Ham Sticks?

[folsomwest]

Recently we’ve come across some Honey Ham Snack Sticks that we really like which I think are branded Klements.
Now I find myself with an excess of cured and smoked ham and was wondering how I might take that and stuff it into a snack stick.

Not sure who might have tried something like this so this is the place to go. I would think the ham could be course ground and mixed with a few other ingredients to make something pretty tasty but it would have to be a ‘stuffable’ consistency. Then not sure what do with it after that? - Smokehouse again?, Sous Vide? Looking for ideas.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Jamieson22]

I used to get Honey Ham Sticks from a local hog farmer at our farmer’s market, along with a bunch of other flavors. I guess I always just assumed they were made no differently than most snack stick, but simply had a “honey ham” seasoning vs using actual ham in the meat block.

Could certainly do what you propose, guess I’d just mix in with pork butt or similar in the grind and re-smoke. Be cautious of how much salt/seasoning you use since assume ham already has it?

[craigrice]

that is an interesting flavor idea

[processhead]

If it were a ground, cured and stuffed product, you could probably replicate the flavor. The texture might be something different though.

To get it in stick form means you have to grind it relatively fine so it can be stuffed in a casing.

Not to say it wouldn’t be tasty. It actually sounds pretty darn good. It just might not have the same texture as a formed ham product does. Dare I say it? mouth-feel, PapaSop ?!

[johnsbrewhouse]

I have a recipe now for ham sticks, just made them today. It requires a leaner cut of pork. I used pork cushion which is pretty lean and did a single grind with my 4.5 mm plate.
For 2.5 lbs. of pork cushion
2.5 lbs. of pork
38.3 grams Imitation Bacon Unit Seasoning 4550390100
18.0 grams Maple Sugar
2.8 grams sure cure
4.0 ounces water
It came out tasting just like ham, going to try adding California Ham spice next time and see what the flavor is like. They don’t need to be smoked as the Imitation Bacon seasoning has smoke powder in it and you don’t really need to add sure gel either, the meat come out firm and ham like in texture. I cased them in 16 mm Smoke Collagen Casings.

[craigrice]

johnsbrewhouse those sound good !

[Bob Stehlik]

johnsbrewhouse Looks delicious. Thanks for posting the recipe.

[calldoctoday]

johnsbrewhouse Those look really tasty. If the little guy does not eat them all up, send some my way.

[mrobisr]

johnsbrewhouse thank you for the recipe.

[YooperDog]

johnsbrewhouse thanks for the recipe, they look good and I have all that sitting here. Just need to find some time.

[cdavis]

johnsbrewhouse sounds great thanks for sharing

[Ron Grisar]

johnsbrewhouse What is “pork cushion”)?

[wdaly]

johnsbrewhouse Thanks for sharing this. The sticks look real good. Had never considered a ham stick.

[johnsbrewhouse]

Ron Grisar “Pork cushion is a deboned piece of meat cut from the anterior side of the picnic shoulder. It is a lean, well-worked muscle with lots of flavor.” smokebbqsource.com

[Ron Grisar]

johnsbrewhouse They look great, want to try them. Thanks for the recipe.

[folsomwest]

johnsbrewhouse how did you do the ‘cook’? Since they didn’t need smoke did you just run them through the smokehouse or did you do it another way? 165 F? I love this idea and want to try them.

[Dave in AZ]

johnsbrewhouse pretty cool that someone asks an unusual question and BAM, you did it today! I thought that was awesome and a real demonstration of how much active experience everyone here has. Those look good too!

[johnsbrewhouse]

folsomwest put them in my convention oven on drying mode at 190 degrees until I get an internal temperature of 160 degrees. My Jenn-Aire has a drying mode that act similar to a dehydrator, two settings 140 and 190 degrees. Works great, just did a 5lb. batch of 19mm beef pineapple stick for the wife today

[samspade]

So many recipes…so little time.