# Beef Sticks with Home Made Stuffing Tubes....



## daveomak (Dec 31, 2012)

I made these 2 tubes some time back.... Finally getting around to my first ever Beef Sticks in casings....

I've made them casing-less before, but time to step up and make them in casings.....

The top tube is made from K-Type 1/2" copper, thin wall type.....

The bottom tube is made from brass.... It can be had in the hardware store... usually at the end of an aisle

with other brass stock used in hobby stuff... it is 1/2" O.D....  unlike the copper which is 5/8" O.D.....













tube 3.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 31, 2012






The ends were annealed with a small butane torch then flared with a flaring tool... annealed

again and flared some more....  they then slide into your existing tubes on your stuffer.....

I taped the tubes in places so they fit tight...  Not in a meat contact zone.... they remove

easily for cleaning.... A washer was  placed over the brass tube flare for a better fit in the

stuffing tube......

I haven't used the brass tube yet.... It should be a good tube for 17mm casings, don't know for sure.... 













tube 5.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 31, 2012






This batch was made with 21mm edible collagen casings....  tight fit but it worked....

I could get about 6' of casing on the tube...... 













Tube and 21mm casing 2.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 31, 2012






I stuffed about 12", 4 tiles, and bent and stuffed some more...  tied in 2 places, (not shown),

cut, and repeat...  Next go around with sticks, I will cut the casing to the lengths I need

and slide on the tube... Probably 24" inches to make a doubled 11" stick...or something 

close to that....  then I can shorten the copper tube... to about 5" sticking out of the original tube...













Stuffing Casing 2 long sticks.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 31, 2012






I had the help of granddaughter....  we just hung the sticks....













In the smoker and G Daughter.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 31, 2012






The knots held nicely.....  24 hours in the smoker.... 12 hours at 100 deg ish... to dry the casings...

add smoke for 3 hours while raising the temp to 160 ish for the remaining 12 hours....  sticks got to

150 ish degrees...    Cooled in the smoker slowly...  













String Knots on casings.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 31, 2012






Cut into big bite sized pieces and vac-packed with Lisa B's vac-bags.... They are the best

if you haven't tried them...













Bagged Stick Cut  Pieces.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 31, 2012






The taste and texture is better than store bought.....  I used one of *nepas* recipes (correction) for part

of this batch and Bride had some stuff she wanted put in the meat for a Far East type stick....

One ingredient was Yoshida's... The RonP teriyaki, rice wine vinegar and Yoshida's stick....

Both were good..... I used 80-20 in the bag.... 5#'s... when I get a "perfect" recipe, 20#'s will be

the batch of choice.... until then....   Dave


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## smoking b (Dec 31, 2012)

Sticks look good Dave! I got a Weston stuffer for Christmas but it didn't come with a tube small enough for sticks. I have a double flaring tool & I may see about making something like your smaller brass one if I can't find one that works soon. Thanks for the idea!

Oh yeah - did you use meat that was already ground for your sticks?


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2012)

Jeremy, morning....   http://ksmetals.com/RetailLocations.html  K&S Precision Metals / Engineering  is who makes and where it is carried... $3 for 12" I think.... cheap, good stuffing tube... Different sizes also.....   If it isn't available locally, major suppliers have it.... 

Yes, I used 80-20 in the plastic tube for this batch..... I figured I was filling it with spices and cure etc. and didn't want to use "good" beef for this go around.... It worked well.... I may keep using it.... who knows.....   Dave


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## smoking b (Dec 31, 2012)

DaveOmak said:


> Jeremy, morning....   http://ksmetals.com/RetailLocations.html  K&S Precision Metals / Engineering  is who makes and where it is carried... $3 for 12" I think.... cheap, good stuffing tube... Different sizes also.....   If it isn't available locally, major suppliers have it....
> 
> Yes, I used 80-20 in the plastic tube for this batch..... I figured I was filling it with spices and cure etc. and didn't want to use "good" beef for this go around.... It worked well.... I may keep using it.... who knows.....   Dave


Thanks Dave - I will try to track some down around here...

Yeah I thought that's what you meant in the last part of your post but wasn't quite sure - now I am


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## BGKYSmoker (Dec 31, 2012)

Send some them South


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## diggingdogfarm (Dec 31, 2012)

Looks great, Dave!


~Martin


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## sam3 (Dec 31, 2012)

Nice job Dave!


