Snack Stick Temp

[Kevin23]

Lost my old profile it seems, so new account and something I have been curious about. I see guys taking their snack sticks to 152, 160, and 165. I was always told if pork goes in the mix that it has to get to 165. Am I wrong? I notice a huge textural and visual difference between 150 and 160, then again at 160 and 165 when checking on them in the smoker.

I use fresh deer and waterfowl for my sticks, with cheapo pork sausage that is 80% fat added to make an 80/20 blend, it works well for me and have never had a complaint. I always take it to 165, now I am wondering if I am over cautious or misinformed. If i didnt have the pork I think i would feel better with the 155/160. I am planning on doing some all beef for a friend that has a pork allergy, so that should be just taking it to ground beer safe temp of 155/160 to kill any ecoli right?


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[devo]

New USDA Guidelines Lower Pork Cooking Temperature. May 24, 2011 – New cooking guidelines from the nation's food-safety agency confirm Pork Checkoff research that shows pork can be consumed safely when cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest time.

[HawgHeaven]

New USDA Guidelines Lower Pork Cooking Temperature. May 24, 2011 – New cooking guidelines from the nation's food-safety agency confirm Pork Checkoff research that shows pork can be consumed safely when cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest time.

With pork, I usually go to 150. It works. Haven't done the 145 gig yet.

[SmokinOutBack]

I've been under the impression that 153 degrees is the magic number. Never made stix but plenty of summer sausage.

[Richtee]

Remember we’re talking GROUND meat here..NOT whole muscle. ALL ground meat should be brought to 160 for cooking. Cure allows the 150 range safely. 152 is what I shoot for. Fat won’t melt out and it firms up nicely.

[Mark R]

New USDA Guidelines Lower Pork Cooking Temperature. May 24, 2011 – New cooking guidelines from the nation's food-safety agency confirm Pork Checkoff research that shows pork can be consumed safely when cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest time.

That is for whole meat pork, not ground pork.

For safety, the USDA recommends cooking ground pork patties and ground pork mixtures such as meat loaf to 160 °F. Cook all organ and variety meats (such as heart, kidney, liver, tongue, and chitterlings) to 160 °F. Cook all raw pork steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...table/CT_Index

Pork renders @ 155°, so 152° (with cure) seems to be the best bet to not render the fat out.

ANY poultry product needs to get to 165°. Unless you can cook at a lower temp over time and guarantee even distribution. Sous Vide is very useful here. Cooking in air (baking, grilling, smoking) does not allow for even distribution of heat.

There used to be a simple FSIS time an temp chart for pathogen lethality. In the infinite wisdom of our Government they removed it and replaced it with the links below.

FSIS Guidlines - WARNING this is very long and full of gobble goock Goberment language!
FSIS Salmonella Guidlines
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/co...df?MOD=AJPERES

Guideline for meat and poultry jerky
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/co...df?MOD=AJPERES

Lethality table
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/co...df?MOD=AJPERES

[Mark R]

An addition to my previous post... I looked and found why they removed the simple chart(s).
There were a couple of outbreaks of Listeria that the investigations could NOT pinpoint the source of. They thought the knew the location of the origin, but could not definitively pinpoint..... So they removed the chart(s) and wrote 147 pages of gook to cover their arses....

[Kevin23]

Thanks for the replies! I am doing about 40lbs of geese now (with pork) so I think I will try to shoot for 155-160 and see how they do. Always trying new things with each batch, that’s what his homemade sausage stuff is for right? I have already learned to ditch the mahogany casings and use clear (cured) casings, less chewy and better snap- and much better texture after freezing. Unconventional, but thats how me and my buddies like them.

25lbs jalapeno
5lb cracked pepper
5lb bbq
5lb mesquite



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[Mark R]

Thanks for the replies! I am doing about 40lbs of geese now (with pork) so I think I will try to shoot for 155-160 and see how they do. Always trying new things with each batch, that’s what his homemade sausage stuff is for right? I have already learned to ditch the mahogany casings and use clear (cured) casings, less chewy and better snap- and much better texture after freezing. Unconventional, but thats how me and my buddies like them.

25lbs jalapeno
5lb cracked pepper
5lb bbq
5lb mesquite



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If they are cured (I hope so) 152 might be better to avoid rendering the pork fat.

[Kevin23]

If they are cured (I hope so) 152 might be better to avoid rendering the pork fat.

Of course, wouldn’t skip the cure and i actually let mine cure overnight in the smokin fridge. Baby steps, i’ll probably work down that way sometime. Have to do a lot more research to ease my mind. I figure if you 152ers arent dead yet, i will survive at 155.


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[Mark R]

Of course, wouldn’t skip the cure and i actually let mine cure overnight in the smokin fridge. Baby steps, i’ll probably work down that way sometime. Have to do a lot more research to ease my mind. I figure if you 152ers arent dead yet, i will survive at 155.


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Pork fat will render out at 155°. With cure 152° is safe.

[DanMcG]

Lost my old profile it seems, so new account

What was your old Handle?

[Richtee]

What was your old Handle?

Yeah..or PM me your contact email..I can prolly resurrect it... if ya want.

[curious aardvark]

yeah for cured ground pork products I usually aim for around the 160 mark.

Actually for snackstixs, I just stick the dehydrator on max and give it about 7 hours.

If it's ground and mixed right, fat can't render out anyway.
The mistake people make is to grind the meat too warm and not mix it properly.