoke that quick?
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Joe Hell I mix by hand every time (4x so far, I’m a newb) & I still fat out every. single. time. I’m at a loss to be honest. I mixed thoroughly with a squeezing, turning move for 10-15 minutes. Meat was nice and sticky. Start in smoker (30" smoke hollow), hanging, at 120°F for 1 hr. 140°F for 2 hours. 150°F for 2 hours. 175°F until internal temp reaches 165°F, and then move immediately to the ice water bath for 15 minutes. If anyone could throw me a bone, I will take it!
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@kanevak Whats your meat block and recipe? Ive seen some recipes that fat out no matter what as theirs just not enough seasoning to tie up the fat but those normally would be along the line of natural.
Joe Hell will tell you and although ive never done it yet I think he’s right Pull those sticks after the 140 step and throw in 170 deg water to finish! -
Cabelas90 I follow the Walton’s Meatgistics https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/182/how-to-make-homemade-snack-sticks?page=1 except I use an 17 lb block of 13.5 lbs lean venison & 3.5 lbs leaf pork fat. I do hand mix but my wife and I take turns and we try to do it thoroughly! So are you saying that more seasoning will help?
How do you keep the water hot? I don’t have the means to hot water cook a 17 lb batch of snack sticks.
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AdamCA Team Blue Regular Contributors Green Mountain Grill Masterbuiltreplied to JerkyIsMySalad on last edited by
@kanevak When mixing by hand you need to be mixing for about 25-30 minutes in order to get the proper amount of Protein extraction. It sucks, your hands are going to be very cold and cramp up a lot. I have the 20 lb meat mixer and it works perfect for me. I rarely make a 25 lb batch of anything and if I do it is usually a Fresh product and I just mix by hand enough to get the seasoning mixed in well.
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@kanevak I dont think seasonings is the issue with that recipe especially with the binder. The recipes ive seen that just always fat out are usually like 3 ingredients because the hippies think everything is bad for you. Your fat % is good. Snack Sticks can Certainly be done without the water bath. Have you temped the meat that you grind? To warm and you cant get proper protein extraction also. I like to make sure its 31-32 deg when i start grinding. And Like AdamCA says you just plain may not be mixing it enough.