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2012)

nepas said:


> Send some them South


Hey sausage king.... These would remind you of your 3rd batch... only because I had a few experts to copy from....
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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DiggingDogFarm said:


> Looks great, Dave!
> 
> 
> ~Martin


Thanks Martin... 


sam3 said:


> Nice job Dave!


Thanks Sam....


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## BGKYSmoker (Dec 31, 2012)

DaveOmak said:


> Hey sausage king.... These would remind you of your 3rd batch... only because I had a few experts to copy from....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yikes

Dont remind me of my 3rd batch.....That was 1977


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## woodcutter (Dec 31, 2012)

Good Idea Dave. I'm going to make one of Pex and one of copper. Did it slow down the stuffer pushing the meat a farther distance?


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## driedstick (Dec 31, 2012)

Very nice thems look great       Dave (i think I may have missed something thou) so one question why so long in the smoker???  what is this 1977 recipe you talk about sorry but I was only a small one then?? NOT SO SMALL IN MASS NOW LOL

It is new years and I may have had a couple drinks too many that_  _I did miss something LOL


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2013)

Woodcutter said:


> Good Idea Dave. I'm going to make one of Pex and one of copper. Did it slow down the stuffer pushing the meat a farther distance?


Woodcutter, morning.... The ID of PEX is pretty small.... I made a tube for "practice" and didn't try it....  After looking at the ID, I figured the plastic gears on the stuffer would suffer....  K copper is thin wall....  The brass tube is REALLY thin wall, about 0.014" if I remember right...

No it did not slow down.... I make my sausage really wet to ease the strain on the equipment.... It still dries fine, but you must use a low heat for a long period for the water to escape...about 110-120 I would say, for hours..... In the beef stick I used consomme for the liquid.. In the far east flavor, the Yoshida's, soy and rice wine were used to make it really wet....   


driedstick said:


> Very nice thems look great       Dave (i think I may have missed something thou) so one question why so long in the smoker???  what is this 1977 recipe you talk about sorry but I was only a small one then?? NOT SO SMALL IN MASS NOW LOL
> 
> It is new years and I may have had a couple drinks too many that_  _I did miss something LOL


Steve, morning....  nepas the "sausage king" wanted a taste... I was referring to his 3rd batch probably tasted like my first batch only because I had help from the forum.....   His 3rd batch was in 1977.....  Shows how experienced the "KING" is....

The recipe I used was one of nepas recipes..... it recommended 24 hours at 160 or lower in the smoker, for the "tang" to develop in the sticks....  So, that is what I did....  The next day they are REALLY good.... Every time bride has one of the ends that are in a bowl in the kitchen, she remarks on how good they are....   I think, with a little more taste testing, this may very well be my go-to-sticks recipe.....


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## big casino (Jan 1, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> Yes, I used 80-20 in the plastic tube for this batch..... I figured I was filling it with spices and cure etc. and didn't want to use "good" beef for this go around.... It worked well.... I may keep using it.... who knows.....   Dave


Looks Good Dave!

I made two batches of sticks one with 80/20 in the plastic tube from the local grocery store, wally world I think, and then the other batch with some ground beef from my butcher which is local grown beef, at the end of the day you could not tell the difference which was which, we now reserve  the good butcher meat for dinner, and the cheap stuff for snack sticks


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2013)

Big Casino said:


> DaveOmak said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, I used 80-20 in the plastic tube for this batch..... I figured I was filling it with spices and cure etc. and didn't want to use "good" beef for this go around.... It worked well.... I may keep using it.... who knows.....   Dave
> ...


Good to know...  I like to grind my own burger and was hoping I couldn't tell the difference.... I figure the store bought with cure #1 and all the spices was good and safe besides.....


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## driedstick (Jan 1, 2013)

Thanks Dave I thought PP took a long time


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2013)

driedstick said:


> Thanks Dave I thought PP took a long time


At least there is no threat to over cooking... set at 110, walk away.... set at 120 ish, add smoke, walk away.... set at 160, wait for the IT....  

Pretty slick and easy.....  I like the finished product...   PP always makes me nervous... Nothing worse that dry PP...


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## thoseguys26 (Jan 1, 2013)

Nice work Dave.

I don't have the tools to make a sweet tube like that but I've been thinking about it because I want to make some small snack sticks, like slim jim thin. Thought it would be fun but probably a pain in rear to stuff em..


