Austin Cogratulations on making it through a long week and honoring your bet.

When are you going to do a pod cast or live stream with a live audience?

Local brewery? Even just on the sales floor and interact with the customers in the store or other staff?

Austin if you like a certain sausage mix how do you make it into a snack stick or summer sausage

processhead I am not seeing anything at this moment, but I will keep close tabs on things here.

Grimpuppy congratulations on the gun win!!

Jonathon that’s super admirable

Austin looks good to me

processhead If the motor is over-torqued or stressed it can trip a breaker on the motor. Simply hit the reset button and keep going. If it trips, just back off the speed a small touch and it will run through fine. We spent a lot of time tweaking how it worked to get the best performance we could. If it trips, it is probably from a small diameter snack stick. With the smallest stuffing tube, it has a higher likelihood of tripping if you try to run it at absolute max speed. Jon will have some better guidelines on what speed to run different things at for the best results. When it hits bottom, it should sense that situation and back off. It will not just keep going and burn out the motor at the bottom.

I got raving reviews on the brats! Jalapeno popper brats were loved by everyone who liked spicy at all, and the cheeseburger cheddarwurst were great for anyone adverse to spicy. A couple people that normally don’t like a lot in the flavored brat area were in love with the cheddarwursts! I think the 50/50 split of beef and pork was a good addition as well.

Grimpuppy More, More!

Ridley Acres Count on Dr_Pain for a good chuckle

Austin Congratulations. She’s a keeper.

Ridley Acres said in New Menu Navigation:

Dr_Pain So you are saying the older you get the less human you become? 😉 lol

Well since I am from Canada and now live in the US that makes me an Alien, and since I am computer nerd like Mark Zukerberg and he is speculated to be an alien… well we have confirmation that I am less than human 🙂

Austin And one from team blue and one from team Orange, keep the fued going!

gChart
Great pic. Just need the orange hat! :orangehat:

blackbetty61 sorry, it is not. I had some free time to get the Android app done, but then everything went crazy and I haven’t had a single moment to get back to the iOS app. I imagine I won’t get to it for another month. Probably right after our new website for waltonsinc.com goes live.

Austin He really was a great man and will be missed by employees and all those who knew him as well

why cant i add all the groups im in? my setup page only shows the 4 listed but there are at least 2 more im in and they have all??perplexed

Find out what's going on at Walton's and Meatgistics this week. We will have a loose schedule for soon to be released videos, what we are working on long-term and maybe a few quick tips and tricks that are on our mind!

ThanksBlackMonday Livestream! - Jon and I will be doing a very long Livestream this Monday (Monday the 26th at 12pm CST), also known as Cyber Monday! We will be answering questions from users and announcing some special sales that are not in our ThanksBlackMonday video. A lot of these sales will be “Flash Sales” so we will either announce how many we are putting on sale and once that quantity has been sold it will end, or we will be putting items on sale for a certain amount of time! Some of these sales will be significant so make sure you tune in on Monday! We will have a link to the video on the waltonsinc.com main page to make it easy to navigate to.

We will be working on the more advanced videos of the Meatgistics University section after Thanksgiving. We are going to try to start releasing these at a rate of at least once a week so we can keep new information up there for you guys!

We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you get to visit with family, friends and loved ones and enjoy the day!

While the Chocolate Chili Bratwurst Seasoning is not exactly new it is a newer seasoning and it does not get the attention it deserves! With pork has a taste that is very similar to a Mexican Mole Sauce! If you are looking to try something new around the Holidays give this stuff a chance!

0_1542834561453_thanksblackmonday-livestream.jpg

See what happens when we inject cheesecake into a cooked Pumpkin Bratwurst! Watch the video, read the post and let us know if you have any questions.

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

Cheesecake
Pumpkin Bratwurst

1 oz Marinade Injector

We already had the pumpkin bratwurst made, they were in our freezer so all we had to do was defrost them and cook them. If you want to make some pumpkin bratwurst follow the instructions the video below:

How To Make Homemade Sausage & Brats Video

Cook your Bratwursts until they are done. Remove the crust from the cream cheese and whip it until it is creamy. We found that the easiest way to load the syringe was by removing the plunger and filling it from the back. Then simply stick the needle down the middle of the bratwurst and depress the plunger as you slowly pull the injector out. Some of the cheesecake will get through the meat but should be caught by the casing.

Eat it with or without a bun, I enjoyed it more without a bun!

mrobisr Thanks for the info!

Learn about how to increase to water holding capacity in meat products to make a juicier final product by using phosphates, meat binders, and carrot fiber with Walton's and Meatgistics, plus, save 15% on your next order with coupon code MEATGISTICS11 Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.

Watch the video to see our latest Meat Hack or read more about it here:
https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/235/how-to-make-juicer-meat-products

Carrot Fiber is a brand new additive we just started keeping in stock at waltonsinc.com and it is a great option for improving meat products by binding water into sausage and reducing the water and fat loss during cooking, which results in a juicier finished product with increased volume.

So what is Carrot Fiber? Carrot Fiber is the fiber portion of the carrot that is extracted, dried, and ground into an off-white free-flowing powder. The flavor is bland and neutral allowing it to be added to sausages and meat snacks for it’s binding and water holding capacity, without affecting the flavor. Carrot Fiber is capable of holding at least 26 times its weight in water and at least 4 times its weight in oil. Carrot Fiber is also GMO Free and based upon information supplied from our vendors, it does not contain ingredients that are derived from any Genetically Modified sources. It is also Non-Allergen. There are not many other binders out there that are high quality and effective without containing allergens or GMO’s. Carrot Fiber is one of your best options in not only water holding capacity, but also in avoiding allergens and GMO’s. To add to that, if you are a commercial meat processor, Carrot Fiber is a great option because it is non-allergen, non-GMO, and helps in producing a clean label product with only natural ingredients. Other options in binders like Soy Protein Blend or Sure Gel Binder, both include allergens and can be unappealing to some select customers, but the use of Carrot Fiber is an economical way to clean up your label and provide consumers with a great product while maintaining that clean label.

Usage levels for Carrot Fiber is recommended to be at a 1% level or use 4 oz per 25 lb of meat in smoked sausage, snack sticks, summer sausage, and other meat snacks. Carrot Fiber is not only great for use in meat products, but also in sauces and liquids and can be used as needed in sauces to enhance viscosity. Since it has no flavor, Carrot Fiber can be a great addition to liquids and sauces that are too thin and you want to have a thicker texture, all while not affecting the taste or flavor of the sauce and liquid.

Other benefits of Carrot Fiber include yield improvement in processed meat and poultry products, purge control in packaged and processed meats, reduced breakage in extruded products, and it acts as a natural flow agent in seasoning blends and meat rubs. Lastly it is generally recognized as safe as a food ingredient, and it is certified Kosher.

Since Carrot Fiber is a new product here at Walton’s be sure and visit waltonsinc.com and look under Seasoning and Additives to purchase Carrot Fiber, or other Seasonings and Additives, plus, visit waltonsinc.com/new to find Carrot Fiber in our New category, along with all other new items as they are added.

Just for our Meatgistics audience and YouTube subscribers, and because we know you guys like coupons and discounts, we’ve got a coupon just for you to save a bit extra! For 3 weeks after this video is published, use the coupon code MEATGISTICS11 in your shopping cart at waltonsinc.com to save 15% off any order. (up to $100 discount and not valid on sale items)

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

Learn how to keep fresh sausage from being crushed and flattened when vacuum sealing, plus, save 15% on your next order with coupon code MEATGISTICS49. Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.

Watch the video to see our latest Meat Hack or read more about it here:
https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/229/stop-crushing-vacuum-sealed-foods

Our product spotlight for today is… Vacuum Pouches! At waltonsinc.com we have over 100 varieties of vacuum sealing bags and accessories available and in stock for same day shipment. We’ve also have some of the best pricing available on vacuum pouches. If you are a home user, and using a Weston, ARY, or FoodSaver non-chambered vacuum sealer at home, there are 100 count packages of 8x12 quart bags for the everyday low price of $17.99. Or if you are a commercial user and you are using a larger chambered vacuum sealer or commercial sized vacuum sealer, our Walton’s vacuum sealer bags come in 8 different varieties, plus dozen of sizes. With a standard 8 x 12 bag, in cases of 1,000, they can be as low as $47.40 per case with quantity discounts. Be sure and check out the Packaging and Vacuum Pouches section at waltonsinc.com for a huge selection of vacuum sealer bags, at some incredible prices.

Just for our Meatgistics audience and YouTube subscribers, and because we know you guys like coupons and discounts, we’ve got a coupon just for you to save a bit extra! For 3 weeks after this video is published, use the coupon code MEATGISTICS43 in your shopping cart at waltonsinc.com to save 15% off any order. (up to $100 discount and not valid on sale items)

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

processhead I do the same thing when I make sausage.

Learn the steps to follow when packaging meat products after smoking or cooking with Walton's and Meatgistics. Watch the video, read the guide, and post your questions or comments below.

How to package meat after cooking
Whenever you cook meat snacks like smoked sausage, jerky, snack sticks, or any other smoked and cured meats, there are a couple of steps we recommend following before packaging. First, cool the product immediately after your smoking and thermal processing is done. You should NOT cover the product while it is cooling down, so you can prevent condensation from forming, and so that the outside of the meat product can be dry, especially if you used a cold water shower or bath as part of your cooling process, you’ll want the product exterior to dry out before packaging. Once you’ve cooled the meat products, you should let them sit out at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before packaging to begin equalizing with the ambient room temperature so you again don’t have condensation begin to form. For a product like snack sticks or jerky, where shelf stability is the goal, you can also lose shelf stability when moisture is introduced into the packaged product because moisture creates an environment where mold can potentially grow. Snack sticks and jerky are also meant to have a lower water activity. If you do not let the product cool before packaging and condensation forms in the package or the outside of the meat snack, then you won’t have the same effect and ability for a longer storage time without some packages and product going bad, growing mold, etc. Another benefit to removing moisture from the product and preventing condensation before packaging for meat snacks with casings is to prevent small ice crystals from forming and going through multiple freeze and thaw cycles which can actually separate the casings from the meat and, in turn, also lose the snap or bite the casing helps add to the meat snacks when biting and eating.

To sum things up, when you are ready to package your meat snacks or other products, the product to be packaged should have a dry exterior and should be equalizing with the ambient room temperature so you can avoid moisture on the product or condensation buildup in the package, which will help with your overall product quality, reduce chances for mold to grow, and help products with casings stay intact if they are frozen and thawed.

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

Lori Lindquist Yes you can do that with the Hickory Smoke Powder, but be aware that the liquid smoke we sell isn’t the same stuff you buy in the store! Ours is formulated for commercial application and you can easily ruin a batch of anything.

So, yes, just don’t try to use the liquid smoke!

Learn about how to add smoke flavor to food & meat products when you don't have a smoker, wood pellet grill, or charcoal grill that outputs smoke. Make meatballs with Walton's and Meatgistics, plus, save 15% on your next order with coupon code MEATGISTICS91 Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.

Watch the video to see our latest Meat Hack or read more about it here:
https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/225/how-to-add-smoke-flavor-without-smoke

Our product spotlight for today is… Excalibur Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning. This is a great example of a unique and fantastic flavor profile from Excalibur Seasoning, that is not only a perfect solution for making a very specialized product, like spaghetti sauce, but it also works great on a wide variety of other items. It has a very Italian-style flavor to it, so it can be paired well with any food items that are typically deemed as Italian-style, or simply add it to something like your scrambled eggs for breakfast for a unique and different flavoring. Recommend usage for making homemade spaghetti sauce is to use 2 heaping tablespoons of Excalibur Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning and mix it in with 2 - 15 oz cans of plain tomato sauce plus 1 - 6 oz can of tomato paste. Then just simmer over low heat and use in place of any store bought tomato sauce.

Just for our Meatgistics audience and YouTube subscribers, and because we know you guys like coupons and discounts, we’ve got a coupon just for you to save a bit extra! For 3 weeks after this video is published, use the coupon code MEATGISTICS91 in your shopping cart at waltonsinc.com to save 15% off any order. (up to $100 discount and not valid on sale items)

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

For mixing meat for sausages to be put into casings, I usually go for 1.3% or less per pound of meat. The casings seem to retain a lot of salt even if well rinsed, plus if you’re using spice “mixes” there is usually added salt in those as well, such as “chili powder”, etc. The salt content can really add up and become a killer. I’m all for low-sodium, but there is a minimum that needs to be in there for the overall flavor.

