Beef snack sticks

[Richtee]

Howdee welcome to Smoked Meat!

Another consideration here... altho it’s irrelevant now.. is the mix cured? If you used a commercial mix..most likly so. If not... smoking sausage like you want really isn’t a good call. It would be more like a short smoke and a grill/cooking thing.

But yeah you need an accurate thermo. Stix and such typically should not go over 153. And then..into an ice bath.

[nickelmore]

Water in a 150 smoker will not do anything to your advantage. Water boils off at 212. I guess that some water will vaporize below 200 but I got rid of the water bowl idea on my second smoke.

Usually you must "dry" the surface of the product first by hanging for an hours or so with no smoke. Then apply smoke and gradually bring up the temperature.

Again 153 is the number to get to and then stop temp climb in ice water.

Would like to see the recipe as well.

Need to know if they have cure in them.

[dconger74]

Originally Posted by Big Casino*


My beef stick recipe

5lb ground beef
1cup ice water
1tsp insta-cure
4tsp salt
1TBS brown sugar
1tsp ground mustard
2tsp whole mustard seed
1tsp coarse ground black pepper - add more if you like pepper taste
2tsp white ground pepper - substitute with black pepper if you dont have this
1TBS Paprika
1tsp onion powder - more or less to taste
1tsp garlic powder - more or less to taste

If you like it hot* add the following
*2TBS crushed red pepper
2TBS ground cayenne pepper - more or less to taste

mix all spices and cure#1 into* 1 cup of ice cold water* mix into* ground beef until mixed through
stuff into casing,* hang at room temp until casings are dry, approx 1 to 2 hrs,
place into smoker preheated to around 130 degrees for one hour* to dry casings, then add smoke for 1hr or until desired color, then raise heat to 150 for one hr then* raise heat to 180 until an internal temp of 152 to 160 degrees,
place into ice cold water until IT drops below 90, if you want you can then spray the sticks with hot water to remove any grease on the casings, then rinse in cold water again then bloom sticks at room* temperature until casings are dry or desired color is obtained* then refrigerate in a brown paper bag.

This is the recipe I used. I just tried one from the fridge and they taste great! They may not look pretty but they sure are good!

[Richtee]

And..I see the correct amout of cure. Your trouble is/was temps. Ya need to keep the smoker no more than 180 give er take a few, and watch for that magic 153 in the sticks.

And..another application for Sous Vide.. cool smoke for a while, vac and into a 153 bath... BOOM..perfect.

[Bearcarver]

Originally Posted by Big Casino*


My beef stick recipe

5lb ground beef
1cup ice water
1tsp insta-cure
4tsp salt
1TBS brown sugar
1tsp ground mustard
2tsp whole mustard seed
1tsp coarse ground black pepper - add more if you like pepper taste
2tsp white ground pepper - substitute with black pepper if you dont have this
1TBS Paprika
1tsp onion powder - more or less to taste
1tsp garlic powder - more or less to taste

If you like it hot* add the following
*2TBS crushed red pepper
2TBS ground cayenne pepper - more or less to taste

mix all spices and cure#1 into* 1 cup of ice cold water* mix into* ground beef until mixed through
stuff into casing,* hang at room temp until casings are dry, approx 1 to 2 hrs,
place into smoker preheated to around 130 degrees for one hour* to dry casings, then add smoke for 1hr or until desired color, then raise heat to 150 for one hr then* raise heat to 180 until an internal temp of 152 to 160 degrees,
place into ice cold water until IT drops below 90, if you want you can then spray the sticks with hot water to remove any grease on the casings, then rinse in cold water again then bloom sticks at room* temperature until casings are dry or desired color is obtained* then refrigerate in a brown paper bag.

This is the recipe I used. I just tried one from the fridge and they taste great! They may not look pretty but they sure are good!

I like this plan---All you need is a good therm.
I like to use my ET-732 for Box Temp & I put the other ET-732 probe in a central stick. Then I check them with my "Thermapen" as I pull them out.


Bear

[nickelmore]

Looks like a good setup. Don't toss them.

If you want to really make make them ugly and change the texture let them dry our a bit. It will also sort of take care of the grease as it will creep back in the meat as it drys out.

Around Chicago you can buy Kabonos fresh or dried. Dried cost twice as much as there is almost no water.

Some of the old timers say that snack stick (kabonos) are not good until they break when you drop them on the counter.

I think that that is too dry, I like them about half way.

[Wayne B]

Well peeps, they're a bust. I have a cheap thermometer. They got too hot and the fat rendered out and it's between the casing and meat. I've got to get a good thermometer and not turn the heat up any further than 160 so to keep from cooking too fast. Thanks for all your insight and I'm not giving up! I'll be back just as soon as I get a thermapen and something to monitor the temps of the smoker itself. I'm not trusting the display on my MES. Thanks again!

Had the exact problem with mine too. ONE thing I do is cover the bottom rack in foil seems to be a more indirect heat that helps, never use water on sticks. A good thermometer is a must mine gives me food temp and oven temp on the same probe. hope this helps!
Wayne