# Hawaiian Snack Stick Fail



## bowtech9 (Jan 8, 2016)

Hello to all,

Tough lesson to learn. I lived in MI a few years back and had a meat market by my work. They had "Hawaiian Sticks". They were the bomb. All the ingredients on the package mentioned was pineapple. I thought I would give it a try. Here is my FAIL. Still looking for a good recipe 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Ive smoked summer sausage, jerky, turkey for a few years so a have a little experience.......But 1st time with snack sticks.

I always see pictures of everbody body pretty stuff so I thought this would be a change
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	

















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8# Pork Butt

20# Venison













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Ground both through "bigger plate" and added seasoning + 1/2c h20

Let sit over night in fridge 9hrs

Split out 10# for Hawaiian Stix and added 3 frozen slices about 1/2" thick

Ran Plain 20# through small plate and set aside

Ran HI 10# through w/ pineapple slices same way

Attached stuffer tube with the little auger in it.













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Stuffed both Clear and cologne casings













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Loaded into smoker. Smoked about 3 hrs and brought up to 130deg

Then transferred into oven @ 170 to finish the IT to 156deg













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After about 30 mins in the oven at IT 135deg they stated falling apart and through the racks. They have the consistency of thick toothpaste and defiantly sticky. Taste at 130deg is sweet raw meat. So I would guess 1. Too much pineapple per pound? 2. stuffed too tight causing them to blow out all over?













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Thank you for looking. Happy Smoking everyone!


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## crazymoon (Jan 8, 2016)

BT9, It looks like it swelled up, did the sticks with no pineapple also burst ?


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## bowtech9 (Jan 8, 2016)

Nope! I literally just took them out of the oven. They are firm and seem to be fine. I did notice that using the grinder attachment is not the way to go. Unless you want hotdog sticks.


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## bowtech9 (Jan 8, 2016)

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## bfilipowski (Jan 8, 2016)

Did you happen to use fresh pineapple? Pineapple contains papain, which is more commonly sold as meat tenderizer. This chemical will turn proteins into goo, much like you described. Fresh papaya also contains this. Add a side note, this is why jello won't set with fresh pineapple in it.

Flip


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## litterbug (Jan 8, 2016)

Would replacing some of the water with pineapple juice work or would it also turn to goo?  If it works then that would seem to be a better option. Perhaps someone will chime in on this one.


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## bowtech9 (Jan 8, 2016)

WOW Flip- I had no idea! That makes sense. And it was sweet fresh cut pineapple. It turned the meat into pink slime and ate right through the casing. 

Side note: Still in search of a recipe.


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## crazymoon (Jan 9, 2016)

BT9, Your other sticks look great, too bad about the pineapple jobbies !


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## tropics (Jan 9, 2016)

Bowtech9 said:


> WOW Flip- I had no idea! That makes sense. And it was sweet fresh cut pineapple. It turned the meat into pink slime and ate right through the casing.
> 
> Side note: Still in search of a recipe.


Maybe a dehydrated Pineapple would work,that is just a guess. Sticks look good

Richie


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 9, 2016)

Like I've said before, I learn something new here all the time!   Never knew about the pineapple doing that.  

I would venture to guess that the juice would have the same effect.   Richie may be on to something with the dehydrated pineapple though.  


I hate losing product, but it is a lesson learned.  The others look good though!


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## bfilipowski (Jan 9, 2016)

Not sure if dehydrated would work. Heat deactivates the papain so canned wouldn't cause the goo.


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 9, 2016)

BT9

My wife used to be a cake decorator on the side. Find a store that sells cake making supplies and try some pineapple flavoring, will be a small glass container.


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## bowtech9 (Jan 9, 2016)

Here is the place where I used to get them. Maybe I'll jest ask them what they use [emoji]128513[/emoji]


https://rivesqualitymeats.com/product/hawaiian-stix/


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## mneeley490 (Jan 10, 2016)

WOW, as somebody said, you learn something new here every day. I know it sucks for you, and believe me, I've had my share of disasters too. But at least the rest of us can benefit by your experiment.

Perhaps one of the problems was that you used collagen casings? There is a butcher near me that makes Hawaiian sausages with bits of pineapple, but they are fresh sausages, and he uses hog casings. Never had a problem with those.


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## daveomak (Jan 11, 2016)

Bowtech , morning.....   (almost neighbors)

Stuffing casings on the grinder may work better for you if...  You stuff the casings on the first grind....   season the chunks...  mix very well, run through the grinder and stuff at the same time....    If your grinder is like mine, it does NOT like to regrind meat...   the ground meat does not feed well..   seems to ooze out around the auger when the pressure from the casing pushes back....

If you decide to get a vertical stuffer to make life easier, be sure to get a 5# stuffer as most larger stuffers do NOT stuff sticks well...   The piston diameter is larger than the 5# and the pressure required to stuff, at times, will exceed what the stuffer will handle..  stuff can break...

I see you have an extension tube on the grinder / stuffer tube to stuff small casings...  I do the same thing, only I use it on my 5# vertical stuffer.... 













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## bowtech9 (Jan 11, 2016)

Thank you everyone for all the info. It will be awhile before it try it again. But it is a new goal.


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## donr (Jan 11, 2016)

I would try canned pineapple. (in a small batch first).  My wife's aunt is allergic to fresh pineapple, but can eat canned pineapple.  

Apparently pineapple contains bromelian also (works quite similar to  papain)  This link explains it a little.  

https://communities.acs.org/thread/3188

This probably explains things.

Working with fresh pineapple (assume papaya as well) will disolve your fingerprints.  They do grow back.

Don


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## driedstick (Jan 12, 2016)

BT9, Hey I see your in Spokane and using Mitchlitch seasoning (Love their seasonings) I would go and talk to the older Gentlemen down there at Mitchlitch he knows his stuff and he will try to help you out. Last time I walked out of there my wallet was 2 bills lighter LOL 

Also that fresh pineapple will contain alot of moisture have you thought about Dehydrating it partialey first then put in as one of the last steps?? Maybe or maybe not try with a small 5lb batch and see how it comes out. 

Good luck and let us know

A full smoker is a happy smoker.

DS 

Have Hoyt now Bowtech may be next one I buy


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## indaswamp (Jan 23, 2018)

You can use fresh pineapple but you must blanch it in 190* water first which deactivates the enzyme.....


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## SmokinAl (Jan 24, 2018)

Too bad about the pineapple, but the other sticks look great!
Al


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 24, 2018)

The enzyme in *pineapple*, bromelain, digests protein, softening the tissues in *meat* before cooking it.


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