Learn about salt, why it is used in meat products, and how it functions with Walton's and Meatgistics. Plus, save $10 on your next order with coupon code MEATGISTICS27 Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.

Watch the video to see our latest Meat Hack or read more about it here:
https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/221/why-is-salt-the-1-ingredient-in-meat-seasoning

Our new items for today are the new Excalibur MRT Sausage & Meatloaf Seasoning plus the new Excalibur MRT Smoke Flavored Sugar Cure and Excalibur MRT Sugar Cure Seasonings. Three seasonings recently discontinued by Morton® that were popular for a variety of meat products and each of these new seasonings have been custom blended by Excalibur to be a custom match to the now discontinued Morton® seasonings. The sausage and meatloaf seasoning can be easily measured out for 1 lb increments of sausage using 1 level tablespoon of seasoning per pound of meat for a simple fresh pork sausage. The Sugar Cure and Smoke Flavored Sugar Cure are great for country-style hams and other cured meats. Visit waltonsinc.com/new to order these new seasonings for making sausage, meatloaf, country-style hams, and other cured meats.

Just for our Meatgistics audience and YouTube subscribers, and because we know you guys like coupons and discounts, we’ve got a coupon just for you to save a bit extra! For 3 weeks after this video is published, use the coupon code MEATGISTICS27 in your shopping cart at waltonsinc.com to save $10 off any order over $50.

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

Learn what internal temperature to cook meat to for a safe meat product with Walton's and Meatgistics. Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.

The guidelines to use when cooking meat products comes from Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in what is known as Appendix A or their Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart. Appendix A from FSIS gives us a temperature to cook meat to and how long the meat needs to stay at that temperature to kill a certain amount of bacteria. 160 degrees Fahrenheit is what is typically offered as the suggested cooking temp for many meat products because at 160 degrees, lethality of a bacteria like Salmonella is instant. However, you can still safely cook to a temperature of only 140 degrees, but you must maintain that temperature for 12 minutes. There will be a link in the description below to the full chart in Appendix A from FSIS.

FSIS and the USDA also has a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, which gives us very simple recommendations for a variety of products. We should cook beef, pork, ham, veal, and lamb that is in steaks, chops, roasts, and other whole muscle cuts to 145 degrees and let rest for 3 minutes. For all ground meats (and things like hamburgers, brats, and hot dogs), you should cook to 160 degrees. Switching gears to poultry, all chicken, turkey, or other birds should be cooked to 165 degrees. A minimum of 165 degrees also applies to reheating and cooking leftovers. If you are cooking eggs, they only need to be cooked to 160 degrees, and finally, fish and shellfish only need to be cooked to a 145 degree temp.

People do have a tendency to under-cook beef and over-cook pork and chicken, but if you follow the guidelines from FSIS and the USDA, and use a meat thermometer when cooking, you can make sure you are making a safe product and you are doing it consistently every single time!

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/95-033F/95-033F_Appendix_A.htm

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/safe-minimum-internal-temperature-chart/ct_index

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

Learn about safe internal meat cooking temperatures with Walton's and Meatgistics. Read information from FSIS and the USDA about guidelines for meat cooking temps. Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.

Watch the video to see our latest Meat Hack or read more about it here:
https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/216/safe-internal-meat-cooking-temperatures

We are now carrying the 100cc Oxygen Absorbers in 100 count packages. They used to be only available in cases of 4,000, but now, with 100 count packages available, whether you are a commercial or home meat processor, it is affordable and feasible to use oxygen absorbers in things like packages of jerky, just like you find in the name brand bag of jerky from your local convenience store. The 100cc Oxygen Absorbers are perfect for use in up to a 1 quart container or 8x12 bag, or for gallon size containers, simply use 3 oxygen absorbers per container. How they works is that they lower the oxygen levels in an air tight package to less than 0.01%, which in turn helps maintain freshness and extends the shelf-life of products by preventing mold, mildew, and bacteria from growing. If you do not use a full package at one time though, make sure you immediately re-vacuum seal the original package, and use whatever oxygen absorbers you take out within a 30 minute time frame. The oxygen absorbers are FDA approved for use with food and food related items, but they can also be used for packing non-food items as well, or in any packages and containers which would benefit from the removal of oxygen. Two of the more common uses would be for use in packages of jerky and meat snacks, or in packages of dehydrated fruits and veggies.

Just for our Meatgistics audience and YouTube subscribers, and because we know you guys like coupons and discounts, we’ve got a coupon just for you to save a bit extra! For 3 weeks after this video is published, use the coupon code MEATGISTICS72 in your shopping cart at waltonsinc.com to save $10 off any order over $50.

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

Learn what grinders are suited for grinding some types of animal bones with Walton's and Meatgistics. Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.

We’re kicking off today with Meat Hacks… A question we get a lot is…Can I use a meat grinder to grind animal bones and make pet food? In some cases, that answer is yes. We have 2 Walton’s meat grinders that are approved, by the manufacturer, to grind SOME types of bones, and the Pro-Cut meat grinders can also grind some types of bones. From Pro-Cut there are #12, 22, and 32 size grinders available, and for the Walton’s grinders, you will want to look at the Walton’s Meat Grinders, in the #22 and #32 sizes. These grinders are capable of grinding smaller, softer animal bones, such as rabbit, whole chickens, chicken quarters, and other birds, due to the power and all metal construction of the units.

But, please avoid trying to grind large or dense animal bones such as bones from any type of large game, pigs, cows, deer, or sheep. And, always remember that busted splintered bones can get into the digestive tract of a pet and cause severe damage and even death by puncturing the walls of the intestines or stomach. So…YES…you can get a grinder capable of grinding certain types of bones by purchasing a Pro-Cut meat grinder or the Walton’s #22 or #32 Meat Grinder, but please do be wary of the dangers that can arise in feeding pets food with bones in them, if you don’t adequately and completely grind the bones.

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

Learn what grinders are suited for grinding some types of animal bones with Walton's and Meatgistics. Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.

Watch the video to see our latest Meat Hack or read more about it here:
https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/213/can-meat-grinders-grind-animal-bones-for-pet-food

Our product spotlight and new items for today are in 2 parts. First up, for our home processors, BBQ enthusiasts, and at-home cooks, we wanted to take a look at our Chicken BeerRoaster Deluxe! Spring is going to be here before you know it, and this fun little toy will help make smoking chickens easy and more delicious than ever. Simply take the unit and add any liquid into the tube, be that your favorite wine, beer, or other fruit or veggie juice. Place a whole chicken on the tube, and add some of your favorite veggies in the pan, add a couple potatoes to the vegetable clips on the side, and smoke a delicious meal all in one and make a delicious and moist whole chicken, either on your grill or in your oven.

We are now carrying a new line of stunners, the CASH Special Captive Bolt Stunners, plus the 22 or 25 caliber power loads. Visit waltonsinc.com and look under Equipment and Stunners to find out more and purchase a new stunner today, or send us an email to cs@waltonsinc.com to have a salesman give you a call or email to help you find a new stunner or any other meat processing equipment best suited for your food processing applications.

We know you guys like coupons and discounts, so as always, we’ve got a coupon just for you, our YouTube and Meatgistics subscribers and audience to save a bit extra! For 3 weeks after this video is published, use the coupon code MEATGISTICS43 in your shopping cart at waltonsinc.com to save $10 off any order over $100.

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

Learn how to make Stuffed Ribeye - a.k.a. Steak Sushi. Take a tasty ribeye steak and transform it into a delicious meal by stuffing it with any other type of delicious food, meat, cheese, or veggies. A simple recipe that can be adapted to fit any palate. If you thought that a ribeye couldn't get any better...then you would be wrong!

30 Minutes

1 Hour

2 Ribeye Steaks
Walton’s Ultimate Steak & Roast Rub
Butcher BBQ Steak House Grilling Oil
1 or 2 Bell Peppers
1 Small Onion
1 Zucchini Squash
8 oz Cheese Block
4 Roma Tomatoes
Fresh Spinach
Feta Cheese
2-3 Avacados
Guacamole Mix

Flexible Cutting Mats
Meat Tenderizer Mallet
Steak Skewers
7" Granton Edge Santoku Slicing Knife
8" Granton Edge Slicing Knife
Paring Knife
Waterproof Meat Thermometer
Walton’s Can Cooler
Glade Press & Seal or Other Plastic Wrap

The idea for making a stuffed ribeye came from a few different places. I had some leftover ribeyes that I wanted to do something different and unique with, and I had been talking about sushi when it was realized that I could probably make a meat and steak version of sushi. Substitute the rice for a flat, pounded-out ribeye steak, fill it with a bunch of tasty treats, roll it up, grill it, and slice it into bite-sized pieces, like sushi! Thus, “Steak Sushi” was created!

The concept of it was great, and it worked unbelievably well. However, by the time it was all said and done, I’d stuffed way too many other ingredients in it to be truly bite-sized pieces. I made 2 stuffed ribeyes, with one kind of being bite-sized, but the other one was pretty much the size of a stuffed pork loin. Still a great idea, and it turned into one of the most delicious-tasting meals I’ve ever eaten!

So, let’s dive into it and walk you through the process of how to make your own “Steak Sushi”! First off, start by preheating your grill to about 300 to 400°. I started at 375° for the first 15 minutes, then lowered the temp to 300° until it was finished, but if you start heating the grill hot while you do the rest of the prep work, you’ll save some time in the end. With the grill heating up, the first thing to do to prep the ribeye is to place it on a cutting board and grab some plastic wrap and your meat tenderizer mallet. Place a sheet of plastic wrap (I use Glad Press N Seal because it’s a bit thicker than average plastic wrap) over the top of the ribeye and begin pounding on the meat with the mallet. Beef is a pretty tough meat, so if you’ve done this type of stuffed meat with a pork loin before, it will be a little tougher and require a bit of muscle and pounding to get the ribeye completely pounded out into a flat sheet. I kept going until the meat was about 3/8" thick or so. You could go a little thicker or thinner as long as you have enough surface area to add your ingredients and still roll it all back up.

With the ribeye completely flattened out, you can begin to add a little bit of seasoning on the inside and start layering in all your ingredients. Your preferences may vary, but I used some chopped and diced onions and tomatoes, plus some sliced bell peppers, sliced zucchini squash, fresh spinach, and some hot habanero cheese! Whatever suits your taste, just pile it all in, leaving an inch or two of space on the edge of the ribeye to allow you to roll it back up.

With all the toppings loaded onto the ribeye, simply start on one end and roll the ingredients up in the steak until you’ve got a complete roll. The next step is to pin the steak to itself so it doesn’t unravel while you grill or smoke it. The easiest option I could think of was to use a package of steak skewers to hold the meat in place. Simply insert a steak skewer about every inch or two, and then wrap the edges of the steak roll back into itself and use another steak skewer to pin the edge back into the rest of the roll to keep any ingredients (specifically the cheese when it starts to melt) from coming out during cooking.

To finish the prep before we start cooking, we need some seasoning to rub on the outside. Hands down, the two best seasonings for any type of steak is the Walton’s Ultimate Seasoning or Excalibur Steak & Roast Rub. Both are very, very similar and I will swap back and forth between either. There’s no right or wrong reason for how much seasoning to use, but I like my food salty, so I have a tendency to get pretty liberal with it and really rub a ton of it on.

Now the prep is all done. Your grill should be pre-heated by now, so just place them on the grill, grab a beer (that’s why the Walton’s Can Cooler was listed in the utensils needed!), sit back, and relax for a few minutes while it starts cooking. Your cook time is going to greatly vary depending on how thick your stuffed ribeye roll ended up being. But, I started mine grilling at 375°F for about 15 minutes, then backed off the temp to 300°F for the remainder of the cooking. It took a little under an hour for the smaller stuffed ribeye, but the larger one took right at or just over 1 hour. What you will be looking for is the internal temp of your additives and ingredients to be at least 135°, and then the meat should be at least that if not 140° to 145°F. About 30 minutes into the grilling process, I checked internal temps to see where I was at, and then I squeezed on some of the Butcher BBQ Steak House Grilling Oil. I was worried about a longer cook time on steak and drying it out, but thought the Butcher BBQ Grilling Oil would help keep it moist and flavorful…and I wasn’t wrong as the addition of the grilling oil was a fantastic decision!

