Idiot proof deer sticks

I finally got a 24″ pellet grill to replace my awful, cheap vertical smoker, and I think I finally have the stuff to give proper deer sticks a try (grinder, stuffer, meat mixer, dehydrator, grill, vacuum sealer).

I would like to make some sticks this weekend and am looking for a simple method/recipe that my kids/wife would like (probably 5lbs for a first run). I have ground deer and pig on hand, and could get beef. If someone could recommend a mix/casing/method that would be great – I have had a few failed attempts in the past.

Most meat markets sell seasoning but usually for 25lb batches. But you’ll be able to divide that up. I go 50-50 on pork and venison. I got the edable casing for sticks at Fleet Farm and didn’t like them. When I make breakfast and Italian sausage I make them in bulk little easier than stuffing them.

Ive tried several , but have settled on pepper sticks from curley’s sausage kitchen . I buy the kit that comes with everything you need , but usually add hi temp cheddar cheese. 50/50 pork to venison

Not only does http://www.waltonsinc.com have great spice mixes- they have wonderful instructions to go with it which is more important than the spice mix if you are somewhat of a beginner. Study up a little and they’ll turn out great. They do sell some smaller quantities but it’s cheaper to buy a 25# spice mix and measure out enough for the weight you choose to make. You can get a lot more snack sticks in a cheap vertical smoker than a pellet grill though and you’re not using much heat anyway. Good luck.

I will note the websites, but if I am going to make it this weekend it needs to be a fleet farm, cabelas, or some other place I could run to from the north metro tomorrow while distance learning a kid.

I’m also open to waiting if it matters that much. I did not enjoy the casings on the one batch I tried – not sure what they were, but I think they were fleet farm.

Yep- you can get the seasonings local, and still take their free advice. LEM ‘backwoods’ brand stuff at Fleet Farm isn’t bad at all. When I use to use it I would just add extra garlic and course ground pepper is all.

tindall wrote:

I did not enjoy the casings on the one batch I tried – not sure what they were, but I think they were fleet farm.

Natural casings (sheep) in snack stick size suck to stuff and break easily- that’s why most people use fiber collagen casings at 19 or 21mm. I think most people who say they don’t enjoy maybe didn’t ‘ramp up’ the temps on smoker correctly or don’t follow cooling process correctly. All those factors add up and can really screw up a batch.

i use curleys sausage kitchen. they have easy to use kits.
and owens bbq. great selection.

The biggest suggestion I can give you is stuff your casing right after you mix it and then let them rest in the fridge 24 hrs before smoking. Also add more water to the mix then normal sausage to ease the stuffing process. You can get rid of the extra moisture during the cooking process. Sounds like you have smoked sausage before so you know the rest. Of course a good seasoning is key to start but the hardest part is smoking your product correctly.

Just be aware that Walton’s spice mixes, like many others, are VERY high in sodium. They don’t disclose contents on the site, but the mix I ordered and tried turned out to be 60 percent salt by volume. Snack stick was more like a salt stick.

Grouse

Curlie’s sausage kitchen is the way to go. I like the Cody’s snack sticks and I add high temp pepper jack cheese (available at a lot of groceries stores if you ask), about 5 to 1 ratio. They sell them in many different size packages including 12.5 # batches. Start with a small batch to fine tune your process. When I add the cheese I go with less pork, like 20 % because I like the sticks to be very firm, they do not come out dry. I also use only natural sheep casings, if you go to a local butcher they will sell you a whole “hank”, but prepare for sticker shock. They do keep for a loooong time in the freezer so you can make many batches of sticks with a whole hank. After you make some of these you will understand why they are so expensive when you buy them at the store. Don’t but the cheap packaged casings as they are short pieces and are a real Pain to deal with. gather your ingredients and make them when you are able, it will be worth the wait, They also have recipes and instructions on their site