snack stix

[good meat man]

I am a beginer at this sausage making stuf but ots fin I wanna get better at it been making hi mountain summer sausage and yhink I have that down my problem is with. Snack. Stix I am trying to make them like the ones tillmook makes but I can't get them to look like there's any ideas what kind of casing to use and cooking times thank you

 

[driedstick]

Probably need to use a 19MM  collegen casing but as far as recipes go the sky is the limit, good luck and Welcome to SMF all these people are nice on here and they will help you out any way they can but put in search menu for snack sticks recipe that may help you Make sure you post your q view pics.

 

[good meat man]

Thanks for that advise is there a difference in the clear or dark casings?I have a master built electric smoker should I put water in the pan and vent open or closed

 

[big casino]

Maybe try and describe the appearance of what you are getting, and what you want to get,

I don't know what tilamook looks like,

the difference in the casings are one is clear and one is mahogany

I use all natural casings, but I think they make the mahogany casings so you don't have to smoke them.

 

[good meat man]

Mine turn out dry and full and casing is sometimes loose I'm trying to get the little more shrived look. With casing tight to meat like they sell in containers at gas stations.

 

[big casino]

Again I don't use collagen casings, maybe someone will come along that does, I'm not sure if they shrink with the meat, just for curiosity, what kinda of cooking regiment do you use? time periods?

another difference maybe that the tilamook is a semi dry cured sausage, because it doesn't need refrigeration, what about the high mountain kit I am unfamiliar with them

 

[mballi3011]

I use collagen casing for my snack sticks. You are looking for a more shriveled up look to your sticks???? Now what meat are you using for your sticks??? You have to use a fair amount of meat with fat in it maybe 30% fat. I use beef and add fat to it for my sticks and then smoke then for along time maybe 6-8 hours. After smoking them I take them out of the smoker and into a ice bath and leave them in there for 15-20 minutes. I sometime get the shriveled up look that you are looking for. Now I go for the flavor more then the look personally. I hope that this might help you obtain your needed look. 

 

[good meat man]

i use store bought ground beef 80/20 smoke 2 hours on 200 degrees with hi mountain snack stick mix 19 mm cologen casing  

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Big guys like Tillamook and such have their casings special made from between 14-16mm some use 17mm like i do. The big guys use a method of smoke infused with steam, thats how they get the non wrinkles in the casings. Then the racks are sprayed from the top with a lukewarm water that has (i know y'all wont like this) liquid smoke in it. Just like a huge smoker with very wet sawdust on the bottom.

If your looking to get close to tillamook you will need to lower the heat to between 150-155 with smoke for 4-5 hours, then just the heat. This can take from 15 to 24 hours at 150-155 for the sticks to get the IT. However if you want to rush it you can smoke for 4 hours at 160 then hot water them at 160 until you get the IT of the sticks at 149-152. This hot water bath will make the collagen casings tight and plump.

They spray potassium sorbate on the finished product to maintain a longer shelf life.

WHEW

Hope this helps some.