Once you hit the right internal temp, pull the stuffed ribeye steak rolls off and place them on a new and clean cutting mat. Let them sit for just a few minutes and rest. You then need to remove and discard the metal steak skewers used to hold the steak roll together, then begin slicing to your desired thickness. If you slice too thin of slices, then the inside ingredients won’t hold together, but I settled into slicing at just under 1 inch thick pieces.

With everything sliced, grab a plate and sink your teeth into a delicious creation that you will never forget! I also added some feta cheese as a topping and made up a mixture of guacamole and pico de gallo (from fresh avocadoes, tomatoes, onions, and a package of guacamole seasoning) to use as a topping or dipping sauce.

Now you’re probably hungry and dying to try some “Steak Sushi” yourself! Just head on over to waltonsinc.com to pick up any supplies, cutlery, seasonings, and grilling oil you need and test out this tasty recipe for yourself! If you try it out, be sure and come back and post your own pictures and share with the rest of the community what your own experience and opinions on it are!

Each month in 2017 we will have a new giveaway and corresponding video. The giveaway will have an average retail value of nearly $440. So make sure to subscribe to WaltonsTV to be the first to know when a new giveaway starts. And remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos

Our giveaway for March is a Marinade Express Vacuum Tumbler and a set of Excalibur Sauces & Marinades valued at over $345 total value. Entries will be accepted now and lasting until March 31st. No purchase is necessary, just visit waltonsinc.com/sales for a complete list of rules and to get entered now!

Our Sales for March begin right now and last until April 3rd, or while supplies last. March sales are all about jerky making and seasoning, plus totally bamboo cutting boards.

To start things off, all jerky seasonings will be 17% off. Just use the coupon code “JERKY17” in your shopping cart at waltonsinc.com.

For jerky making equipment, we’ve also got the All-Around Jerky Maker discounted $10 making it only $24.99. Then there is the Weston Jerky Gun for $15 off making it only $29.99 and also the Weston Jerky Gun Junior is discounted $10 making it only $19.99. You can also save $10 on our 3 Tier Jerky Racks and pick one up for only $29.99, or get a brand new Weston Jerky Slicing Board for less than $20. The last piece of equipment you’ll need for jerky is a new dehydrator and we just so happen to have the Weston 6 Tray Digital Dehydrators discounted $10 making them only $69.99

Next up, we’ve got great discounts on a ton of cutting boards. First up, are the 2-Tone Bar Boards from Totally Bamboo. 3 sizes are available with the smallest being only $2.99, the medium 2-Tone Bamboo Board costs $5.99, and the largest 2-Tone Bar Board comes in at $10.99.

The next cutting board is the Mailbu Groove from Totally Bamboo, normally priced at $23.99, it is now discounted $6 at $17.99.

Our next group of cutting boards on sale are all normally priced at $20, but for March, save $4 each and pay only $15.99 for the PolyBoo double-sided cutting board (one side is a poly cutting board and the other is bamboo), plus the Cork Footed Cutting Board and the 3-Piece Bamboo Cutting Boards Sets are only $15.99.

There’s also the Big Easy bamboo cutting board, which is our biggest, best, and nicest bamboo cutting board, which will be available for only $49.99 during March, saving you $10 each.

Lastly, keep your bamboo cutting boards and other wood products in tip-top shape and save a couple dollars doing it by getting the Totally Bamboo Coconut Conditioner or the Totally Bamboo Revitalizing Oil for only $5.99 each.

Now, just head on over to waltonsinc.com/sales (or just follow the link in the description below) to get great discounts on all these items during March, plus enter to win the Marinade Express Vacuum Tumbler and Excalibur Seasoning Marinade package.

As always, subscribe to WaltonsTV on YouTube to be the first to know when a new giveaway or sale starts. And remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos.

Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat!

Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made!

We get a ton of feedback and questions from all our customers about everything related to meat, processing knowledge, how-to information, recipes, tips & tricks, and so much more. The new Walton’s Learning Center will be a new section on the Meatgistics homepage dedicated for information on “How To Make… Meat Recipes”, “Recipes”, “Meat Hacks”, and “Seasonings”

In this section, find recipes for all kinds of staple meat snacks, cured sausage, and smoked meats like snack sticks, summer sausage, hot dogs, bacon, ham, brisket, and more

Find some of Walton’s favorite recipes for other foods or side dishes not included in our Meat Recipes section. Try out a new recipe using Excalibur Seasoning in something like our “Better Bacon Potato Pie” or “Beer Bacon Mac N Cheese”

Gain knowledge about meat processing and tips and tricks from the expert’s at Walton’s for everything like Harvesting Meat, Food Prep & Cleaning, Meat Grinding & Mixing, Sausage Stuffing, Smoking & Grilling, Food Packaging, and Equipment

Explore information about seasonings for making sausage, jerky, meat snacks, and other smoked meats, or learn more about Excalibur Seasoning and options for Custom Blended Seasoning, Meat Additives, and other information on Spices

We have a ton of content pending to be published plus we will be adding content regularly and already have a long list of other questions and topics to discuss, but if you would like to see a particular topic covered or if you have a specific question you’d like us to answer… We would love your feedback! Leave us a comment or reply on this post, post your own topic/question in the Community or Feedback section, or send us an email at cs@waltonsinc.com

On each category on the Meatgistics website, there is a Green Subscribe button. Simply click Subscribe on any category to get a notification whenever new content is published. You can subscribe to any of the top-level categories like “Waltons Community”, “Waltons Blog”, or “Waltons Learning Center”, or just subscribe to individual sub-categories.

Ask us any questions you may have, stay involved by replying on topics with further feedback and questions, and use the social sharing buttons on topics and pages you find interesting to share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more.

Learn what flavors of wood to use when smoking meats with Walton's and Meatgistics. Read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

Hickory is the most popular option, closely followed by Mesquite. Walton’s uses hickory and mesquite for smoking most meats in our smokehouses, pellet grills, and charcoal grills.

Apple has a mild and subtle flavor that is slightly fruity and sweet. It goes great with poultry, fish, pork, and vegetables. Also great for larger meats like ham, pork shoulder, and turkey.

A very similar wood to Apple with a slightly fruity and sweet flavor and aroma. Great for larger meats like ham, pork shoulder, fish, salmon, and poultry. Also, a great compliment when burning wood in chimineas.

When in doubt, Walton’s uses Hickory wood. The most popular option for smoking most meats. Hickory has a stronger flavor than most other wood types and is an excellent choice for any smoked meats. Also a fairly popular option for use in chimineas.

An excellent all-around flavor and the 2nd most popular wood for smoking meats. Mesquite burns very hot and perfectly complements beef, chicken, fish, and especially wild game. Recommended for grilling “flame-kissed”.

Mulberry is a sweet fruitwood that is not as commonly used as other options, but is still acceptable for all types of meats or vegetables. It is similar in density and heating values to oak.

Oak is a pleasant and versatile wood that is not overpowering. A good choice when smoking and cooking potatoes. Also great with large pieces of meat like large briskets, chops, or steaks. Also a popular choice for burning in chimineas.

Pear wood provides a very subtle smoke flavor that is particularly good with chicken, pork, and vegetables.

Pecan wood is relatively similar to hickory wood but is lighter and not as powerful of a smoke flavor. A bit more subtle, sweet, and mild. Great for all types of meats and vegetables.

Pinyon pine is not meant to be used for smoking meats, but it is one of the most popular wood choices for burning in chimineas.

Learn what encapsulated citric acid is and how to make better sausage with Walton's and Meatgistics. Watch the video, read the highlights here, and post your comments or questions below.

Encapsulated citric acid is simply an acidulant that is coated with a hydrogenated cotton seed oil, which will melt and dissolve once heat is applied during cooking. It is used to give sausage a tangy flavor by lowering the pH of the meat. It is meant to be a replacement for starter cultures.

The quickest and easiest answer is simply for cook time. Starter cultures can take hours and hours to develop correctly during thermal processing, but Encapsulated Citric Acid performs the same basic steps in a fraction of the time.

When making sausage, it is vital to add an acidulant at the proper point during thermal processing. Adding it directly while mixing, or having the citric acid or other acidulant release at the wrong point, can lead to a dry and crumbly sausage caused by a break down of proteins and the “meat bind” in your product. Encapsulated Citric Acid will release only at 135° or higher so it properly releases at the correct time during smoking and cooking, and so it does not alter your sausage’s texture in a negative manner.

One of the big benefits that we already covered is a decreased cook time, but we also get some other general benefits of having a lower pH in cured sausages. By lowering the pH of the meat product and increasing the acidity, we will change the flavor of the meat or sausage and give it that tangy flavor many people associate with meat snacks like summer sausage or snack sticks. A lower pH will also help us enhance a meat product’s shelf-life. By reaching a certain pH level, we can attempt to even create a shelf-stable product (shelf-stability can also partially be dependent upon a product’s water activity). Encapsulated Citric Acid is also going to help control bacteria growth, and prevent pathogens or other microorganisms from growing by creating an environment in the sausage that is unfavorable for growth. Lastly, it will also act as a cure accelerator, which decreases the required hold time of a sausage before or during thermal processing, and it speeds up the conversion of nitrites into nitric oxide which is what gives cured meats their pink-tinted color and cured meat flavor.

Learn why using Deer & Wild Game rinse can improve your meat processing with Walton's and Meatgistics. Read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

This special blend of additives from Excalibur Seasoning is designed to protect and assist in limiting bacteria growth on your wild game before you can get your meat processed either at home or by your local butcher. It is used as a carcass spray, mixed at a ratio of 8 oz per 1 gallon of water. Simply mix and dissolve the additive in water and spray on the carcass both inside and outside, especially concentrating on the wound area.

It works by lowering the pH of the meat, stopping bacteria reproduction, and inhibiting mold growth. It also prevents browning caused by oxidation. Since this product is a very low cost item and it helps produce a much safer and higher quality meat product, every hunter ought to have this in their hunting gear for all their wild game processing.

Ingredients: Salt, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Maltodextrin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Bisulfite. Contains Sulfites

Learn what the difference between chamber and non-chambered vacuum sealers, along with the different vacuum sealer bags, and when to use which ones with Walton's and Meatgistics. Read the highlights here, and post your comments or questions below.

A chambered vacuum sealer is a vacuum sealer where the entire vacuum pouch is placed inside of the vacuum sealer and when the lid closes, the vacuum process begins. The air is removed from from inside the machine and the pouch is fully enclosed by the machine and lid. The VacMaster VP215 is a great example of a small chamber vacuum sealer. Chambered Vacuum Sealers come in a ton of different options and varieties. From as inexpensive as the Walton’s Chamber Vac Sealer at a little more than $1,000 all the way to a Promarks DC-900 Double Chamber Swing Lid Vacuum Sealer that costs $26,000. For a vacuum sealer at home, Walton’s recommends the VacMaster VP215 Vacuum Sealer. At just over $1,200, this vacuum sealer is hard to beat. For a commercial unit, it is a little bit harder to say which unit is best because it really depends on your volume and capacity. Walton’s does promote and really like the quality and functionality of the Promarks Vacuum Sealers for any type of commercial application, though.

A non-chambered vacuum sealer is a vacuum sealer where only the end of the bag is placed inside the vacuum sealer. Once the vacuum is turned on, most of the bag remains outside the vacuum sealing chamber and air is pulled out of the bag by small channels in the vacuum pouch. These types of units are typically very inexpensive and are great for all kinds of applications at home. These types of units would not be suggested for commercial applications, though.
Walton’s carries its own brand of vacuum sealers with two choices in the non-chambered models. The Walton’s 12-inch Pro Vac Sealer is made of stainless steel and is ideal for home vacuum packaging, including marinating meat and seafood. Constructed from stainless steel, the Walton’s 12-inch Pro Vacuum Sealer has a handle featuring a quick-start and quick-seal buttons for convenience.
Another affordable option for the home user is the Walton’s Fresh Vac Sealer. For bags up to 11 inches in width, this vacuum sealer comes with a lock down handle and extra vacuum power. For $89.99 this vac sealer is a good option for home use.

All vacuum pouches! Chambered machines will work with any type of vacuum pouch, regardless of brand or style. That is the great thing about Chamber Vacuum Sealers in that you aren’t stuck using only a special type of bag like the non-chambered units require. And, with Chamber Vacuum Sealers, you also get the added benefit of having multiple options available. Instead of just plain 3-mil Vac Pouches, you can also get 4-mil Vac Pouches, 5-mil Vac Pouches, Zippered Vac Pouches, Windowed Vac Pouches, Safe Handling Printed Vac Pouches, and Gold Foil Vac Pouches.

