# Making snack sticks question on stuffer



## Steve H (May 1, 2019)

I was wondering if there is a better way of stuffing snack sticks. My vertical stuffer always leaves alot of meat remaining in the stuffer. With sausage this isn't a problem. I'll just stuff the rest by hand. But with 19 or 21mm casings this isn't an option. Is there a better method/tool for this? I was thinking perhaps a jerky cannon.


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## zwiller (May 1, 2019)

Just ordered my first stuffer but have researched a lot and have seen some guys add a slice or 2 of old bread on top of the meat to get it all out and also helps clean it too apparently.  I debated cannon/gun and stuffer a long time and once I realized how hard it is to load a gun I opted for the stuffer.


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## Steve H (May 1, 2019)

Holly2015 said:


> What stuffer are you using? When making snack sticks with my 5lb LEM counting what' left in the stuffer and the 3/8" stuffing horn I might lose one 8" long snack stick.



Generic 5 pound vertical stuffer. When this one bottoms out I have around a pound left at the bottom.I could use the bread trick.


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## fivetricks (May 1, 2019)

A good use for all of those old plastic shopping bags everyone has laying around :-)


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## chopsaw (May 1, 2019)

Steve H said:


> Generic 5 pound vertical stuffer. When this one bottoms out I have around a pound left at the bottom.I could use the bread trick.


A pound ? Ouch . Take what a cannon cost and put it towards a better stuffer .


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## zwiller (May 1, 2019)

Yes, seem alot.  Total noob to stuffers but I'd assume it could be adjusted?


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## chopsaw (May 1, 2019)

zwiller said:


> Yes, seem alot.  Total noob to stuffers but I'd assume it could be adjusted?


Don't think so . Depends on the void at the bottom 
What stuffer did you buy ?


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## zwiller (May 1, 2019)

chopsaw said:


> Don't think so . Depends on the void at the bottom
> What stuffer did you buy ?


Hakka Bros knock off.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/183306917971


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## chopsaw (May 1, 2019)

The ones that exit the bottom using an elbow , leave a fair amount of meat behind . Just remove it by hand .
Some come out the front , so only the connection and the tube hold meat .


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## zwiller (May 1, 2019)

I see, thanks.  Was planning to do the bread thing but is the first time I've seen some one say like pound. WOW.  You guys will laugh but I plan to do 1kg/2.2lb batches LOL


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## Steve H (May 1, 2019)

Yeah, it is a lot. I can get a LEM Jerky cannon and longer 3/4 feed tube for approx 100.00. I'll have to figure out the pros and cons before I make a decision.
I bought the stuffer when I was just beginning. If I knew then what I know now I would have gotten the LEM unit. You only need to take a quick look at the design on the one I have to see it wasn't designed well at all.


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## chopsaw (May 1, 2019)

zwiller said:


> I see, thanks.  Was planning to do the bread thing but is the first time I've seen some one say like pound. WOW.  You guys will laugh but I plan to do 1kg/2.2lb batches LOL


I'm not laughing at all . I like the smaller batches . You should buy the Marianski book or go to the web page . His formulas are gear for that size batch . 
Here , if you dont have it . 
https://meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making


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## Steve H (May 1, 2019)

zwiller said:


> Hakka Bros knock off.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/183306917971



That one looks like a better design. Mine has a trough at the bottom with a lip. So the plunger does not go down near far enough.


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## hondabbq (May 1, 2019)

I have the Cabelas 11 lb stuffer. it also leaves a bunch of meat at the bottom.
I don't panic I just take it and make patties out of what ever meat it is and have it for breakfast with eggs.


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## zwiller (May 1, 2019)

chopsaw said:


> I'm not laughing at all . I like the smaller batches . You should buy the Marianski book or go to the web page . His formulas are gear for that size batch .
> Here , if you dont have it .
> https://meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making



Got it and love it and is actually the main reason for that size.  Pretty excited.  Been wanting to do sausage a few years now.  Semi related question: do real casings smell/stink?  Wife would freak...


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## fivetricks (May 1, 2019)

Nah, they don't stink at all. Have a very neutral smell. Make sure to purge the salt from them though. Takes a lot longer than the package says it will. I did mine for prob 4-5 days.

Have fun :-)


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## Steve H (May 1, 2019)

zwiller said:


> Got it and love it and is actually the main reason for that size.  Pretty excited.  Been wanting to do sausage a few years now.  Semi related question: do real casings smell/stink?  Wife would freak...



If they do stink then they're bad. I rinse my for 2 hours. Changing water a few times.


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## Devo1 (May 1, 2019)

Go big or go home 

35 pounds at a time. Only thing that gets left behind is what is in the tube which does not amount to much.













My kid was making snack stick when he was 4, he is now 15 but still love making them.


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## dward51 (May 1, 2019)

It's the design of the stuffer.  They way they use a 90* elbow off the bottom is different that the way the LEM and other stuffers do it.  I have a Northern Tool 5lb stuffer thats about 11 years old and this is what I have left over in the bottom of mine (basically it's the same as the old nylon gear LEM model). The stuffer tube is off the side at the bottom instead of in a 90* like the Hakka.  

