New guy here. I live in Pennsylvania Southern York County. I am not an expert but not a novice I am a weekend smoker. I want to thank each and every one who posts on this list you have helped me without ever knowing it. I have been reading your posts since last year and just finally signed up. With your help, I have been able to make my snack sticks come out right. I had many failures. I wanted to give up but since I found out that I wasn’t the only one having issues and no one was giving up, pushed me to go on. I started with a small propane smoker from Lowes then graduated to a PitBoss 700 Series Copperhead upright pellet smoker. I look forward to learning more from the masters on this list. Stay safe.

ND Mike My wife will kill me, I just bought a good sous vide. Same brand with a large tank. No sense doing the job half way. Go big or go home.

Kracken Black Spiced Rum & Coke. Ice, 2 shots 12 ounces of Coke.

Thank you to all for the warm welcome.

mrobisr Just got my scale and the Sodium Erythorbate. I will make the first run tomorrow. Thank you.

@shawnlwichmann I have a PitBoss 7 Series Copperhead Upright pellet smoker. I lay the sticks on the grates because I use 19mm Fresh Collagen casings, you can’t hang those. I smoke them for 3 hours at 125 then Sous Vide them to 165. I like my sticks not wrinkled or dry. This method works well and does not oversmoke the flavor. I also make them so others like them more like slimjims. 3 hours at 125 next for 2 hours at 150 then at 175 until they reach 165. This method makes the come out wrinkled and dryer like slimjims. I don’t like them like this way but I have family that does.

Mcjagger I recently lost my Dad. Just buy a bottle and keep it going what a great way to keep him alive.

johnsbrewhouse Thank you sir.

Dave in AZ Thank you sir. I will let you know how it goes on the next round.

The catalogue has alot of printed information.

kyle I agree with you. I have one and I love it. It works really well.

the Waltons catalogue has one for pork sticks in the very first few pages of the catalogue.

@shawnlwichmann I have a PitBoss 7 Series Copperhead Upright pellet smoker. I lay the sticks on the grates because I use 19mm Fresh Collagen casings, you can’t hang those. I smoke them for 3 hours at 125 then Sous Vide them to 165. I like my sticks not wrinkled or dry. This method works well and does not oversmoke the flavor. I also make them so others like them more like slimjims. 3 hours at 125 next for 2 hours at 150 then at 175 until they reach 165. This method makes the come out wrinkled and dryer like slimjims. I don’t like them like this way but I have family that does.

Bigsexy You power mixer is actually your grinder. It attaches to the mixer. You just have to make sure they are compatible. I got mine from L*M (They were scratch & dent) way before I found Walton’s. Walton’s has a lot of good units.

Jonathan has a video showing what the texture and look of the meat should be. Several people told me to use a motorized mixer and it worked for me. The meat gets sticky and adheres to the casing. If you have water squinting out while stuffing it isn’t mixed enough.

I use 19mm Fresh Collagen casings from Waltons. I had to buy a case, that is the only way they sell them. The 21mm are too fat for me. I smoke mine at 125 for 2 to 3 hours laying flat on the grates in my PitBoss 7 Series Copperhead upright pellet smoker. Then I drop them in my SousVide unit for about an hour until the reach 165 degrees. They come out the way I like them. No rippled casing, not dried out.

Ohh the pain. I have felt your pain. It took me a long time to get snack sticks to come out right. You did not mention adding water to your mix. I use the proper amount of binder and seasoning and 1qt of water for 10 to 12lbs of meat I use 8lbs of 80/20 ground beef and 2lbs of fatty pork . I also use something to help shelf stability but the name escapes me. You need to use a motorized mixer. Hand mixing won’t do. 4 minutes by the motor, disconnect the motor and use the handle to crank the mixer the opposite rotation for 2 minutes then hook the motor back up to the mixer for another 4 minutes. The mix should be sticky when done. Then stuff right away. This works for me. How you finish them is another experience.

The catalogue has alot of printed information.

johnsbrewhouse Really great features that make them last longer and work better than the cheap ones.

johnsbrewhouse That is how the Anova Pro works. It has an impeller to move the water and the entire base that covers the heater and impeller comes off with a quarter turn of the base. It makes it easy to clean.