Author Topic: Snack Stick Gear?  (Read 14149 times)

Libohunden

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2017, 12:55:54 AM »
Greg, I want my cut of the kickback your getting from Waltons!
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NDKoze

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  • Gregg - Fargo, ND
Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2017, 01:33:13 AM »
I really should get some kick backs!  :P

I have a 20lb mixer at home and a 50lb mixer at my parent's house and they are definitely worth it.

It is hard to get the meat mixed as well and also hard to get the required protein extraction from hand mixing. A mixer is not required, but definitely recommended.

If the mixer is in good shape, $60 for a Weston mixer is a pretty good deal.

BTW, don't plan on putting anymore than 15lbs in a 20lb mixer. The mixer itself might hold 20lbs of meat, but mixing 20lbs in it will not work very well.
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

Libohunden

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2017, 09:38:44 AM »
I took the plunge last night and bought the 11lb Walton stuffer. I hope I use it enough to make it worth it. My rationale was that I could get by with a jerky gun but if I enjoy making sticks, my cost just went up by $50 since I would purchase the stuffer later. Plus, I can make my own sausage with the stuffer.

I also got some white oil as you recommended and some sure gel.

Since I'm all in, I may pick up that meat mixer on Craigslist. I may start out the gate with a 10lb batch!

Do you tie the ends of the casings when making sticks?
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NDKoze

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2017, 10:37:41 AM »
No, I don't tie them.
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

NDKoze

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #19 on: January 04, 2017, 11:00:12 AM »
Congrats on the stuffer. You will be glad you had the extra capacity when you start stuffing. Heck, for a 10 pound batch you might not even have to refill once. But, by the time you add water and sometimes cheese, you won't be able to get quite all of it in. But, just do a couple of ropes and then refill when you have enough room to fit the rest in. That $179.99 sale is pretty good too.

I bought two extra gaskets too, but I was happily surprised that it came with a spare gasket already. With the Steel tubes including the necessary 12MM tube, extra gasket, etc., included with the Waltons stuffer, the little things start adding up and all of the sudden the Amazon versions aren't quite as cheap as you thought.

A few snack stick tips that I am not sure that I have shared before that may help you a little bit:
  • I usually break my casing sticks into thirds and stuff a third of a casing at a time. Any more than that is hard to manage.
  • I usually set a flat cookie sheet (no sides) on a potholder and my helper (one of my kids) spins the stuffed sausage on the cookie sheet as it comes off of the stuffer.
  • Then I have a nice roll of stuffed sausage that I later measure (40" for my #3) and cut and hang on my Sausage Rack Mini (SRM-1000).
  • To make this easier, I measure 40" on my counter and then place a couple of pieces of Masking tape to the counter. Then I just use the masking tape to quickly measure my sausage and cut into 40" ropes.
  • You'll end up with some odds and ends, but you just jigsaw puzzle them onto the racks and they work just fine.
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

Libohunden

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #20 on: January 04, 2017, 02:30:49 PM »
Thanks Greg!  I read somewhere that it's good to put casings in fridge so they are not so brittle.  Is that a fact?
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NDKoze

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #21 on: January 04, 2017, 02:40:26 PM »
I have heard it too, but honestly do not normally do it. My butcher suggested that it is a good idea to put them in the fridge for an hour or two prior to stuffing. This adds a little humidity to the casings and as you have mentioned makes them not quite as brittle.

This might be more necessary if you have some older casings that have dried out a bit. I typically only buy them shortly before using them, so have never really remembered to do it. But if I remember it, I would put them in the fridge for a couple of hours prior to stuffing. It is a good idea.
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

Libohunden

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #22 on: January 04, 2017, 02:49:37 PM »
No, I don't tie them.

So what do you do?  Twist them?  How does the meat stay inside the casing?

Also, is there a need to hang them?  I planned to stuff them, throw them in a deep pan in the fridge over night. Then smoke them, ice bath and then cut and package.
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NDKoze

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #23 on: January 04, 2017, 04:48:18 PM »
I like to hang them because it helps dry the casings out and helps them stick to the meat. I want to get rid of as much moisture as possible prior to smoking as possible. If you don't hang them, make sure that you don't stack them too high or they will get flat. A simple rack like I made in my garage only costs $10-$20 or so. Unless you are in an area that stays pretty wam overnight. They are cured so don't necessarily need to be at Fridgerator temps, but would be nice to keep them in the below 50-60 degree temps or so.

I don't twist either. The meat won't come out of the casings unless you stuff them too tight which is kind of hard to do. When cutting the sticks to length, I just pinch the area to be cut flat between my thumb and forefinger and then cut with a scissors.

You can see in the attached picture that some have some loose casing, but most you can see a little pinch mark but for the most part open. I did have a batch where it didn't get my sticks filled tight enough. So, I tried to squeeze them together to fill them up more full. But, I squeezed them too tight and they were too tight and they did start to leak a little bit (maybe and inch or two), but they still stayed together and didn't drop a bunch of meat on the floor or anything if that was what you were worried about. But, that only happened to me once in ten years or so. So, it is not a big worry of mine.

I might have to make a video sometime. But, not sure if that is going to happen or not. :)
« Last Edit: January 04, 2017, 05:56:47 PM by NDKoze »
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

Libohunden

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #24 on: January 04, 2017, 10:51:22 PM »
I'm wondering if something like this would hold 10 lbs of sticks?
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NDKoze

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #25 on: January 05, 2017, 02:55:17 AM »
I'm wondering if something like this would hold 10 lbs of sticks?

Something like what?
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

Libohunden

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #26 on: January 05, 2017, 08:49:18 AM »
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NDKoze

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #27 on: January 05, 2017, 03:17:18 PM »
Yeah, I think that would work if you are only doing 10lbs or less. Any more and I would be a little concerned that it would handle the weight. It is a nice option that would be easily stored when not in use.

That could be considered the Sausage Rack Super Mini (SRSM-1000) :P
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

Libohunden

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #28 on: January 05, 2017, 04:24:23 PM »
LOL!  That's what i like about it.  I'm not sure about hanging them in my garage.  I'd probably have roaches all over them if they were out there more than an hour or two.

I'm going to try to finish a batch of bacon on Saturday and hopefully, snack sticks on Sunday!  It will be in the 30's in Houston all weekend but next week it will be back up to 78ish.  The time for these kind of goodies is short around here!
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DivotMaker

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Re: Snack Stick Gear?
« Reply #29 on: January 05, 2017, 08:41:30 PM »
LOL!  That's what i like about it.  I'm not sure about hanging them in my garage.  I'd probably have roaches all over them if they were out there more than an hour or two.

Gregg does it because no roach could withstand the frozen great white north where he lives!  I think that's why he lives up there...he has a bug-free, 360 refrigerator for all the meat he produces! ;D ;D
Tony from NW Arkansas
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