Unstuffed Smoked Beef Pepperoni Sticks with Qview

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Made my last two batches of these and I am never going to make them again! With my old Enterprise stuffer that is! New LEM 5# will be here Friday just in time for the weekend. May have to make a batch to test out the new stuffer!
 
:yeahthat: Bear saves me AGAIN !!!! Bear, you are not getting as old as I am... You keep backing me up.... I need it.....
 
For all the curing experts, can we use the correct ratio of instacure #1 for the amount of beef other than the tender quick in this recipe?  Or will this change the flavor?
 
For all the curing experts, can we use the correct ratio of instacure #1 for the amount of beef other than the tender quick in this recipe?  Or will this change the flavor?

Yes, as long as you do the correct calculation.... 1.1 grams cure #1 per pound of meat or 0.25% cure #1 per amount of meat..... or 1 level tsp. cure #1 per 5#'s of meat...... Then you have to add salt and probably a little sugar... Salt and sugar usually 1.5-2.5% salt and sugar usually 0.5-1.0% by weight.... taste preference... Write down what you do so you can repeat or make knowledgeable changes to the next batch...

You shouldn't notice any flavor change.... unless you can taste the nitrate in TQ...
 
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For all the curing experts, can we use the correct ratio of instacure #1 for the amount of beef other than the tender quick in this recipe?  Or will this change the flavor?
You shouldn't notice a difference if you use the proper amounts of Cure #1, Salt & Sugar.

And you can't taste the Nitrates in TQ----That's just Dave showing his hatred of Tender Quick.

Bear
 
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And you can't taste the Nitrates in TQ----That's just Dave showing his hatred of Tender Quick.


Bear




Hey Bearcarver.... What's that for ???? I don't hate Morton's Tender Quick... It has been a home staple for years..... Many folks have made safe, home cured meats because Morton's took the lead and made a home curing product, that was easy for folks to use.... No scales needed to weigh out their product.... Plenty of room to err when it comes to adding their product... I think it is quite a remarkable product.....

Dave
 
Hey Bearcarver.... What's that for ???? I don't hate Morton's Tender Quick... It has been a home staple for years..... Many folks have made safe, home cured meats because Morton's took the lead and made a home curing product, that was easy for folks to use.... No scales needed to weigh out their product.... Plenty of room to err when it comes to adding their product... I think it is quite a remarkable product.....

Dave
I just get sick of people crying foul because of a tiny amount of Nitrates, and you usually are one to bring it up.

If it was harmful, they wouldn't be allowed to sell it, or at least put a label "Not for use with Bacon" on it.

If you think it's a good product, why do you bring it up so often----Do you really think someone can taste that small amount of nitrates?

All of my curing Step by Steps are with TQ, and some like to try to scare people away from it.

I checked with the USDA, and they said it was fine---"Go ahead & use it".

Bear
 
Ok, I was down in the US last week and bought some tender quick!!  Bear have you ever figured out ratios and measurements for a smaller batch of the sticks?  I want to try something in the 2lb range to start as a practice batch.  For 2 lbs of beef, I want to confirm that I will use 3 tsp (1 tbsp) (14.3grams) of tender quick for 2 lbs of beef?  would the remaining ingredients simply be just less than half amounts?
 
Also, is there a reason you step this up the temps in stages starting at 100 F?  The reason I ask is I was checking out the recipe page at the Morton's website and their pepperoni recipe (which is done in an oven) is put in at 325F oven until internal temp read 140F.  Is raising the temp in stages to get more smoke into the meat over a longer time?  what would be the results if these sticks went in a hotter smoker temp for a shorter time?  would they be more chewy? not as flavorful?

I'm trying to learn the science behind some peoples techniques.
 
 
Ok, I was down in the US last week and bought some tender quick!!  Bear have you ever figured out ratios and measurements for a smaller batch of the sticks?  I want to try something in the 2lb range to start as a practice batch.  For 2 lbs of beef, I want to confirm that I will use 3 tsp (1 tbsp) (14.3grams) of tender quick for 2 lbs of beef?  would the remaining ingredients simply be just less than half amounts?
Yes----1 TBS (1/2 ounce) of TQ for 2 pounds of ground meat. And a little less than half of each of the other ingredients would be fine. You could add more heat, as these are quite mild.

Bear
 
 
Also, is there a reason you step this up the temps in stages starting at 100 F?  The reason I ask is I was checking out the recipe page at the Morton's website and their pepperoni recipe (which is done in an oven) is put in at 325F oven until internal temp read 140F.  Is raising the temp in stages to get more smoke into the meat over a longer time?  what would be the results if these sticks went in a hotter smoker temp for a shorter time?  would they be more chewy? not as flavorful?

I'm trying to learn the science behind some peoples techniques.
Yes, I do the first part without smoke to finish the pellicle. Then I gradually raise the temp with smoke to stretch the time out long enough to get good smoke flavor. Then I raise the temp to get it done (at least 160° IT), but I don't take the smoker temp up too high, so I don't cook all the fat out.

Morton's puts Liquid smoke in theirs----I put real smoke on mine.

Hot & Fast would be less smoke flavor & probably dried out from cooking all the fat out, However I'm guessing because I wouldn't do that.

Bear
 
 
thanks!  you are a wealth of great info.  I appreciate all your feedback.  cant wait to give these a go and experiment with my own flavors.
Always glad to help!

Hit me with a PM when you post your batch, so I don't miss it !!

Bear
 
Thank you Bear. Going to stop on the way home and pick up some Tender Quick now. This will make a great weekend smoker project for me and the munchkin. I'm looking for anything I can do with him right now to keep him busy while the wife is on bedrest.
 
 
Thank you Bear. Going to stop on the way home and pick up some Tender Quick now. This will make a great weekend smoker project for me and the munchkin. I'm looking for anything I can do with him right now to keep him busy while the wife is on bedrest.
That's Great, Ryan!!

If you run into any questions, let me know!!

Hope your Mrs is up & around soon.

Bear
 
 
That's Great, Ryan!!

If you run into any questions, let me know!!

Hope your Mrs is up & around soon.

Bear
I followed your recipe to the letter (cut down for 2 pounds of meat) and they were delicious. Didn't even last long enough for pictures but I'll get some next run. Thanks for the well wishes too. We've got 6 months to go so it's going to be a long road. Hopefully this time it ends with a healthy baby. We're 1 out of 3 with pregnancies before this one and this one was a surprise.

I do have a question about the amount of TQ though. Is it different for ground meat? The bag of TQ I have says 1 TBS per pound but you're only using half that.
 
 
I followed your recipe to the letter (cut down for 2 pounds of meat) and they were delicious. Didn't even last long enough for pictures but I'll get some next run. Thanks for the well wishes too. We've got 6 months to go so it's going to be a long road. Hopefully this time it ends with a healthy baby. We're 1 out of 3 with pregnancies before this one and this one was a surprise.

I do have a question about the amount of TQ though. Is it different for ground meat? The bag of TQ I have says 1 TBS per pound but you're only using half that.
Yes, Morton calls for:

1 TBS of TQ per pound of Whole Meat.

1/2 TBS of TQ per pound of Ground Meat.

Bear
 
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Great recipe , great smoke flavour, love how they were nice and thick. Very mild recipe. Going to double or even triple the heat next time
 
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