question on snack sticks and cheese.

[rdemler]

I'd like to make some snack sticks and add cheddar cheese to them.I have a couple questions first.I use the premix seasoning and cure for 15lb. batches of meat.Would i have to subtract from the amount of meat to make up for the cheese or just mix the meat and seasonings and then add cheese?Do I have to use a high temp cheese or would aged cheddar work just as well?What amount of cheese would I have to add to get a good flavor but not over power the taste of the sausage?Thanks for any help you may be able to supply.

[rbranstner]

Mix up the meat and seasoning/cure for 15 lbs then let it sit over night and do its work and then add the cheese the next morning before you stuff them. At least that is what we have found works the best. We also like using high temp cheese much better but if you keep your smoker temps down low then you can get buy with regular cheese just fine. Once we went with high temp cheese we never went back.

[Fishawn]

Texas-Hunter has used Kraft crumbles before and maybe some others... I think it has a higher melting point.

[Critterhunter]

I use high-temp.And I use 1#per 10# of meat.Seems to be a good ratio and not over power the mix.

[IrishChef]

I think you will be OK at full weight. The cheese is not affected by the cure. Perhaps one of the more seasoned sages here might weigh in on it.

[Fishawn]

I think you will be OK at full weight. The cheese is not affected by the cure. Perhaps one of the more seasoned sages here might weigh in on it.

I wonder if the cure would maybe affect the cheese a little? Perhaps firming it up a bit? ... I would think Tenderquick could have "some" affect on the cheese given its salt content? .... I don't know, just thinking out loud .... Maybe one of the brainiacs can help me out

[Gunslinger]

As long as you dry/smoke and not cook the snack sticks, you can use any cheese you want. High temp cheese works best for fresh sausage that is going to be cooked/grilled but even then I use regular cheese. And the kraft crumbles work great and the Velveeta shreds taste awesome. I like shaper cheeses. Don't factor in the weight of the cheese.

[rdemler]

Thank you everyone for the answers.I'll give it a shot and see what happens.

[Uncle Sauce]

Might be a bit late but I grind and stuff the same day (with cheese) and then hang the sticks in the fridge for a day. Seems to turn out good for me and i dont notice anything different with the cheese.

[curious aardvark]

I always add a few ounces of finely grated extra mature cheddar to cheese sausages for the flavour.

I use low fat cheddar for the cubes - it has a higher melting point and better texture for sausages - I think :-)

I add the cheese last thing in the mix before refridgerating overnight.
Cheese has no muscle protein so is not effected by curing.
I add approx 12 oz small cubes to around 4lb of sausage meat for this particular recipe.

So to summarise: add the cheese whenever you like.
Don't factor it into any cure or seasoning calculations.
Low fat or hi-temp will give you better shape in the final sausage but isn't strictly necessary

What I'd do is make up a small batch and add low fat or hi temp to half and ordinary to the other half and see which ones you like best