Only vacuum pouches with a textured interior. Sometimes referred to as “full-mesh bags”, “textured bags”, or “non-chambered bags”. Almost all vacuum sealer bags that have a textured interior are compatible with any brand of FoodSaver®, Walton’s, VacMaster®, or Ziploc® heat-seal vacuum systems (and other brands). Walton’s offer vacuum sealer bags with the textured interior from both Walton’s and VacMaster. I personally use the Walton’s bags, but both types of brands of bags from Walton’s will work with any brand of non-chambered vacuum sealers.

First off, whichever machine you have, buy the right type of bags for it. If you have a chamber machine, it will still work fine with the non-chambered (textured interior) bags, but the actual Chamber Vacuum Sealer Bags will be less expensive. Then, if you are still trying to choose between the styles, consider this… Initial costs will be less expensive on the “non-chambered” units, but more expensive on the bags over time. The machines cost less and it’s easier to start off by buying a non-chambered vacuum sealer but buying a chamber vacuum sealer will save you money because chamber vacuum sealer bags are a fraction of the cost of their non-chambered counterparts. Non-chambered vacuum sealers cost less than chamber vacuum sealers, but chamber vacuum sealer bags cost less than non-chambered (textured interior) vacuum sealer bags.

Example: If you average using 10 bags a week to seal leftovers from dinner or package a few batches of jerky and snack sticks from time to time, then you’d use 520 bags in 1 year. That cost in 8x12 bags for the non-chambered type would cost you about $125. The same quantity of bags, but for a chamber vacuum sealers would cost about $30. That’s a $95 difference. Multiply that out over 5 years of use, and add in the cost of buying a vacuum sealer of either type…
Walton’s 12inch Pro Sealer ($340) plus vacuum pouches ($625) equals a total cost over 5 years of $965.
Walton’s Chamber Vac Sealer ($1,099) plus vacuum pouches ($150) equals a total cost over 5 years of $1,249.
From that, you can see that the cost of vacuum sealer bags are really a great equalizer over the long run, and the total cost of ownership between non-chambered and chamber vacuum sealers is really quite close.

@mike6176 Another thing you can do is have a bowl of warm water next to the stuffer and occasionally just grab some water and sort of sprinkle it on the casings with your hand, that’ll help.

What are collagen sausage casings? What are collagen casings made of? What kind of collagen casings are available? Watch the video, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

It is an edible product that is apart of the connective tissue found in animals. Because collagen is made from naturally occurring proteins, it’s also completely safe to use and eat. It makes a strong yet flexible and edible food casing. One reason to use collagen is that it saves money. Sausage production costs are lower when you use a casing that is consistent and uniform in size, shape, and color. It also reduces waste, and the uniformity makes storage and packaging easier and faster. It also saves money because the pricing is more consistent, especially compared to the commodity fluctuations exhibited in the natural casings market. Also, a reason to use collagen is because many consumers like the appearance, bite, and mouth feel it produces in a sausage. And, the last big reason to use collagen casings is because collagen is extremely versatile. Almost any type of sausage can be made with collagen casings.

So the next question you may ask is how long can I keep collagen casings? Shelf life should be between one or two years. It does really depend on your storage environment though. Ideal storage locations would be with a cool temperature between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and dry. Casings will also last longer if left in the original and unopened package. We recommend that you reseal any opened packages and always store collagen casings in an airtight container. Just remember, once a package is opened, the casings can become more brittle and delicate at a quicker pace. This can lead to excessive breakage or blowouts during stuffing, which is simply a result of the moisture content of the casings changing and drying out.

Collagen casings are ready to use straight out of the package. So there is no soaking or other prep work like you have when using natural or fibrous casings.

The two basic types are Fresh and Processed casings. Fresh casings, as the name indicates, are for fresh or unsmoked sausages. Processed casings are for cooked or smoked meat snacks like snack sticks, hot dogs, German sausage, and other smoked sausages.

Fresh casings are meant to be used as a replacement for various natural casings, like hog or sheep casings in fresh sausage applications. We have sizes from a 21 millimeter up to a 32 millimeter, and they are all clear in appearance. One thing to remember is that fresh casings are not designed to hang on smoke sticks in a smokehouse. They just don’t have the strength to support the hanging weight of the sausage. If you try to hang fresh casings, you might end up opening your smokehouse door after the cook cycle ends and find that the casings broke and all your product is laying on the smokehouse floor. Now, let’s look at the different sizes. A 21mm Fresh casing would be perfect for making breakfast sausage or just a normal pork sausage. A 4 inch link will make a traditional 1 ounce link. A 30 or 32mm fresh casing is what you might use for things like bratwursts or italian sausage. The 32mm is closer to what you may find in many store brand sausages, but Walton’s prefers the slightly smaller 30 millimeter casings because they fit on a bun just a little bit better.

These casings are typically for smoked or cooked products like snack sticks, hot dogs, and a whole lot of other types of smoked sausages. Processed casings have two variants though: Processed Stix and Processed Fine. Both types of Processed Casings have a heavier wall weight than the Fresh casings, which allows Processed casings to be hung on smoke sticks during your drying and thermal processing steps.

Processed Stix are primarily a smaller diameter casing and are specifically designed for things like snack sticks. All our Stix casings are smoke color, and range in size from 15mm to 23mm with our most popular size being the 19mm. There is a very nice snap in the bite to Stix casings, which is great for many types of small diameter meat snacks, like everything from a traditional snack stick, or fermented snack stick, to even other dry and semi-dry sausage like a beefstick, pepperoni, or mini-salami.

These can be smoke, red, or clear in color. Sizes range from 21 millimeters up to a 34 millimeter. Inside the Processed Fine category, we have another two sub-variants. There are Fine-H and Fine-T casings.

The Fine-H variant is a heavier walled casing than the Fresh or Fine-T, but not as strong as the Processed Stix we just talked about. The Fine-H casings are specifically designed to be a replacement for “Hog Gut” casings and come in a 30 or 32 millimeter size. The red casings are awesome for making hot links, or any other smoked sausage, particularly for sausages that are meant to be spicy, as it can add a great eye-popping look to your final product. And, the smoke or clear casings work great for smoked sausages, like chili dogs, german sausage, and much more.

The Fine-T casings are stronger walled than the Fresh Casings, but are thinner walled than the previous Fine-H variant. Having a lighter wall weight will gives the sausage a bit more of a tender bite. Sizing on the Fine-T casings range from 21 to 30 millimeters. With a more tender bite and smaller diameter than the Fine-H, the Fine-T casings work great for hot dogs and frankfurters. My preference would be to use the 26mm Clear for making hotdogs and frankfurters.

Collagen casings can be twist linked, but it is more difficult than natural casings. When making links from collagen casings, we would recommend using 2 twists per link. If you twist less than twice, it may not be enough to hold the link in place, and if you twist more, the increased pressure in the meat and on the casing can cause breakage. Other options for linking can include just cutting the sausage into links, or you can tie-off each link with butcher’s twine, but this is rather time intensive. Sometimes it will be hard to have twist linked collagen casings stay twisted, so many times it is recommended to tie butcher’s twine between the links to help keep the sausages linked.

The two ends of a collagen casing should look different when you first open the package. One end will be a more uniform hole and opening. The other end should have a tail on it. Slide the open end on your stuffing tube and stuff sausage towards and into the end with a tail (see pictures).

If you use collagen casings in a smokehouse, remember that the Fresh Casings do not have the strength to be hung on smoke sticks. If you are hanging Processed casings from smoke sticks during thermal processing, a simple trick you can use if you have any issue with the casings breaking during the cook cycle is to put a single, simple twist in the casing at the top where the casing goes over the smoke stick to help relieve some surface tension and potential breakage.

If you have issues with wrinkling in your final product, check these two simple steps in your process. First, make sure you don’t understuff the product. Second, make sure that your cooling cycle is adequate following your thermal processing. Many times, improper cooling does not allow the final appearance of the casings to be set properly. You should have either a shower cycle for 15-20 minutes at the end of your cook cycle, or simply use a water and ice bath in a meat lug. Ideally, you should get the internal temperature of the meat product to drop to below 115 degrees during the showering process.

Hey everyone, it was pointed out to me here that I said to not go below 21mm on smoked collagen. I should note that this is a good rule of thumb for beginners, people who have made sticks a few times and are comfortable with stuffing should feel free to use smaller sizes. I, myself usually use 19mm as it stuffs a lot easier than smaller sizes. Maybe I will do a video where I time stuffing a certain amount of meat in 21mm, 19mm and either 17 or 16mm casings to show the difference? Thanks to mtnjim for pointing this out!

Dr_Pain I am going to try both new methods for me, sometime soon too.

Learn how to make Eggs In A Nest Walton's Style, watch the video, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below. Get ready to try something new and delicious for breakfast! Walton's seasoning shakers are great for a lot more than what the label says. Try shaking Texas Rump Rub on a deliciously simple breakfast like eggs in a nest! All you nee is butter, Texas Toast, Texas Rump Rub, and eggs. This is definitely one of our all time favorite breakfasts!

1 Tbsp Butter
Texas Toast
Eggs
Excalibur Texas Style Rump Rub Seasoning

Pre-heat medium sauce pan on medium heat and melt butter. Cut a 1.5 in hold in a piece of texas toast bread and cook for 30 seconds on medium heat. Crack 1 egg into center hole of texas toast. Liberally shake on Excalibur Texas Style Rump Roast Seasoning. Cook for additional 2 minutes on low to medium heat. Flip toast and egg together and cook 2 more minutes on low to medium heat. Remove from pan and eat!

Learn how to make Walton's Better Bacon Mac N Cheese, watch the video, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

3 Tbsp Butter
4 Tbsp Excalibur Bacon Cheddar Ale Dip Mix
2 Tbsp Excalibur Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning
2 Cups Milk
3/4 Cup Stout Beer
2 Cups Sharp Cheddar
8 oz Macaroni Noodles
8 Pieces Bacon
1 Cup Crushed Cheese Crackers

Pre-cook macaroni noodles and turn oven to broil to pre-heat.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add Bacon Cheddar Ale Dip Mix & Excalibur Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning, stir, and simmer. Add milk and beer. Stir until well combined. Add shredded cheese and stir until melted. Add cooked macaroni noodles and cooked bacon. Mix together and pour into a 9" pan. Broil for approximately 10 minutes, and then serve!

Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

Excalibur Better Burger Seasoning
Excalibur Bacon Cheddar Ale Dip Mix
Excalibur Five Pepper Blend
2 lb Bacon
Potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
8oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8oz Cream Cheese (mix with Bacon Cheddar Ale Dip Mix)
Deep Dish 9in Pie Pan

What does it mean when we say "meat binding"? Watch the full video, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

A lot of people ask us what is meat binding and why do you want to mix until the meat gets sticky? What we are doing with mixing and ultimately meat binding, is we are trying to extract protein. You can tell that your protein extraction is beginning because your meat will become sticky. Protein extraction is going to allow the proteins in the meat to encapsulate fat and hold fat and water together in the final sausage or product. Meat binders help cover fat particles and have a strong affinity for water, which holds more water and then keeps fat from clumping together. Then, the protein holds onto itself like velcro, around the fat particles. Good protein extraction will also allow the meat block to bind better to the sausage casing and reduce the tendency for fat to migrate to the outer layer of the sausage, or as some people say, fat-out. Having a good protein extraction and meat bind will help with increased juiciness from retained water, provide a better mouth feel, give your product a better appearance, and make the product have better slice-ability if you’re slicing summer sausage, deli or lunch meats.

Can I use regular tap water when making sausage? Watch the full video, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

You can use tap water in making sausage, but for the best results, you need to follow a few steps to prepare the tap water.
Any process in making any meat product where you add water to a seasoning and meat product, whether that is vacuum tumbling, adding water to fresh sausage, adding water to a brine, or other meat snacks, should have very cold water used. Most tap water is at a temp of 56 to 60 degrees. The problem is that we are then going to add that 60 degree water to a meat product that should be held at 32 to 34 degrees. So, what we need to do instead of taking water directly from the tap and putting it in your sausage is to take the water and put it in the refrigerator or cooler and chill it down. That is going to accomplish two things. First, we will lower the temperature of the water and get it more in line with the meat temp so we don’t raise the temp of the meat when we add the water. Second, if it is city tap water, and there is any chlorine, while the water is resting in the cooler, the chlorine has a chance to evaporate and you then are not adding any chlorine into your meat products.

