[keystoneMAN 85]

I feel that I have mastered deer jerkey and would like to tackle my next snack - snack sticks! I've read multiple differt web sites with info on making them and it seems there is quite a difference in how some do it ... some use and over, dehydrater, smoker. Some stuff in a case like sasuage, some push out of a jerkey gun, etc. Some make them hot and some make them mild, sweet, etc ...

I have two questions:

1) What would be the eaisest way for me to make some snack sticks? (Currently I only use my knife and dehydrator to make jerkey so if you suggest a smoker, jerkey gun, sausage stuffer, etc go head and suggest a brand or type forme to buy - I'm looking to do it as cheap as possible).

2) Also lookin for some recipies, I like things a little spicy!

Thanks,
Eric

 

[jayd4wg]

I like my LEM jerky shooter, and have gotten a stainless steel tube for stuffing bologna and sticks this year. I'm not a big fan of the conical tube that comes with the shooter for sticks. they look like dried dog turds when dry. sorry...but true.

My favorite snack stick recipe is the one from Con Yeager Spice co. I can't sing enough praise for their kits...they are TOP notch.

http://www.conyeagerspice.com/conyeager/defaultstore.html

 

[Sekora]

I have used the kits made by Backwoods and they turned out excellent. We stuffed the casings with a meat grinder and a sausage stuffer attachment and smoked in an electric smoker. We have done around 100 pounds in the last year using all Backwoods and they all turned out great. My personal favorites would have to be the "snack sticks" and the Bologna. Mix in around 20% pork butt for some fat to keep it moist. Add a little high temp cheese to the mix if you like for some extra flavor. All of my ground meat now goes to sausages.

 

[2ballcane]

Backwoods is a mighty fine kit to consider.

 

[Woodywoodduck]

I have used the kits made by Backwoods and they turned out excellent. We stuffed the casings with a meat grinder and a sausage stuffer attachment and smoked in an electric smoker. We have done around 100 pounds in the last year using all Backwoods and they all turned out great. My personal favorites would have to be the "snack sticks" and the Bologna. Mix in around 20% pork butt for some fat to keep it moist. Add a little high temp cheese to the mix if you like for some extra flavor. All of my ground meat now goes to sausages.

sekora,

Try Con-Yeager.. it is far better... I was a Backwoods Fan until I tried Con-yeagers mixes... I now only use backwoods if I can not get my hands on con-yeager mixes!

Also, if you perfer a DEER taste and not a mix taste... forgo that pork butt and use 3/4 cups of Veggie oil in your mix in replacement of water...it will help retain the moisture and act like the fat in pork butt and will not make an off flavor in the taste of the meat!

 

[Woodywoodduck]

Also something most guys are afraid to do....

If once you pick a mix you like yet it is not as hot as you would like or sweet as you like...

Do NOT be afraid to add to the mix!

I have added to both backwoods and con-yeager to make them sweeter or hotter for those I was making deer jerky, snack sticks or bologna for...

All you have to do is remember what mix you use and how much extra hot pepper flakes, tabasco sauce or brown sugar you added to that mix, the next time around and your good to go!


Don't be afraid to experiment by adding something if you feel it isn't hot enough or sweet enough to your liking!


My Daughter loves hot jerky...she loves the taste of Con-Yeager bologna mix...so I take a 5 pound batch of con-yeager bologna mix and add about 1/4 of tabasco sauce to it and then soak the jerky strips in it for 3 days... it comes out with the right amount of heat she likes and I and others also like it!

 

[Sekora]

Thanks Woody, I'll definately give the con yeager mix a try this year. I have a feeling we will be doing alot of smoked deer meat this year and am always open to suggestion. Any other tips or tricks?

 

[keystoneMAN 85]

Good info guys, thanks!

 

[TRAPJAW]

Man Woody, you took the words right out of my mouth. I would never trust any mix other then Con-Yeager to touch my deer. If I can't find it... Oh well, not doin' it.

I couldn't stress strongly enough experimenting. I toyed around with a jerky recipy last year on some geese. I stumbled on a combination that tastes exactly like a Slim-Jim. You should have seen guys fighting over it.

 

[Woodywoodduck]

Thanks Woody, I'll definately give the con yeager mix a try this year. I have a feeling we will be doing alot of smoked deer meat this year and am always open to suggestion. Any other tips or tricks?

When you make snack sticks and bologna and use veggie oil in place of beef fat/meat or porl fat/meat, you have to start the smoker out at a low setting, around 130 degrees and then increase about every 2 hours by 10 degrees till you get the internal temp of the smoker at 180 and the internal temp of the bologna is at 165....then, you take it out and either shock it in COLD Water bath till internal temp goes down to under 100 or hang and spray till internal temp goes down below 100....

if you do not do things that way, the veggie oil will seperate from the meat and lay on the outside of the meat, between the meat and casing!

I perfer DEER Meat, not Pork/deer meat or Beef/deer meat...so I use the Veggie oil...I learned this trick in a very old cook book I was able to set and read that a buddy had, that was printed by the PGC back in the late 60s-early 70s...

Have not went back to meat fats to keep the snack sticks and bologna moist...have been using veggie oil for the past 4 years and no one that eats any of the snack sticks or bologna I make can tell there is veggie oil in it in place of meat fats!

Most of the pre mixes call for something like 1.5 cups of water to 5 pounds of meat and spice mix...just take half the water out of that 1.5 cups and replace with veggie oil and mix up real good!