Question about making caseless turkey snack sticks

[akooser]

I have an ambition to make some caseless turkey snack sticks based on Bearcarver's recipe here: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/95395/unstuffed-smoked-beef-pepperoni-sticks-with-qview

The ground turkey I'm eyeing at Costco is just 7 percent fat. I don't want to add beef or pork into the mix, but I'm afraid going with the lean turkey will result in crumbly sticks. Is there anything I could add as a substitute for the pork fat or something that would work as a binder? I'm new to the smoking world and have an MES 30 with an AMNPS, if that makes any difference. Advice is much appreciated!

 

[daveomak]

Below are a couple of links to man made fats... know as "fat replacers"... OR you could use chicken fat... it is sticky and might work as a binder...


http://www.ift.org/knowledge-center...cientific-status-summaries/fat-replacers.aspx

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/articles-and-video/feature-articles/glossary-of-fat-replacers

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=26_103&products_id=895

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Grind your turkey. Use thighs with the skin on. If you can't get just thighs, give chicken a try. One other thing is I would use cure #1 instead of TQ for the cure (note that the amount of cure will be different) the reason I suggest this is that I have found TQ to be too salty for poultry sausages.

 

[mdboatbum]

I did a similar experiment. I made a loaf and sliced into thin strips, but it would work very well as snack sticks. I used transglutaminase as a binder, and it worked really well.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/170192/fakin-bacon-ala-bear-and-discos-bacon-sausage-loaf/0_80