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## rich- (Jan 1, 2013)

Happy New Year Dave, Just read your post about making the stuffer tubes.

My sin and I was making snack stix a few weeks ago, I have the Dakotah water stuffer modified to use air instead of water. Anyway My son leaned on the stuffing tube to hard and broke it right up close to where ift flared out to fit the suffer body.

I picked up a 1/2" X 12" piece of thinwall SS tube, did what you did and slid it inside the original section of the stuffing tube. Now I have a 12" stuffing tube instead of the shorter one that came with my stuffer.

Works great.

Rich


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## driedstick (Jan 1, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> At least there is no threat to over cooking... set at 110, walk away.... set at 120 ish, add smoke, walk away.... set at 160, wait for the IT....
> 
> Pretty slick and easy.....  I like the finished product...   PP always makes me nervous... Nothing worse that dry PP...


By the way Dave thanks agian  for the other day for your help on my pp turned out great having pp tacos tonight

Happy new yrs

When you get this perfected i would luv to get recipe to make them if I could

Thanks agian - Steve


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## fpnmf (Jan 1, 2013)

Looking real tasty Dave..I think you are getting the hang of this stuffing thing...

  Craig


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## smoking b (Jan 1, 2013)

Rich- said:


> I have the Dakotah water stuffer modified to use air instead of water.
> 
> Works great.
> 
> Rich










   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





    Be VERY careful using that thing!! You have basically turned your plastic stuffer into a live grenade. If it ever hangs up it's probably gonna come apart. Again - be careful...


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 1, 2013)

:icon_eek:


~Martin


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## smoking b (Jan 1, 2013)

I knew I saw a thread on here where someone blew theirs up using air. Took me a while to find it but here it is... http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/132721/-

Again - be careful with that thing!!


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 1, 2013)

Please add a blow-off valve to prevent a dangerous sausage BOMB!!!!! :icon_eek:


~Martin


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2013)

Rich- said:


> Happy New Year Dave, Just read your post about making the stuffer tubes.
> 
> My sin and I was making snack stix a few weeks ago,* I have the Dakotah water stuffer modified to use air instead of water. *Anyway My son leaned on the stuffing tube to hard and broke it right up close to where ift flared out to fit the suffer body.
> 
> ...


Rich...  There was a post the other day about a water stuffer converted to air that exploded.... Sending the piston at his wife and hitting her in the head.....   Using air, it is a bomb waiting for a failure point to send shrapnel everywhere...  Please put it back to water before you or your loved ones get hurt.....   Water does not compress so if it fails, no problem..... With air, there is a pile of air looking for somewhere to go.....   

Dave

Didn't mean to gang up on you..... Saw your post and started typing before I read the rest of them.....


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2013)

fpnmf said:


> Looking real tasty Dave..I think you are getting the hang of this stuffing thing...
> 
> Craig


At my age it takes awhile..... Thank goodness for all the experts here saving me from too many failures.....


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2013)

driedstick said:


> By the way Dave thanks agian  for the other day for your help on my pp turned out great having pp tacos tonight
> 
> Happy new yrs
> 
> ...


Steve, here it is.....  nepas concocted this I do believe......  When it first came out of the smoker and I tasted it, I was going to ditch the thyme... today it is perfect... Not changing a thing.... 

*The one variation was I added AmesPhos to the mix.... *after reading about it on the forum and checking out the supplier, I decided I needed to try it...   Oh, I also used beef consomme instead of water.... I added a whole 10 oz can to 2 1/2 #'s of meat.... Holy cow, the meat was swimming....   Sure was easy to push through the tube though...   I had a brain [email protected] when I did that.....  Next batch will be 10 #'s and no changes to the recipe....     One more thing... all the experts we have on this forum, sure makes life easy-peasy for idiots like me... 

Dave

*http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/114455/stick-batch*


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2013)

Stayhot said:


> > I'm kinda confused....12 hours at 100 degrees and 12 hours more in the smoker?? That seems like an awful long time??


Stayhot, evening..... Maybe you don't know who nepas is..... When nepas says...... I say OK......... Like in his post he says, "I started making sausage in 1977"....... What would you do ????????

