Help me with snack sticks recipe

[southensmoker]

I have made snack sticks in the past that turned out really good but I'm wanting more of a tang in my sticks.  I use

80/20 ground beef

LEM snack stick mix

cure #1

2 jalapenos per pound of meat

.5lbs of pepper jack cheese per 5lbs meat

Like I said would like more tang so I went out and got encapsulated citric acid (eca) and dextrose.  It says to use 1.5oz of eca per 25lbs, does this sound right?  Never could find out how much dextrose to add.  I found a webpage (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?674-SAUSAGE-INGREDIENTS)  that says "The amount of dextrose added to the sausage also controls the amount of tang by controlling the bacterial growth. After the bacterium consumes all the dextrose, they either die or go into dormancy and the production of lactic acid ends."  Than I read about eca and says it also adds tang

So if I do add these to the above recipe are I going to add to much "tang"?  Usually I mix it all by hand and stuff them.  The next day after I have stuffed them I smoke links sticks, am I going to need to change my process with the new ingredients?  Any other info/tips would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks

 

[solaryellow]

Dextrose isn't going to give you that tang unless you ferment the sausage. To ferment the sausage you are going to need ideal conditions and the introduction of a starter culture (which will dictate what those ideal conditions are). Fermento, cultured buttermilk (liquid or powder) or ECA are your best bets to get some tang.

With ECA, do not regrind the meat once it has been mixed in. Some people wait to add ECA right before stuffing, I personally add it when I am mixing the meat and spices.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

If your going to use the LEM mix, dont add dextrose. For 5 lbs of sticks you will need 5 tsp of ECA mixed in by hand or easy with a mixer.

In order to get a good tank will need to use Bactoferm LHP, This will react with the Dextrose within 30 hours.

IMHO I would just stick with the LEM packet and ECA until you get used to all the formulations.