So if you are adding water to any meat products that is not already cold and distilled water, then simply place the water in an open container in your fridge to let it cool down so you don’t raise the temp of the meat once it is added and so it gives the chlorine found in most city tap water a chance to evaporate so you don’t add any chlorine to your meat products.

Can I use a seasoning for a use besides what it says on the label? Watch the full video, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

Just because a seasoning is a labeled as a snack stick seasoning, doesn’t mean that you cannot use it for something else like summer sausage or jerky. Be creative and don’t be afraid to use a seasoning for something other than what is was originally developed for. For example, if you really like the Sriracha Flavored Snack Stick Seasoning, but you would prefer making summer sausage or jerky, there is nothing wrong with using the snack stick seasoning in a different product like summer sausage or jerky.

So if you like the sound of a certain seasoning flavor, but it’s not labeled for the meat snack you wanted to make, don’t be afraid to still try it out and use it in any type of meat snack!

Great info…Thanks

Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

A lot of people don’t realize that cleaning and sanitizing are actually two separate steps. Cleaning is where you first remove any dirt, grime, or fat residue or meat particles leftover on your equipment or work surfaces. Then, you sanitize by killing bacteria and disinfecting your work surfaces and equipment. Cleaning and sanitizing is very important because maintaining a clean environment will help you make a safer product, and then safer products will lead to a longer shelf-life.

What we recommend and use are some of these products…
Cleaning larger areas - Neutra Sol Cleaner
Cleaning smaller areas - Power Foam Cleaner
Sanitizing larger areas - Bi-Quat
Sanitizing smaller areas - Hard Surface 60 Second Sanitizer
Both of the cleaners listed above are degreasers so they will help breakdown any leftover fat particles or meat leftover on your equipment or other working surfaces and make them easy to rinse off completely. And then the Hard Surface Sanitizer is Walton’s favorite option for a sanitizer because it works in 60 seconds, and is a no-rinse sanitizer so it doesn’t need to be rinsed off and can just be left on the product to dry until your ready to use your equipment or working surfaces next time.

So always remember that cleaning and sanitizing are two different steps and by doing both properly, you’ll keep your equipment, work surfaces, and environment safer, you’ll make a safer product, and that will ultimately lead to a longer shelf-life in your meat products.

wyomont said in Using Cure Accelerators In Making Sausage:

Can you use encapsulated citric acid and smoked meat stabilizer together for elk summer sausage

There is no reason you would want to. Both act as accelerators. ECA adds acid tang.

Smoked meat stabilizer is just:
INGREDIENTS:Dextrose, Salt, Ascorbic Acid (6.24%), Sodium Citrate (3.12%).
–that’s sugar, salt, vitamin C, and a salt of citric acid. It won’t add anything but higher speed to what ECA does.

However, you could do it if desired, just don’t use the smoked meat stabilizer in a brine.

wyomont said in Using Cure Accelerators In Making Sausage:

Can you use encapsulated citric acid and smoked meat stabilizer together for elk summer sausage

There is no reason you would want to. Both act as accelerators. ECA adds acid tang.

Smoked meat stabilizer is just:
INGREDIENTS:Dextrose, Salt, Ascorbic Acid (6.24%), Sodium Citrate (3.12%).
–that’s sugar, salt, vitamin C, and a salt of citric acid. It won’t add anything but higher speed to what ECA does.

However, you could do it if desired, just don’t use the smoked meat stabilizer in a brine.

Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

After you get done cooking any type of cured meat product you want to cool it down as quickly as possible. The cooling cycle is going to help out with 3 different things. First, the cooling cycle helps set the casing to the product and keeps the meat and casings from separately or peeling off. Second, it also helps prevent wrinkling in your sausage casings to make a better looking appearance on the final product. Lastly, the cooling cycle really helps with meat safety and controlling bacteria and microbial growth.

So always use a cold water bath or shower to help set the casing to the meat, prevent wrinkling for a better appearance, and practice good meat safety by lowering the temp quickly to limit bacteria and microbial growth.

mtnjim I’ve made two 10lb batches of venison/pork snack sticks. I used 2:1 ratio of lean venison and port butt. I smoked using a Cook Shack model 55 smoker and started low (120F) without smoke and door ajar. I added smoke the 2nd hour and ramped up the heat every hour x 3 until the batch reached approx 160F in 4 hours. They taste and look great.

Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

First of all, don’t take this as just a sale pitch. While Walton’s would love you to buy all new equipment from us each year, this is really meant to help you make better meat snacks and produce a higher quality product. Newer equipment and higher quality equipment does make a HUGE difference in meat processing. We hear from people all the time that are using a 30-40 year old meat grinder, and they seem proud of the fact that they’ve made it last that long, and while it might be impressive that it is still running that long, we can almost guarantee it is no longer producing a high quality product. The head and auger on an old grinder like that will no longer fit correctly after extended years of use. Grinder parts, plus all other meat processing equipment parts do wear out over time. Worn out parts will cause a lower quality meat grind and a sub-par final product. Other people may be using a meat grinder at home that is simply an attachment for a kitchen stand mixer and while it does work in grinding meat, it is very poor at producing a high quality grind and is very inefficient at grinding as well. Another key point in meat grinding is to keep a sharp plate and knife, plus always use the same grinder plate and knife together can really be helpful. Another related point relates to whether you should use a meat grinder to stuff sausage. Meat grinders can be used as a sausage stuffer, but buying a true and dedicated sausage stuffer can really help make a more consistently stuffed sausage. Grinders will typically “smear” meat as you try to stuff sausage into casings and overwork the meat which leads to a loss of color and particle definition. So actually using a sausage stuffer is preferred over just stuffing from a meat grinder. Lastly, looking at meat mixing, you can hand mix many meat products but when you are trying to make a cured sausage that needs a lot of protein extraction is is hard to get an adequate mix by only hand mixing. Investing in a quality meat mixer can really help in your protein extraction (and thus your binding and consistency in your final product) plus reduce the amount of time you spend in your mixing cycle.

So make sure you are taking care of your equipment, following maintenance schedules, and investing in new equipment and parts, to make the highest quality meat products!

Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and post your comments or questions below.

Using a meat thermometer is very easy and can really help in your cooking, grilling, and sausage-making to ensure your cooking is consistent each time you smoke or cook meat. People tend to undercook beef and overcook pork and chicken. Using a meat thermometer can allow you to easily know exactly when your product is done, avoid undercooking or over-cooking, and produce a much more consistent cook cycle for a perfect result every time. Thermometers are also great for meat safety to make sure you meet lethality and kill as much bacteria as possible for a safer product. There are tons of options for thermometers available from the extremely small and inexpensive units, plus even fancier features and wireless capabilities. Check out the Meat Thermometers page at waltons.com to find all the options available and make your cooking and grilling safer and more consistent.

Does the temperature of meat matter when making sausage? Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

Whenever you are making sausage whether that is snack sticks, summer sausage, brats, or any type of smoked sausage, make sure you use as cold of meat as possible. What we do before we make sausage is to put the meat in the freezer for an hour or so before processing. This helps get the meat even colder than the temp of just being in a refrigerator, but keeps it from being completely frozen. We want the meat to be as cold as possible and putting in the freezer for an hour or so will get it really cold and even start to make the outside layers even slightly frozen. The colder the meat, the better it will grind and have better particle definition in your final sausage. Cold meat will also help with meat safety. The colder the meat is, the less likely we’ll have bacteria grow. And, lastly, protein extraction is more efficient at colder temps.

So whenever you are making sausage, just remember to have your meat temperature be as cold as possible and you will make a better and safer overall product!

From all of us at Walton’s: We want to say Happy New Year to all our customers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDEx2GiwOpI

Starting December 22 and ending on January 13, 2017… Enter to win a Walton’s 11lb Sausage Stuffer Kit.
Walton’s Sausage Stuffer Giveaway Entry
Walton’s On Sale Page

Until January 2nd get FREE shipping on orders over $75!

(Ends January 13th, 2017)
Weston 44lb Dial Scale - Save 40% - Only $29.99
Weston Sportsman’s Advantage Vacuum Sealer - Save $60 - Only $119.99
Weston 22in Butcher Hand Saw - Save 40% - Only $17.99
Nouvelle Legende Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Gloves - Pair - Save $3 - Only $9.99
Eurow Heat and Flame Resistant Silicone Oven Glove - Save $2 - Only $7.99

Make sure you click that green Subscribe button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from the community, from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

From all of us at Walton’s: We want to say Merry Christmas to all our customers! Amidst all of the hustle and bustle during this time of year, we also hope you take time out to remember the real reason for Christmas and the joy and peace we share in the birth of Jesus!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAmVcfEksXM

Starting on Monday December 5th with Free Shipping on orders over $100, we have new items going on sale everyday until Friday December 16th. Once a sale starts, it will continue each day until the final day of sales on Decemeber 16th, which will include Free Shipping on orders over $50 and 15% off all regular price items storewide with coupon code WALTONSTV!

Day 1: December 5th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
FREE Shipping On Orders Over $100
Walton’s Christmas Giveaway - Win 1 of 14 Swiss Army Limited Edition Knives
Walton’s 7lb Single Speed Sausage Stuffer - Save $40
Walton’s 7lb Sausage Stuffer - Save $40

Day 2: December 6th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
Walton’s 11lb Sausage Stuffer - Save $40
Walton’s 33lb Sausage Stuffer - Save $100

Day 3: December 7th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
Walton’s 26lb Sausage Stuffer - Save $100
Walton’s 26lb Electric Sausage Stuffer - Save $170

Day 4: December 8th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
30% off Pain Is Good Sauces, Salsa, and Bloody Mary Mixes
Pain Is Good Hot Sauce - Fire Roasted Green Srirach-AH Pepper
Pain Is Good Hot Sauce - Sriracha Pepper
Pain Is Good Hot Sauce - Louisiana Style
Pain Is Good Hot Sauce - Garlic Style
Pain Is Good Hot Sauce - Jamaican Style
Pain Is Good Salsa - Habanero Garlic
Pain Is Good Salsa - Jamaican Pineapple
Pain Is Good Bloody Mary Mix - Zesty Garlic
Pain Is Good Bloody Mary Mix - Classic
Pain Is Good Bloody Mary Mix - Cajun Spice
Pain Is Good Bloody Mary Mix - Jamaican Jerky

Day 5: December 9th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
30% off Select BBQ Sauce
Bash Brothers Honey Jalapeno BBQ Sauce
Bash Brothers Original BBQ Sauce
Bash Brothers Hawaiian Pineapple BBQ Sauce
Bash Brothers Honey Habanero BBQ Sauce
Kansas Cabin BBQ Sauce - Hickory Heat
Kansas Cabin BBQ Sauce - Honey Chipotle
Kansas Cabin BBQ Sauce - Georgia Ginger
Kansas Cabin BBQ Sauce - Mesquite Sweet
Kansas Cabin BBQ Sauce - Mesquite Sweet Low Heat
Kansas Cabin BBQ Sauce - Wasabi

Day 6: December 10th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
Weston #5 Meat Grinder - Butcher Series - Save $50
Weston #42 Meat Grinder - Butcher Series - Save $80

Day 7: December 11th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
Weston 22in Butcher Hand Saw - Save $10

Day 8: December 12th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
6in Curved Granton Edge Boning Knife
Totally Bamboo Malibu Groove Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo Poly Boo Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo Cork Footed Cutting Board

Day 9: December 13th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
Walton’s Heavy Duty Meat Lugs - Save $4

Day 10: December 14th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
Pro-Cut #12 Meat Grinder - Save $100

Day 11: December 15th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
Save 15% off the regular price of all items storewide!!!

Day 12: December 16th (Ends December 16th, 2016)
FREE Shipping on Orders Over $50

December 15th & 16th only…Use coupon code WALTONSTV at waltonsinc.com to receive 15% off all regular priced items storewide!

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from the community, from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
ThanksBlackMonday may be over, but Walton’s is not done with all the sales, giveaways, and free shipping deals this year! We’ve got some great items on sale in our 12 Days of Christmas Sale. We’re also doing a giveaway for 14 limited edition knives from Swiss Army!
Make sure you watch the video from WaltonsTV, subscribe to WaltonsTV on YouTube, and click the watch button on the Walton’s Blog to be the first to know about all of our great sale items and giveaways before anyone else.