No point in trying to improve on the best......     Dave


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## jimalbert (Jan 1, 2013)

Way to go Dave!  Seems like they work really well.  I actually need to find a 3/8 or 10mm tube for my grizzly.  I modified one of the old 3/8 tubes that came with my Kitchen Aid but the problem is that the tube is pretty short and doesn't hold very much casing until it starts to flare out.  If I can get 3/4 of an inch of 21mm collagen casings on there I am lucky.  Royal PITA!.  I may have to use this suggestion to modify something on that one of the Kitchen Aid tubes.

Good Job Bro!

Jim


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## venture (Jan 1, 2013)

Dave, your MacGyver work never ceases to amaze.  Wish I had your skills.

Great looking batch of sausage.

Even better, making it with your sweet helper.  Another generation of sausage makers in the works.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## rich- (Jan 2, 2013)

Hi Smokin, Thanks for your comment, I should have added, what I actually use is a CO/2 tank run through a presure regulator and I regulate the presure to 20 PSI.

Thanks Rich


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## rich- (Jan 2, 2013)

Dave, I never let more than 20 PSI of pressure go to the stuffer. I use a co/2 tank with a regulator set for a max of 20 PSI going to the stuffer. My stuffer is never exposed to more than 20 PSI internal presure.

I am aware of the dangers of over presuizing the stuffer, Worked as a heavy equipment mechanic all my working life. Been down that road of to much presure.

This is not meant as a soucastic reply, I just wanted to explain my experience with such things.

Rich


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## daveomak (Jan 2, 2013)

Rich, I didn't intend to come off as a jerk, I have seen what compressed air can do.... Saw a guy at work with compound upon compound fractures in his leg.... Off work 9 months and then medical discharged.... I was on the scene 10 sec after it happened.... UGLY I tell ya... You wouldn't believe what compressed air can do....   He was in shock and it was not pretty....


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## themule69 (Jan 3, 2013)

looks great dave. i need to get to work on building my smoke house.


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 3, 2013)

Dave the tubes you made are awesome.

If i take pics of the tubes on my Dakota you think you could make one?

Dakota only has 2 tube sizes.


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## daveomak (Jan 3, 2013)

nepas said:


> Dave the tubes you made are awesome.
> 
> If i take pics of the tubes on my Dakota you think you could make one?
> 
> Dakota only has 2 tube sizes.


Yep...  need some critical measurements too...  flange or thread size or how to connect it up.....   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 3, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> Yep...  need some critical measurements too...  flange or thread size or how to connect it up.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Roger that.

looks like i gotta get the tripod out so i can take measurements.


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## daveomak (Jan 3, 2013)

Laser or optical ????   Optical I think, you being an "old school" kind of guy.... emphasis on "old" "guy".....


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 3, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> Laser or optical ????   Optical I think, you being an "old school" kind of guy.... emphasis on "old" "guy".....


With this, for old guys.

NYUK NYUK NYUK













il_fullxfull.343235285.jpg



__ BGKYSmoker
__ Jan 3, 2013


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## daveomak (Jan 3, 2013)

If you had a picture of that, from directly above, where the numbers were not visible, we could have a "Name this object" contest.... 













il_fullxfull.343235285.jpg



__ BGKYSmoker
__ Jan 3, 2013


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 3, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> If you had a picture of that, from directly above, where the numbers were not visible, we could have a "Name this object" contest....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wonder how many could have named it?


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## dward51 (Jan 3, 2013)

Not only what it is, but how to actually use one properly.  Does that one have the brass slide out insert?

I've got my grandfather's. Had it since he passed in the 1960's.  One day it will go to a grand child in my branch of the family along with knowledge of how things like this work.

I bet there some looking at this that may know what it is, but are wondering how in the world they used stuff like that "back in the day".


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## shoneyboy (Jan 3, 2013)

Nice sticks !!!!


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## boykjo (Jan 4, 2013)

Don't know how I missed this one Dave.. The sticks look great. Is that smoker a MES 30.. Why did you waste the vacuum bags.. You know they aren't going to last long....LOL


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## daveomak (Jan 4, 2013)

Shoneyboy said:


> Nice sticks !!!!


Thanks SB......


boykjo said:


> Don't know how I missed this one Dave.. The sticks look great. *Is that smoker a MES 30.. *Why did you waste the vacuum bags.. You know they aren't going to last long....LOL


Hey Joe, morning... Yes it is.... Just a little modified.....  works good now....   The vac bags are for putting them away for awhile... there is too much stuff to eat around here now...


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## smoking b (Jan 4, 2013)

Hey Dave I have a quick question. Did you let the brass cool completely each time before you flared it or did you work it while it was still somewhat hot? I've never done much work with brass...


