Snack stick
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How do you keep your snack sticks from being soggy? I’m wanting to make pepperoni sticks but everything else i made ends up soft and soggy
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Frenchie
Interesting! Tell us what methods, meats and cook times you used and then we can help. My first thought is that you packaged and froze sticks before they were cold but I have know idea. Give us some info on meat, grind, ingredients, mixing and smoking/cooking. -
frenchiegmc Have you tired adding a binder? Let us know what fat % you are using and what your smoke schedule is as well as what you do after the sticks come out of the smoker and how much water you add
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The sticks I made before,was made with 85%lean beef with the seasoning only stuffed in a 19mm casing. Then smoked at low temperature for first hour then slowly raised the temperature. Didn’t put them ina water bath?
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frenchiegmc First, I’d add sure gel, it’s about $8 for enough to do 25 lb but it’ll help right away while you try dialing in a few different things. After you pull them from the smoker at 160 degrees you want to put them in ice bath for at least 10 minutes, then let them sit out for 1-2 hours before putting them in a cooler overnight before vac packing them. Also, 15% fat is a little low, I like 25% or at least 20%, though I don’t think that is your issue. How was your mixing, I’d guess you had some fat out. Did you have fat between the casings and the meat? Do you have pics you could post?
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frenchie, you need to use a binder for sure.
Also you need to ice bath for a minimum of 10 minutes after pulling. Water with lots of ice (the colder the better). I use to think that binder and ice bath were a waist of time. But I learned my lesson long ago. Sure Gel binder and ice bath will help you tremendously. Your fat content is fine, you can do much leaner than that and turn out moist, snappy and good. Just need to figure out the correct cooking method. Hint:
dont cook to long, with that small of sticks it dont take much to get them ready to pull. -
Thanks for the info.I ordered the sure jell yesterday, and I will try the water bath next time.thanks for all the great information this helps a lot.Dwight
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What is the best meat for making pepperoni, beef, pork or both? I’m making a 5# batch. Also how much surecure per pound of meat thanks
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Frenchie, best meat is whatever taste you prefer. I prefer pepperoni with just beef but I do like it with other meats also. I generally will use pork as a filler for more fat content mostly in wild game (deer elk only have a fat content of approx 4% which is very low for smoking sticks and such). Either way, straight beef, straight pork or mixed together will be good as long as the spices are to your liking.
Amount of sure cure = 1/4 teaspoon per lb of meat (1 1/4 teaspoons for 5 lbs). Amount of sure gel binder = 2 teaspoons per lb of meat (3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon for 5 lbs).
I like my pepperoni spicey.
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frenchiegmc I agree with shane102 on the meat block, it is mostly up to you and depends on the persons taste buds. I like a mix of beef trim and pork butt. More information here https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/545/how-to-make-homemade-pepperoni-recipe?_=1587038391309
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frenchiegmc Also only grind twice. Once through a coarse plate and once through a finer plate. I ground a batch of meat one too many times and had an unpleasant texture.
