HELP!!! Beef Sticks with Cheese

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mfreel

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Sep 4, 2013
479
51
Omaha, Nebraska
I want to make some beef sticks with some hi-temp cheese.  Has anyone ever done this?  Take me through the smoking process.  I have a premix I like.  Start at what temp and then move up to what?  I don't want to melt the cheese into mush.

Thnx!
 
I usually use Kraft Crumbles as they are a lot cheaper & work great for me. An easy way is to start out at 100 - 130ish for a couple hours then jump up to 140 - 150 for a couple hours then up to 165 - 170ish till they are done. I try not to go much higher than that so I don't have to worry about a "fat out"

Sometimes I will do 100* for 8 hours then bump the temp to 165 till they are done.

Here is how Nepas does a lot of his & he makes a lot of sausages if you want to try it out...

Here is my table for sticks. I use a Bradley smoker with a PID.

1. Start at 130* for 1 to 1.5 hours (no smoke or water in the pan) This gives the casings time to dry some.

2. 140* with smoke for 2 hours. I use my water pan here, keeps the casings from being to brittle during the heat PID programs.

3. 150* for 2.5 hours. Check IT of the sticks with thermapen (from the top of the sticks) smoke opt

4. 160* for 2.5 hours, check IT again. You should see approx IT of 125-130 and may even see a stall time. smoke opt

5. 170* for 2.5-3 hours. Again check IT as you should be getting close.

6. If needed bump to 175* while checking IT. Your looking for an IT of the meat of 152*

6a. Try not to exceed 180* smoker IT or you could have a fat-out of the meat.

At times i pull the sticks at 149-150 IT and let them at room temp (no cold water) they will IT to 152* by them self.

This is how i do it. Sometimes the times are shorter. Your results may vary.

Yes its a long time but you will like the end results.
 
You should have no problem with high temp cheese melting. I have used just regular cheese in smoked sausage and it didn't melt. The last batch I did I poached it in 175* water after 5 hours of smoke and the cheese didn't melt. I can't see spending double the money on high temp cheese when regular works fine.
Just like B and Nepas said, don't go above 170*-180* chamber temps and 152* finished temp and you will be just fine.
 
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