From all of us at Walton’s: We want to say Merry Christmas to all our customers! Amidst all of the hustle and bustle during this time of year, we also hope you take time out to remember the real reason for Christmas and the joy and peace we share in the birth of Jesus!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-00rrUTNf4

New sales start on 3 different days with all sales, coupons, and free shipping ending together on the final sales day of Cyber Monday (November 28, 2016)

Starting Tuesday, November 22nd: (Ends November 28th, 2016)
FREE Shipping On Orders Over $75
FREE Excalibur Steak & Roast Rub on orders over $20 with coupon code TBM16
Walton’s 7lb Single Speed Sausage Stuffer
Walton’s 7lb Sausage Stuffer
Walton’s 11lb Sausage Stuffer
Walton’s 26lb Sausage Stuffer
Walton’s 33lb Sausage Stuffer
Weston 7.5in Meat Slicer
Weston 10-Piece Game Processing Kit
Weston 4-Piece Field Knife Set
Weston Jerky Gun Junior
Weston #5 Electric Meat Grinder
Weston Safe Slice Mandolin Slicer
Weston 4 Tray Dehydrator
Totally Bamboo 3-Piece Bamboo Cutting Boards

Starting Thursday, November 24th: (Ends November 28th, 2016)
Non-Stick Mesh Grilling Baskets
Walton’s Automatic Syringe Injector
Hillbilly Konk BBQ Skylinn’s Sweet Sauce
Hillbilly Konk BBQ Kanzas’ Spicy Sauce
Flip Up Digital Roasting Thermometer
Slimline Digital Waterproof Thermometer
Chef’s Choice 120 Knife Sharpener
Walton’s Manual Sausage Linker

Starting Monday, November 28th: (Ends November 28th, 2016)
5lb High Temp Cheddar Cheese
Totally Bamboo Big Easy Cutting Board
HD Orange Nitrile Gloves
Sriracha Summer Sausage and Snack Stick Seasoning
Bleu Cheese and Apple Summer Sausage and Snack Stick Seasoning
Bloody Mary Jerky Seasoning
19mm Collagen Casings 3-Packs
Walton’s 26lb Electric Sausage Stuffer

Use coupon code TBM16 at waltonsinc.com to receive 1 FREE Excalibur Steak & Roast Rub Shaker. Valid until 11/28/2016.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from the community, from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

Happy Thanksgiving! It’s that time of the year again and it’s time for Walton’s annual ThanksBlackMonday sale!
Some of Walton’s Biggest sales of the year are finally here!
Walton’s ThanksBlackMonday Sale is back and better than ever! We will have three different start dates for different sales, but all of the sales will end on the same day, November 28th. Watch the video above to see all of our deals and then visit WALTONSINC.COM to save money! In addition to great prices, you will have the opportunity to get some amazing items for FREE!

Thanks (Thanksgiving): November 22nd-28th
Black (Black Friday): November 24th- 28th
Monday (Cyber Monday) November 28th Only!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMHtclU9CL4

$5 flat rate shipping on orders over $75
Save $2 on all Excalibur Seasoning Shakers
Walton’s Flexible Cutting Mats
Weston 330lb Digital Scale
Poly Bag Sealer - Stainless Steel
Weston 44lb Meat Mixer
Deer Loppers
Compact Digital Kitchen Scale
Red Santa Casings
Weston Dehydrator 80L Pro Series
Weston Dehydrator 160L Pro Series
Weston 10 Tray Digital Dehydrator
VacMaster VP112S Vacuum Sealer
8x12 Vacuum Pouches 100 Count (non-chambered)
Walton’s 8x12 100 Count Vacuum Pouches (chambered)
Walton’s 8x12 1,000 Count Vacuum Pouches (chambered)
FREE Excalibur Sauce on orders over $50 with coupon code THANKSGIVING

Use coupon code THANKSGIVING at waltonsinc.com to receive 1 FREE Excalibur Sauce of your choice. Valid until 11/20/2016.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from the community, from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

Holiday sales are finally here and they begin with the annual Walton’s Pre-Thanksgiving Sale! Huge savings and $5 flat rate shipping starts now (11/14/2016) and continues until 11/20/2016. Make sure you click the “Watch” button on the Walton’s Blog section of the Meatgistics website and subscribe to the WaltonsTV YouTube channel to be the first to know about our all our sales. Our ThanksBlackMonday sale begins on Tuesday November 22nd, as well, so stay tuned for even more savings on a ton of other items as well

This is Part 8 of a mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. We asked John Brewer about Excalibur Seasoning to explain how they handle allergens, labeling, and documentation. Be sure to subscribe to WaltonsTV YouTube channel and click the green Watch button on the Walton’s Blog section to be the first to know when new videos are released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzryL4FbbvA

There are still more videos to be released over the next week and a ton of great content about seasonings, and specifically Excalibur Seasoning. Make sure you don’t miss a single episode and subscribe to the WaltonsTV YouTube Channel and click the “Watch” button on the Walton’s Blog section of Meatgisitcs.com to be notified of all new videos, promotions, sales, and news from Walton’s.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find videos, promotions, news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

In this episode we talked with John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Excalibur Seasoning, about how they handle allergens, labeling, and documentation.

How does Excalibur Seasoning handle documentation?
A lot of their documentation is handled in their SQF Level 3 certification and compliance. SQF is all about documentation. Every input and output for a seasoning it logged, assigned a lot number, and is tracked. For more information on Excalibur Seasonings SQF Level 3 certification, visit waltonsinc.com/excalibur and watch Part 3 of our Excalibur Seasoning mini-series with John Brewer.

What is the blue label that is on some of the Excalibur Seasoning packages?
It simply identifies that there is an allergen in that product. The blue labels are Excalibur’s way of specifically being proactive towards the possibility of a recall. Most recalls by a meat or food processor occur due to the failure to list an allergen on the label, or an allergen gets introduced where it shouldn’t. USDA inspectors love the blue label because allergens are required to be separated in a meat processing facility from the rest of the raw materials and inputs. The blue label allows the customer to identify allergens quickly and USDA inspectors to quickly visualize if a processor is adhering to proper storage of seasonings and allergens. It is a food safety initiative, that helps make things easier for a processor to separate allergens from the rest of their raw materials.

This is Part 7 of a mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. We asked John Brewer about Excalibur Seasoning, their R&D lab, and how custom blends and new flavor profiles are created. Be sure to subscribe to WaltonsTV YouTube channel and click the green Watch button on the Walton’s Blog section to be the first to know when new videos are released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esXArk_ILnI

There are still more videos to be released this week and a ton of great content about seasonings, and specifically Excalibur Seasoning. Make sure you don’t miss a single episode and subscribe to the WaltonsTV YouTube Channel and click the “Watch” button on the Walton’s Blog section of Meatgisitcs.com to be notified of all new videos, promotions, sales, and news from Walton’s.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find videos, promotions, news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

In this episode we talked with John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Excalibur Seasoning, about Excalibur Seasoning, their R&D lab, and how custom blends and new flavor profiles are created.

Does Excalibur Seasoning have an R&D department?
They do have an R&D department, which is one thing very unique about them in the industry and what they offer with their R&D lab, plus the people and staff that they’ve assembled to run their “Excalibur Innovation Center”. According to John Brewer, Excalibur Seasoning has one of the best research chefs in the industry, Marlo Mastalerz, and what she is able to develop, the timeline, and turn around for products is incredible in both duplication and new product development.

Can Excalibur duplicate a seasoning blend from another seasoning company, and how does that work?
If a customer is currently buying from another seasoning company, Excalibur Seasoning can match and duplicate that product in the Excalibur Innovation Center. In many circumstances, they can also clean the label up, extend the shelf life and enhance the product’s appearance on the shelf.

How are new flavor profiles created?
New flavor profiles can be created solely by the Excalibur Innovation Center, or it could come from a saleman from Excalibur or Walton’s, or it may come from a customer as a new request for something new, different, or a similar rendition of something existing.

How much do you have to buy to be able to order custom blended seasoning?
For dry seasonings, Excalibur Seasoning has what might be some of the lowest minimums in the industry. Only 100 pounds are required for a custom blend. Many competitors have raised their minimums to 1,000 pounds or more, but Excalibur remains unique by offering a very small minimum of only 100 pounds. Those low minimums allow small and independent processors and others to be unique themselves in their own market place without having to adhere to minimums that are simply unattainable at the 1,000 pound level.

What about minimums for liquid sauce or marinade?
Excalibur also has extremely low minimums for liquids. At only 150 gallons, their minimum is pretty much unheard of in the industry. One of Excalibur Seasoning’s strong points is their ability to produce smaller volumes of seasonings and sauces that others in the industry simply cannot or do not offer.

What is needed to duplicate a seasoning blend and make a new custom blend?
It is extensive, but we make it as easy and painless for a customer as possible. Some of the steps and things needed are:

Is there a cost for duplicating or matching a seasoning and making a custom blend?
For dry seasoning blends, there is no cost and it is done free of charge.
For liquids and sauces, it is a lot more complicated, so a $500 deposit is required before development. Then, that is refunded back to the customer after the product is approved and the customer has bought a specified amount once they are a customer. This helps cover some basic costs, but is not meant to be a profit center for Excalibur.

Why would a home processor, independent meat processor, large food processor, grocery store, restaurant, etc. trust Excalibur to blend their seasonings?
Consistency. Simply put, Excalibur is going to produce a high quality, safe product, with a high level of integrity and consistency that is hard to beat in any other method. Some customers are afraid of letting go of their proprietary blend that has been in their company or family for generations, but Excalibur has a high level of integrity and guarantees that the customer’s formula is not going to go anywhere or be shared with anyone else. Only that customer has access to their custom blend.

Why are Excalibur’s products so consistent?
Going back to Excalibur’s SQF Level 3 certification, they are going to produce a high quality and safe product, that is consistent and always documented. Batches and lots are always compared visually and by taste to the previous batch and lot. Every ingredient is tracked on the input and output, and they guarantee consistency, repeat-ability, and trace-ability.

Do minimums for custom blends also apply to private label seasonings?
Many private label seasoning are simply an existing Excalibur Seasoning blend. When that is the case, there is no minimum. If a private label seasoning is also a custom blend, then there still is the 100 pound minimum for dry blends or 150 gallon minimum for liquids and sauces.

This is Part 6 of a mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. We asked John Brewer about Excalibur Seasoning and what makes them better than the competition and why someone should buy from Excalibur Seasoning and Walton’s. Be sure to subscribe to WaltonsTV YouTube channel and click the green Watch button on the Walton’s Blog section to be the first to know when new videos are released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NHiyIdsP-s

There are still more videos to be released over the next week and a ton of great content about seasonings, and specifically Excalibur Seasoning. Make sure you don’t miss a single episode and subscribe to the WaltonsTV YouTube Channel and click the “Watch” button on the Walton’s Blog section of Meatgisitcs.com to be notified of all new videos, promotions, sales, and news from Walton’s.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find videos, promotions, news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

In this episode we talked with John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Excalibur Seasoning, about Excalibur Seasoning and what makes them better than the competition and why someone should buy from Excalibur Seasoning and Walton’s.

What make Excalibur Seasoning better than the competition?
One of the main things is Excalibur Seasoning’s SQF Level 3 certification. That certification ensures that their seasoning is the safest and highest quality product available. Another thing is their superb level of customer service. When you call Excalibur, or Walton’s, you get an actual person on the phone, either a customer service representative or a salesman and not a machine or recording. They are also knowledgeable in the entire product catalog across the entire gamut of products. Excalibur and Walton’s both deal with customers ranging from the small home processor up to some of the largest meat processors and grocery stores in the industry. We provide sales and service for our customers, provide programs and training and not just a single product or sale. When a customer needs us, we are there to provide help and support, and not simply a one-time sale. The level of customer service is second to none.

What sets Excalibur Seasoning apart from various competitors?
Development capabilities and R&D are huge identifiers that separate Excalibur from other companies. They are very on trend as to what’s in the market place, what is selling in the regional and global aspects of the market. Relating to everything from sauces to seasoning blends to marinades, there are so many different categories that Excalibur carries a high level of expertise in.

How does Excalibur come up with so many unique flavor profiles?
They have a separate R&D lab, or as they call it, the Excalibur Innovation Center, that is constantly reviewing what’s popular regionally and globally. They don’t rule anything out on the development side, as either too wild, or too hard to develop. Even things like Chocolate Chili Flavored Bratwursts and Gummy Bear Bratwursts are two recent additions to the Excalibur product catalog that were created by the Excalibur Innovation Center.