Just enough meat left between the bottom of the stuffer body and whats in the snack stick tube to make a "cooks treat" fried patty about the size of a breakfast sausage.


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## Steve H (May 7, 2019)

After looking around I ordered this one. Just by looking you can tell that there will be little meat left at the bottom. The price was good and the reviews were also very good. I'll see soon enough.


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## pops6927 (May 13, 2019)

I took all my stuffing tubes to Home Depot and bought slightly smaller dowel sticks that fit in them, then brought them home and cut them to double the length. Then I undo the tube and push the remainder into the stuffing tube and out into the casing.


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## chopsaw (May 13, 2019)

pops6927 said:


> I took all my stuffing tubes to Home Depot and bought slightly smaller dowel sticks that fit in them, then brought them home and cut them to double the length. Then I undo the tube and push the remainder into the stuffing tube and out into the casing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There ya go . Another lesson . I did the same , have dowels to fit my tubes , but never thought to use them to stuff the last of the meat paste . I used them just to clean the tube out . Now I will stuff the last of the mix . Thanks !


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## JckDanls 07 (May 13, 2019)

I pretty much only do snack sticks/breakfast sausage..  I found one of our wooden spoons has the right size handle to fit inside the tube..  I first put a little wad of papertowel in the tube then push the remainder into the casing...  Then squeeze the wad of papertowel back out of the casing ...


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## Rockydoc (Jun 24, 2019)

Devo1 said:


> Go big or go home
> 
> 35 pounds at a time. Only thing that gets left behind is what is in the tube which does not amount to much.
> 
> ...


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## Rockydoc (Jun 24, 2019)

That stuffer looks home made from PVC pipes and fittings.  Are there plans available from which I may make my own?


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## Devo1 (Jul 2, 2019)

Rockydoc said:


> That stuffer looks home made from PVC pipes and fittings.  Are there plans available from which I may make my own?



Not sure if he is still making them but this is the fellow I bought it from. 
Great guy for sure.
[email protected]


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## crazyjz (Dec 20, 2020)

dward51 said:


> It's the design of the stuffer.  They way they use a 90* elbow off the bottom is different that the way the LEM and other stuffers do it.  I have a Northern Tool 5lb stuffer thats about 11 years old and this is what I have left over in the bottom of mine (basically it's the same as the old nylon gear LEM model). The stuffer tube is off the side at the bottom instead of in a 90* like the Hakka.
> 
> Just enough meat left between the bottom of the stuffer body and whats in the snack stick tube to make a "cooks treat" fried patty about the size of a breakfast sausage.


I have a LEM jerky cannon that works for that last pound of meat left at the bottom of the stuffer.  If I had a LEM 5 lb stuffer, I would use it.  There is usually a bit left in the bottom of my LEM electric 20 stuffer.  The 3/8 horn off the 20 fits on the jerky cannon.


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## pa42phigh (Dec 21, 2020)

That’s what I do,but I already owned the jerky cannon it’s how I first started making snack sticks   Now I use it to finish up what is left  in the stuffer because of that elbow. The pack of snacks sticks is what was left in stuffer. I’ve never tried the bread trick.


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## olaf (Dec 21, 2020)

I also have an old water run stuffer, pushing that piston back can be a bit hard sometimes.


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## zwiller (Dec 21, 2020)

Kinda funny to see this one again.  Time flies!  Anyhow, I have both a stuffer and a jerky gun now.  As fate would have it, my stuffer tubes tube fits on the gun.  The 10mm snack stick tube is HARD to use on the stuffer but works EASILY on the gun. Loading the the gun is not bad at all.  I use an ice cream scooper tool.  Honestly, I love the gun and is second nature to me using a caulk gun a long time.  Great for small batches like I do.  I should have bought that a long time ago.


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## Steve H (Dec 21, 2020)

zwiller said:


> Kinda funny to see this one again.  Time flies!  Anyhow, I have both a stuffer and a jerky gun now.  As fate would have it, my stuffer tubes tube fits on the gun.  The 10mm snack stick tube is HARD to use on the stuffer but works EASILY on the gun. Loading the the gun is not bad at all.  I use an ice cream scooper tool.  Honestly, I love the gun and is second nature to me using a caulk gun a long time.  Great for small batches like I do.  I should have bought that a long time ago.



I'm doing the same now with using the jerky cannon for sticks. Much  easier for small batches. Thanks for the idea with the ice cream scooper. I'll try that the next time.


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## lawsondtl (Jan 7, 2021)

Devo1 said:


> Go big or go home
> 
> 35 pounds at a time. Only thing that gets left behind is what is in the tube which does not amount to much.
> 
> ...


Do you have any details that you can share on making the various tubes?


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## Devo1 (Jan 8, 2021)

lawsondtl said:


> Do you have any details that you can share on making the various tubes?


Sorry not at all as I bought it


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