Thank you so much, Jonathon! I appreciate your advice. In thinking about it I am sure you are correct - based on the orange oil on pizza pepperoni. Gonna give it a whirl this weekend. Thanks again!

Thank you, Lance. I think I will try that out in my dehydrator.

Thank you, Lance. I think I will try that out in my dehydrator.

I have never really been a big fan of snack sticks but could never put my finger on exactly why. I make them frequently and am finally practiced enough that they turn out like they are supposed to and friends and family really like them. Me…not so much. I think for me I prefer a drier stick…more like a store bought Slim Jim. The flavor is more concentrated and I like the drier, chewier feel. So, my question is: can sticks be dehydrated to get rid of some of the moisture? If so, when? Is it just more time in the smoker (after cutting off the smoke)? If so, what temp? Or can they be placed in a dehydrator after they have reached temp and are pulled off the smoker? Would that even be safe? If it helps, I use both encapsulated citric acid, plus cure, plus the smoking process. Thoughts? Thank you!

Okay…last rookie question about pepperoni. I made a batch this weekend. I would categorize it as coming out so-so. I followed the recipe to the letter (pork was the coarser grind) except for the smoking part and herein lies my question. It was super cold outside yesterday where I live. I stuffed the casing and hung them in my smoker - it’s a Big Chief electric that only gets to 165 degrees on warm days - so it was never going to get to temp. I let it smoke with apple wood for about 1.5 hrs and finished them on racks in my oven set at 175 degrees and pulled them at 160. Did the proper cooling and wait time before sampling. Taste was pretty good - texture more like summer sausage which I knew it would be. My issue is the lack of particle definition between fat and meat - there was almost none. It looked nothing like the pepperoni picture on Meatgistics showing nice pieces of fat. Going back to the whole process - the only thing done differently was the smoking. The Big Chief isn’t adjustable so the “smoke at 120 for an hour…140 for an hour”…etc. isn’t an option. I think the links were at about 125 degrees after smoking and they went right into the oven at 175. So, is that perhaps the reason for lack of particle definition…that I didn’t stair-step up the temps? What is the purpose of increasing the temps in a graduated fashion?

Thank you, Jonathon and Yooper! Your advice is appreciated!

Well, taste is obviously the most important so I am happy to go for that and not have to worry about trying to make the color “right.” Can I ask you one more sorta related question? I still struggle with the ECA and pink salt directions. I know all about if you use ECA don’t hold overnight so the acid doesn’t release too early, etc. But, can the pink salt be mixed in with the spices and mixed into the meat, then hold the meat overnight and the next a.m. add in the ECA and onto the smoker?

Thank you so much, Jonathon! I appreciate your advice. In thinking about it I am sure you are correct - based on the orange oil on pizza pepperoni. Gonna give it a whirl this weekend. Thanks again!

I am asking the experts here before I try to make my own pepperoni. Is there some additive that can used in conjunction with the Walton’s recipe to achieve the orang/reddish color of store-bought pepperoni, without altering the taste of the recipe? I know sure cure will lend some pinkish/red…but I also intend to use encapsulated citric acid for the bite, thus it will hit the smoker immediately. When using ECA and not holding overnight, does the sure cure still give the meat the reddish tint? In terms of the deeper color, I am afraid of just dumping in extra paprika for fear of ruining the product. Advice? Thanks for any suggestions!