Why do customers continually come back and buy from Excalibur Seasoning?
New flavor profiles is one of the top reasons. R&D plays an important role and every year at the trade shows, Excalibur always has something new and exciting to showcase. Customers can always find new, interesting, and trending flavor profiles from Excalibur Seasoning.

This is Part 4 of a mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. We asked John Brewer about Excalibur Seasoning’s manufacturing facility, their location, and their processes. More videos are coming out soon, so be sure to subscribe to WaltonsTV YouTube channel and click the green Watch button on the Walton’s Blog section to be the first to know when new videos are released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3isYIldX4XM

There are still more videos to be released over the next week and a ton of great content about seasonings, and specifically Excalibur Seasoning. Make sure you don’t miss a single episode and subscribe to the WaltonsTV YouTube Channel and click the “Watch” button on the Walton’s Blog section of Meatgisitcs.com to be notified of all new videos, promotions, sales, and news from Walton’s.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find videos, promotions, news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

In this episode we talked with John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Excalibur Seasoning, about Excalibur Seasoning’s Manufacturing Facility & Process.

Where is Excalibur Seasoning located?
Pekin, Illinois
https://goo.gl/maps/tJAVEeG9dtp
http://www.excaliburseasoning.com/

What is unique to Excalibur Seasonings manufacturing process?
Their SQF Level 3 certification and the level of consistency, quality, and care that gets put into producing each and every product.

What is the Excalibur Seasoning manufacturing process like?
Everything that Excalibur Seasoning produces is subject to their SQF Level 3 certification. All inputs and outputs are lot coded, AND each batch and lot is compared to the previous batch and lot to check for consistency, taste, and visual accuracy so that is always exactly the same. Consistency, taste, and quality is of the utmost importance in their manufacturing.

What is happening with Excalibur Seasoning’s latest expansion?
One of the biggest reasons that Excalibur Seasoning decided to expand was to expand their storage capabilities.

What is Excalibur Seasoning’s lead time on orders?
7 days. Each order is produced and manufactured as they are placed. Seasonings don’t simply get pulled off of a shelf, but they are all made-to-order. This is changing slightly on some of their fastest selling items because of their latest expansion, and certain SKUs will have some pre-made seasonings held in stock so that some orders and seasonings can receive next day shipment.

How many items will be added to Excalibur’s “Quick Ship” items?
100+ SKUs will be available for next day shipment instead of the typical 7 business day lead time.

When will the new facility be ready?
By the end of October, the new facility should be done, and by the end of 2016 inventory should be built up and everything fully operational.

This is Part 4 of a mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. We asked John Brewer about Excalibur Seasoning’s Private Label Program, how it works, and what the minimums are. More videos are coming out soon, so be sure to subscribe to WaltonsTV YouTube channel and click the green Watch button on the Walton’s Blog section to be the first to know when new videos are released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvKsmKlPK1g

Many more episodes in our mini-series with John Brewer and Excalibur Seasoning are waiting to be released in the next 2 weeks. There is a ton of great content waiting to be released, and you won’t want to miss a single episode. Plus, we have things like our $100 gift card giveaway going on, plus some other great coupons to be released along with the upcoming videos.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

In this episode we talked with John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Excalibur Seasoning, about Excalibur Seasoning’s SQF Level 3 certification, organic, and food safety certifications

Does Excalibur Seasoning offer a Private Label Seasoning Program?
Yes. It’s a great option for independent butcher shops, but also available and cost efficient for anyone out there with a seasoning product that they want to sell or distribute as their own private seasoning line.

What is the minimum for private label seasoning shakers or sauces?
No minimums if it is a stock Excalibur blend. If it is a custom blend, then it is 100lb for dry seasoning, or 150 gallons for sauces.

Do I need to provide my own label design or can Excalibur help with the label design?
Either is possible. If you have an existing design, Excalibur work with you to make it appropriate to fit on their product sizes, or Excalibur can help design the graphics on the whole label.

What kind of seasoning can be private labeled?
Any seasoning. Either an existing Excalibur blend can have the name changed and private labeled, or if you have a custom blend Excalibur can match it and re-produce it for you as a private label.

If I do a custom blend, will Excalibur Seasoning or Walton’s share my recipe with anyone?
Absolutely not. If you use a custom blend and give Excalibur/Walton’s the formulation, we will not share, distribute, or sell it to anyone else.

Why would I want to use a private labeled seasoning?
The local movement right now is very strong and not going away, and if you are a small business and you can put your name on a seasoning instead of selling or offering larger brand name seasonings, you are more likely to have customers come back and keep ordering more from you since it is a local brand they can identify with.

What size of containers do private label seasoning come in?
There are 7 options for sizes of containers. An 8oz shaker bottle, Small Institutional, or Large Institutional for dry seasonings, and then 12oz bottle, 2 liter “tip & pour”, 1/2 gallon round, or 1 gallon round for sauces and liquids.

Where do I start if I want to get my own seasoning private labeled?
Email Walton’s at cs@waltonsinc.com or call us at 800-835-2832. We will assign a customer service representative or salesmen to your account and help walk you through the process.

This is Part 3 of a mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. We ask John Brewer about Excalibur’s food certifications, like their SQF Level 3 certification, and organic and kosher certification. More videos are coming out soon, so be sure to subscribe to WaltonsTV YouTube channel and click the green Watch button on the Walton’s Blog section to be the first to know when new videos are released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1zFLRji0wg

Many more episodes in our mini-series with John Brewer and Excalibur Seasoning are waiting to be released in the next 2 weeks. There is a ton of great content waiting to be released, and you won’t want to miss a single episode. Plus, we have things like our $100 gift card giveaway going on, plus some other great coupons to be released along with the upcoming videos.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

In this episode we talked with John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Excalibur Seasoning, about Excalibur Seasoning’s SQF Level 3 certification, organic, and food safety certifications

What does SQF stand for?
Safe Quality Food

What is SQF certification all about?
An insurance policy for the customer, that the product that comes out of the Excalibur Seasoning facility is a safe food product of the utmost quality and is safe for food consumption. It falls under a GFSI umbrella (Global Food Safety Initiative) which ensure that with their SQF Excalibur products can be sold anywhere in the world and the SQF certification is recognized as a global standard.

What else does it mean to be SQF Level 3 certified?
Documentation! Everything is documented, as far as what goes into a seasoning blend, all inputs are lot coded and documented. From a traceability standpoint, if a customer has a recall, Excalibur can isolate that recall versus having a customer have to recall thousands of pounds of product, or minimize the recall as much as possible, based upon what input went into the product.

What other certifications does Excalibur Seasoning have?
They are Organic certified and Kosher certified. On the organic side, they continue to get more and more requests and they can develop new organic blends, but they also already have an established catalog of organic blends available.

Is there an auditing process to be SQF Level 3 certified?
Yes, and it must be completed by a 3rd party auditor. That auditor comes into the Excalibur Seasoning facility and grades their facility and manufacturing process.

What grade has Excalibur received during their SQF Level 3 certification?
Excalibur has never received below an “A” grade (90% or above) on their certification. And, historically, they’ve been in the high 90’s. So they are a top of the line, grade A, SQF Level 3 facility.

What if you fail an SQF audit?
If you fail an audit, you are no longer certified, and don’t simply step down to the next available grade or level. So for Excalibur to receive a continual A grade at the SQF Level 3 certification means that they are maintaining that high level of documentation and food safety protocols on an on-going basis. Excalibur has never even came close to not meeting their grade and maintaining their SQF Level 3 certification.

Is Excalibur Seasoning focused on quality and safety, or just quickly putting out a low-cost option?
Excalibur Seasoning is highly focused on producing a safe and high quality product. As exemplified by their commitment to maintain an SQF Level 3 certification, they will never be a low-cost provider. Based upon their specifications and SQF certification, and regulatory requirements, they have added a ton of staff and man power to maintain their certification and produce high quality products.

Why would you not want a low-cost provider?
Low-cost providers are typically using the cheapest materials available for inputs into their products, and the cheapest is not always the best. You do get what you pay for, and if you are buying the cheapest thing available, there is probably a reason for it. The cheapest is not always the best.

What kind of value is there in Excalibur Seasoning products?
For what Excalibur Seasoning offers, their certifications, their customer service, and the specifications required in their raw materials, they are a bargain in the industry when comparing their total package and price for what you get when you are buying an Excalibur Seasoning product.

Where can more information about SQF certification be found?
You can visit the SQF website at www.sqfi.com, or contact us here on the Meatgistics site or at waltonsinc.com if you have any further questions about the Excalibur Seasoning products and their food safety certifications.

This is Part 2 of a mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. We asked John a few questions about storage of seasonings, shelf-life, and quality control. Many more videos will be released over the course of the next two weeks, so be sure and subscribe to WaltonsTV on YouTube or the Walton’s Blog section on Meatgistics.com to be the first to know when new videos are released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNb4cxrmTmE

Many more episodes in our mini-series with John Brewer and Excalibur Seasoning are waiting to be released in the next 2 weeks. There is a ton of great content waiting to be released, and you won’t want to miss a single episode. Plus, we have things like our $100 gift card giveaway going on, plus some other great coupons to be released along with the upcoming videos.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from the community, from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

In this episode we talked with John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Excalibur Seasoning, about the storage of seasonings and we also asked some quality control questions.

What is the best way to store your seasonings?
In a cool dry place, with low humidity. Humidity is one of the biggest enemies of seasoning blends because it causes seasonings to harden like a brick and become very difficult to use. This increases more and more as you have seasoning blends with more sugar in them.

Does storing in the freezer or cooler help with shelf life?
Not really. Most of the advantage by storing in the cooler is the lower humidity and eliminating clumping and caking in seasoning blends.

What is the expected shelf life for seasonings and does that vary between spices, blends, and cures?
2 years is the most that you should store seasonings. Anything past that, and the seasoning is not longer of the same quality. If you have held onto a seasoning for 2 years, you may not be using enough of it to justify keeping around anyways.

What happens when a seasoning is held past it’s shelf life?
The seasoning loses its flavor profile or “pop” because the volatile oils that give you the taste tend to dissipate, and you lose having the same touch in the seasoning.

Is it still safe to consume past the expiration date or shelf life?
Absolutely! It just will not have quite the same taste or potency. You will not get sick from eating/using seasoning that is old.

What kinds of quality control does Excalibur Seasoning use in their process?
From Excalibur’s SQF Level 3 certification (detailed further in another video), every input is logged and lot coded, and all of those lots that are input into a seasoning blend are tracked and the resulting seasoning blend is lot coded as well. Everything is tracked, documented and logged. Excalibur has an extremely high level of detail that they put into tracking all of their products and maintaining the highest level of quality and traceability.

Does this apply to all types of seasonings, blends, spices, and cures?
Yes, the 2 year limit and same principles applies to all varieties.

How does a customer know if there is a recall on a seasoning?
In most cases, the product would never have even reached the end-user. Recalls are typically found and dealt with before the spice ever is inserted into a blend or sold to an end-user. If a recall was to happen, Excalibur would contact Walton’s, or other customers who purchased from them with details on exactly which spices or blends and exactly which Lot codes were affected.

Has Excalibur Seasoning ever had a problem with a recall?
No! To this date, Excalibur Seasoning has not had a recall due to any problem on their end. This is highly attributable to the high level of care that Excalibur takes during their manufacturing process and their SQF Level 3 certification. Quality is of the utmost importance, and Excalibur logs every input into a seasoning and tracks its usage and the controls are so tight that they simply have not had an issue. That is not to say that they never would have an issue, BUT, given the requirements that they follow and their proven track records of excellence in producing safe products, they have not had any problems to this point.

Does Excalibur irradiate their seasoning, or use irradiated ingredients?
Excalibur does not irradiate their seasonings, but the ingredients they use are already irradiated.

Does Excalibur grind their own seasonings?
No. They buy spices that are already pre-ground according to the specifications they need.

Austin Thanks for asking about the internal temp. All smokers and bbqs are a little different but the internal temp of the finished product is very important.