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## daveomak (Jan 4, 2013)

It cools quickly...  Anneals at a low temp also...  flare a little... heat.... flare a little.... heat.... You do not want it to work harden and split...  Heat only the top 1/8" with a pencil torch to about 700 deg for 1-2 seconds while spinning the tube... dip in water to stop the heat migration down the tube... flare.... repeat...  be sure to get a brass tube that fits the flaring tool....  Dave


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## smoking b (Jan 4, 2013)

Ok - makes sense. Now I need to figure out what has become of my little butane torch  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   Thanks


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## shannon127 (Jan 4, 2013)

Pretty creative Dave!  The sticks look wonderful


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## hoity toit (Jan 5, 2013)

Looks like you got it going on just fine ! Nice work !


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## daveomak (Jan 5, 2013)

Shannon127 said:


> Pretty creative Dave!  The sticks look wonderful





Hoity Toit said:


> Looks like you got it going on just fine ! Nice work !


Thanks .... Dave


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## big casino (Jan 6, 2013)

nepas said:


> Wonder how many could have named it?


unfortunately I knew what this is, I used to get yelled at repeatedly for playing with it


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## blackriver (Jan 6, 2013)

Very nice looking sticks.  Very good idea on making your own stuffing tube.  I have a similar smoker.  What are you using to hang the snack sticks on?


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## daveomak (Jan 6, 2013)

blackriver said:


> Very nice looking sticks. Very good idea on making your own stuffing tube. I have a similar smoker. *What are you using to hang the snack sticks on?*


I found a few telescoping curtain rods... cut to length, crimped the ends, and covered with aluminum foil...  The rods were slid inside each other to double them up....   I originally thought I could hang them on the racks but that failed so I had to come up with a plan in a hurry... they work very well...  I think I will keep them...    Dave


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## redheelerdog (Jan 8, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> At least there is no threat to over cooking... set at 110, walk away.... set at 120 ish, add smoke, walk away.... set at 160, wait for the IT....
> 
> Pretty slick and easy.....  I like the finished product.


Nice tip Dave, the next time I make sticks I am going to try this - great idea.

Thanks!


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## stjoeguy1122 (Jan 14, 2013)

Dave,

do you put in the smoker right away or did you wait for the cure to do it's work?

I normally stuff mine and in the frig over night

you started yours at a lower temp then I have, going to try your method here in a couple of weeks, got about 20#'s of deer.

have you every done the ice bath instead of cooling in the smoker?

thanks for the posting!!

bob


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## daveomak (Jan 15, 2013)

stjoeguy1122 said:


> Dave,
> 
> do you put in the smoker right away or did you wait for the cure to do it's work?  *Into the smoker to rest.... It was cold...*
> 
> ...


Check this link.... nepas recommended the 24 hour smoke for flavor development...  I just follow his lead...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/114455/stick-batch


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 15, 2013)

Better late then never...These came out really nice. I am looking forward to trying this sometime with the tube you sent...JJ


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## danbono (Sep 10, 2013)

Hi All  3/8 stuffing tube is longer better?? I bought a 12" metal tube at Home Depot along with a 1 1/2" 3/8 metal washer. I'm going to use JB Weld to weld the washer onto the tube.

is 12" too long for the tube? I have a 5 lb Grizzly stuffer.Any stuffing  tips when using the 3/8 tube?

Thanks Dan


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## daveomak (Sep 10, 2013)

You will have to add a little liquid to the meat to get it to stuff through the small tube.... make it as long as you need it for the casings to fit.....


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## fished (Sep 11, 2013)

I copied and saved his recipe to a word file.  The sticks look great.  Just one question.  When you cut it down to a 5 pound batch do you just cut all the ingrediants in half?


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## boykjo (Sep 11, 2013)

The longer the tube the more force you will need to push the meat through. I had my tube about 12 inches and I cut it off to about 6 inches.....

That does'nt sound right......LOL


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## daveomak (Sep 11, 2013)

Fished said:


> I copied and saved his recipe to a word file.  The sticks look great.  Just one question.  When you cut it down to a 5 pound batch do you just cut all the ingrediants in half?


Pretty much...... Since the additions are based on initial weight of the meat and cure is based on total weight of the meat and spices and water, then all will be equal.....    Post your sticks on a new thread....   Love looking at pics....     Dave


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