# snack stick question



## gene111 (Jan 30, 2010)

Ok going to grind up a chuckie to make some snack sticks using the high mountain pack. question is do i grind up & mix seasoning let sit for 24hrs then stuff & smoke or does it have to sit another 24hrs after stuffing?


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## rbranstner (Jan 30, 2010)

I grind mine then put seasonings in it and let it sit over night. Then I stuff and put them right into the smoker.


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## gene111 (Jan 30, 2010)

What size plate do you use?


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## rbranstner (Jan 30, 2010)

I'm not sure what size grinding plate I use but it is one of the smaller ones that cam with my grinder. Not the smallest but the next size up.


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## gene111 (Jan 30, 2010)

Thanks for the info I'll go give it a try. I'll post some pics tomorrow!


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## rbranstner (Jan 30, 2010)

We have cheap grinders so we don't like grinding it twice for our snack sticks so we just use a smaller grinding plate and do one time through.


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## nickelmore (Jan 30, 2010)

I grind mine usually i think about 1/4 or 3/8 plate mix the ingredients real good,  let set over night.   Sometimes I re mix again,  stuff them and throw them in the smoker.

Cook to the temp of your choice, I take mine to about 153 or so for a half hour, shower and enjoy.


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## tjohnson (Jan 31, 2010)

I grind once thru 1/4" plate and mix seasonings in (1) cup of water before I put in the ground meat.  Mix ground meat and seasonings well, kinda like kneading bread.

Did not see any pork in your post.  I try to add 20% ground pork to my sticks, or they come out too dry.


TJ


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## rambler (Jan 31, 2010)

I think you should stuff them before letting them set overnight.  The binders in the seasoning may make it hard to stuff.


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## que-ball (Jan 31, 2010)

Gene, the 24hrs can come after mixing but before stuffing, or after stuffing but before smoking. Do not do both, though. Snack sticks will stuff easier if you stuff right after mixing the seasonings, before the cure starts to bind things up. Fewer blowouts that way.

I grind first with my coarse plate, mix the seasonings and cure in, grind a second time with the coarse plate to further mix the seasonings in, then stuff with a vertical stuffer.


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## hounds51 (Jan 31, 2010)

I agree with Rambler Stuff and let rest overnite. Personally I grind with a bean plate first, then mix, let sit for about 20 min in freezer. Then I grind with a hamburger plate and stuff via a 5 lb vertical stuffer. Take right to smokehouse and smoke as per directions. Also I use Leggs snack stick mix with 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of liquid smoke. Makes a nice mini Lebanon belonga.


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## mulepackin (Feb 1, 2010)

My schedule is coarse grind (3/4"), fine grind (3/16"), mix, stuff then sit 24 or so hours. I don't like to add my seasonings before I final grind because I feel the salts, etc are a bit abrasive and corrosive, and can be hard on my plates and knives. Thats just me. Like everyone else in them stuff then sit camp, it gets too hard to stuff otherwise. Especially through the small tube that sticks require.


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## dnovotny (Feb 2, 2010)

after stuffing the sticks make  sure you hang  them to dry--air dry to touch before smoking  .. use  this  practice all the time  when making sausage..  it  will smoke alot  easier..if  you need  to use a fan  to help  air  dry you casings this will speed up  the process


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## mballi3011 (Feb 3, 2010)

I also used the plates that came with my grinder. I grind the meat first with a 5/16th plate then mix it up and then grind again with the 3/16th plate and then let it rest in the refrig overnight and then stuff it the next night. Then smoke it either that night or the next day.


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## meandmytwodogs (Feb 3, 2010)

Grind, Mix, Stuff Then Sit 24 Hrs Before Smoking. Meat gets stiff during cure time.

Dave


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## bustintires (Feb 3, 2010)

its like most of us. gets pretty stiff overnight. dont know why, must be magic i guess.


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