This is Part 1 of a mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. Many more videos will be released over the course of the next two weeks, so be sure and subscribe to WaltonsTV on YouTube or the Walton’s Blog section on Meatgistics.com to be the first to know when new videos are released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc3kCKXUnWc

We are so excited to begin a small mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. Be on the lookout for more episodes released over the next two weeks. There is a ton of great content waiting to be released, and you won’t want to miss a single episode. Plus, we have things like our $100 gift card giveaway going on, plus some other great coupons to be released along with the upcoming videos.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from the community, from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

John Brewer is the VP of Sales & Marketing at Excalibur Seasoning. He has been with the company for 17+ years and has a ton of great knowledge about Excalibur Seasoning and the food industry in general. Excalibur Seasoning was started in 1986 by Jerry Hall and his son Jay Hall. Over the years, they’ve grown to become who they are today, selling to meat processors of all sizes, retail grocery stores from big chains down to small individual stores, plus many others in the food and meat industry. Walton’s is a distributor for Excalibur Seasoning and have had a great relationship with Excalibur and the guys there like John Brewer for many years. Make sure you check out the next parts in the Excalibur Seasoning/WaltonsTV mini-series to find out more information about Excalibur Seasoning, what makes their company and products the best to buy from in the industry, and learn some great tips, tricks, and how-to information, particularly relating to seasoning.

In short, post a New Topic anywhere in the Walton’s Community section at meatgistics.waltonsinc.com and share your post with your friends and family and try to get the most views and interaction on your post. The post created between 10/24/16 and 11/7/16 that gets the most views during that 2 week period will be our winner and they will receive a $100 Gift Card. 2nd place gets $50 and 3rd and 4th place get Excalibur Seasoning Shaker Gift Boxes. For Official Rules, click here: https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/96/giveaway-win-a-100-walton-s-gift-card-and-more-official-rules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAqof8E-HSM

We are so excited to begin a small mini-series about Excalibur Seasoning, featuring John Brewer, the VP of Sales & Marketing. Be on the lookout for more episodes released over the next two weeks. There is a ton of great content waiting to be released, and you won’t want to miss a single episode. Plus, we have things like our $100 gift card giveaway going on, plus some other great coupons to be released along with the upcoming videos.

Make sure you click that green Watch button on each category on the Meatgistics website, especially the Walton’s Blog section, to be notified of new posts from the community, from Walton’s, when we release new videos, and be the first to know of any giveaways, deals, coupons, and sales we having going on at waltonsinc.com.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YACma1Iwu1E

Weston Boot and Shoe Dryer
Excalibur Imitation Bacon Seasoning
Excalibur Imitation Bacon #2 Seasoning
Excalibur Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Olive Oil Mister
Excalibur Sure Gel Meat Binder
Excalibur Soy Protein Blend Meat Binder

Use coupon code MEATGISTICS19 at waltonsinc.com to receive 15% off of all the items featured in this episode. Valid until 11/19/2016.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

For our new item this week, we have the Weston Boot and Shoe Dryer, plus the optional Glove Attachment. It is a simple and easy to use boot and shoe dryer. Simply place boots or shoes on the drying posts and plug-in to quickly and easily dry any boots or shoes. The Weston Boot and Shoe Dryer is ideal for drying boots, shoes of all kinds, gloves, child or adult, rubber, cloth, plastic, or leather, safely, silently and thoroughly using the latest in natural thermal convection heat technology. As a result of using natural convection with no moving parts or forced air, there is little to no indication that the unit is actually on. The only proof is the warmth that will begin to be emitted and your dry footwear!

In our Product Spotlight, we have our Excalibur Imitation Bacon Seasoning. Imitation bacon is great for any type of ground meat, but especially deer, pork, or beef. It makes a fantastic product that tastes and cooks like bacon, but without being normal bacon. It’s very simple to use, and all you need to do is take meat that is between 50 and 60 percent fat, separate the lean from the fat (if possible), and mix the lean meat with the seasoning and cure until it is very sticky, then just add the fat and continue to hand mix for a few more minutes. Once mixed, simply press the meat into an aluminum pan or form a slab on a baking sheet and cook or smoke until you reach an internal temp of 160 degrees. Then, let it cool, slice into strips just like bacon, then pan fry and eat like normal bacon!

For our Recipe today, we made a Lemon Pepper Spaghetti Squash. If you are unable to eat pasta, looking for a new side dish, or just looking to switch up your normal pasta routine, Spaghetti squash is a great and healthy alternative! We started by taking a spaghetti squash and cutting it in half. Next, use a spoon and scrape out the seeds in the squash. Then, we used our olive oil mister to cover the squash generously. After that, we took our Lemon Pepper Seasoning and shook it over the the oil covered squash. Simply place the spaghetti squash meat side down on an edged baking pan with a few tablespoons of water and bake at 350 for about thirty-five - forty-five minutes. When you pull the squash out of the oven, hold one of the halves in a towel or oven mitt, and use a fork to scrape the inside squash meat into spaghetti form.

Lastly, for our weekly Meat Hack, we are digging into Meat Binding. A lot of people ask us what is meat binding and why do you want to mix until the meat gets sticky? What we are doing with mixing and ultimately meat binding, is we are trying to extract protein. You can tell that your protein extraction is beginning because your meat will become sticky. Protein extraction is going to allow the proteins in the meat to encapsulate fat and hold fat and water together in the final sausage or product. Meat binders help cover fat particles and have a strong affinity for water, which holds more water and then keeps fat from clumping together. Then, the protein holds onto itself like velcro, around the fat particles. Good protein extraction will also allow the meat block to bind better to the sausage casing and reduce the tendency for fat to migrate to the outer layer of the sausage, or as some people say, fat-out. Having a good protein extraction and meat bind will help with increased juiciness from retained water, provide a better mouth feel, give your product a better appearance, and make the product have better slice-ability if you’re slicing summer sausage, deli or lunch meats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkfFLAD7_HU

Stark Disposable Cutting Boards
Meat Bags
Meat Bag Tape
Stainless Steel Poly Bag Sealer
Excalibur Tomato Romano Seasoning Shaker

Use coupon code MEATGISTICS12 at waltonsinc.com to receive 15% off of all the items featured in this episode. Valid until 11/12/2016.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

For this week, we have a brand new item that is really cool. It is a disposable cutting board from Stark. These Stark Disposable Cutting Boards are great from a cleanup perspective. They are inexpensive enough to simply use and then discard, which drastically cuts down on cleanup time and not having to clean a normal cutting board. The Stark Boards come as a 20in x 24in perforated sheet, with 50 sheets per roll, making them cost less than $1 per sheet. Check them out at waltonsinc.com, and use the coupon MEATGISTICS12 to get 15% off until November 12th.

For the product spotlight, this week we went with our Meat Bags, Meat Bag Tape, and the Stainless Steel Poly Bag Sealer. Available in a wided variety of sizes and quantities, make sure you stock up on on the Camo Wild Game Meat Bags with the MEATGISTICS12 coupon for 15% off until November 12th. Get your meat bags now in preparation for wild game season! We also wanted to highlight the custom printing options available for our commercial processors. They are a great way to brand your product, and they are also available with “Sequential Numbering” to assist in lot and batch tracking. Sequential Numbering is a must-have feature for custom print bags for all of our commercial processors. Each bag is printed with a unique id number, allowing you to use it for lot tracking and record by day and per batch what sequence of numbers it included. It is a great benefit to have for assisting in a potential recall, or just tracking when a customer bought a product if they return it to your store because they thought there was a problem with it. Visit waltonsinc.com and the Contact Us section to request more information, or ask your Regional Salesman for more information on ordering.

In our recipe for this week, we made a Tomato Romano Pull Apart Bread. It is a very rich and cheesy but simple to make while it looks like an awesome and complicated bread that is perfect for snacking or your next party. Simply take a round loaf of bread, preferably sourdough, slice 3/4 of the way through the bread, turn the loaf 90 degrees and slice again. Fill the slices in the bread with slices of butter and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Then generously shake tomato romano seasoning on bread and in between slices. Bake at 350 until cheese melts. Enjoy!

Lastly, our Meat Hack for today is to use quality ingredients in making sausage. Whatever quality of meat you start with is the same quality of sausage you will end up with. If you use meat with a lot of connective tissue and muscles with lots of sinew, then that will transfer to the final product. And, when making sausage from wild game, the gamey flavor of most wild game is going to give an off flavor in your product and will have a slightly different outcome than if you used the same seasoning in beef or pork. If your wild game meat started out a bit tainted, then you will end up with a slightly funky sausage. The care and storage of your wild game up to the point of processing can affect your final flavor. Having a good process, and using a quality seasoning from Excalibur Seasoning is going to help some, but still what you put into it is what you get in your final sausage. Use good meat, without a lot of connective tissue, and use the right lean to fat ratio for making the best sausage.

Food Storage Containers
Stark 5 Gallon Bucket Liners for Marinating-Brining
Walton’s 10x13 Flexible Cutting Mats
Walton’s 24x30 Flexible Cutting Mats
Pork Puller
Cheddar Ranch Wing Shake
Garlic Romano Wing Shake
Pepper and Garlic Jerky Seasoning
Olive Oil Mister
Smoked Seal Salt Seasoning Shaker

Use coupon code MEATGISTICS6 at waltonsinc.com to receive 15% off of all the items featured in this episode. Valid until 11/6/2016.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

We have 2 brand new items to showcase this week. First off, we have what is called a Pork Puller. This handy little gadget attaches to most 3/8in drills and allow you to quickly and completely shred a pork butt into pulled pork in under 6 seconds. It’s a simply, yet must-have tool for anyone making lots of pulled pork, but not enough to justify the increased cost of a bowl cutter. Our second new item is the Stark 5 Gallon Bucket Liners for Marinating-Brining. These fit perfectly in most 5 gallon bucket and pails, plus our Food Storage Containers. It makes brining and marinating simple, easy, and reduces cleanup time. The Stark Bucket Liners are also great because you can easily tie the liner to remove all air and cover your meat.

If you haven’t seen our Walton’s Flexible Cutting Mats before, these are an extremely inexpensive cutting board that is still super durable and a great asses to have in the kitchen. The larger 24x30 mats are also perfect for all your larger cutting jobs or for boning out larger pieces of meat.

In our recipe section, we made Man Mix! In order to qualify as Man Mix, we needed to use our smoker to add some extra flare to a standard trail mix. We smoked pretzels and unsalted almonds with a touch of olive oil and then coated in seasonings like Smoked Seal Salt Seasoning Shaker, Cheddar Ranch Wing Shake, and Garlic Romano Wing Shake. The pretzels were a totally new idea we’ve never done before, but it was fantastic! We smoked them all at 200F for 1.5 hours and allowed to cool before adding to our Man Mix. Lastly, we of course had to add jerky to the Man Mix, and we used our Excalibur Pepper and Garlic Jerky Seasoning. The Man Mix was amazing and quite the delicious treat!

Finally, for this week’s Meat Hacks, we quickly discussed fat content in sausages. We prefer to use a 70% lean to 30% fat ratio for best results. Some sausages you can get away with something higher in fat like 60/40, or lower at 80/20, but when we are asked we always start with 70/30. Some people like to make a leaner sausage, even 90/10 or less fat, and while you can make extremely lean sausage, you will have a harder time maintaining a flavorful, moist, and appealing product without enough fat. Sausage stuffing is also much more difficult if you don’t use enough fat (and water) in your sausage. Remember, fat equals flavor!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VTKxKtQ0y0

Totally Bamboo Big Easy Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo Malibu Groove
Totally Bamboo 3-Piece Bamboo Cutting Boards
Totally Bamboo Cork Footed Bamboo Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo PolyBoo Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo 2-Tone Small Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo 2-Tone Medium Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo 2-Tone Large Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo Revitalizing Oil
Totally Bamboo Coconut Conditioner
Excalibur Seasonings Wing Shakes
Excalibur Seasonings Dip Mixes

Use coupon code MEATGISTICS29 at waltonsinc.com to receive 15% off of all the items featured in this episode. Valid until 10/29/2016.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4a2cpYNBI8

ProSmoker PK100
Walton’s Auto Syringe Injector
Pain Is Good Sriracha Pepper Sauce
Excalibur Asian Sriracha Marinade
Smoked Meat Stabilizer
Sodium Erythorbate
Cure Excellerator

Use coupon code MEATGISTICS22 at waltonsinc.com to receive 15% off of all the items featured in this episode. Valid until 10/22/2016.

Go to WaltonsTV and subscribe to stay up to date and be the first to see what’s new with Meatgistics and find news, recipes, and product reviews from Walton’s.

Just the single hole. It’s not ideal but it does work. I like the multiple hole needles for turkeys and such, but try injecting a trimmed chicken thigh with one.