Looking for a delicious and easy-to-make snack that will satisfy your hunger without weighing you down? Look no further than snack sticks! Made from lean cuts of meat and spices, these little bites are perfect for on-the-go snacking. And, best of all, they can be made right in your own smoker!
Meat sticks are a type of semi-dry sausage that is thinner in diameter than jerky. It is made from pork, beef, venison, or a combination of wild game, and is a staple in sausage making. Meat sticks are made from ground meat and then stuffed in either natural collagen casings, and can be seasoned with virtually any profile.
Smoking homemade snack sticks is not as easy as it seems, and if not done properly, can ruin the whole recipe. In this guide, we will go over a few small things people often don’t think are essential when smoking meat sticks, that, in the end, can make all the difference.
How To Make Snack Sticks In A Smoker
Before you start smoking snack sticks, make sure you have all the ingredients and supplies you need. Having everything ready ahead of time will save you from having to stop in the middle of the process.
The best meat sticks will have a fat content of 15 to 25% and a lean content of 85 to 75%. Leaner sticks may be dry and crumbly.
You’ll need a snack sticks smoker, wood, a meat grinder, a mixer, casing, sausage stuffer, butcher strings, and your preferred seasoning to smoke snack sticks.
Step 1: Freezing The Meat
One important step in smoking snack sticks is freezing the meat for approximately 45 minutes beforehand. This is critical in ensuring that the fat does not separate from the meat, which would ruin the texture.
Step 2: Grinding The Meat
Next step is to grind the meat using a grinder. This will help to make the snack sticks more consistent in flavor and texture.
Step 3: Seasoning
Now that you have all of the ingredients, it’s time to mix them together. Depending on your personal preference, you can use a variety of spices to create the perfect seasoning.
To make snack sticks, start by adding spices or dry ingredients like salt, garlic powder, prague powder, black pepper, buttermilk powder, sugar, chili flakes, onion powder and nutmeg. You can also add in encapsulated citric acid and high temp cheese. Then add ice water and sriracha sauce to the mixture.
After add all of the ingredients to the meat, mix it using your hand for about one minute before place the meat (in a container) in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Step 4: Mixing Again
After mixing the ingredients, refrigerate them for one hour. Then, use the mixture to mix again. Keep the mixer’s speed on medium for about three minutes before putting it back in the refrigerator. Wait another hour and then smoke your meat.
Step 5: Stuffing The Meat
To complete the recipe, you will need to stuff the meat mixture inside of a collagen casing. Make sure that your stuffing is evenly distributed, as overstuffing or understaffing can affect the final product. I recommend using half inch-sized casings for optimum results.
If you have a lot of casing, it’s best to not overstuff it. You can use your fingers to create flat areas every six inches. Now, tie the ends of those flat areas with butcher rings. Separate the sticks by cutting between the knots. This will result in beautiful, uniform sticks. Refrigerate the sticks overnight before smoking them.
Step 6: Preheating Your Smoker
To get the best results from your smoker, make sure the temperature is properly adjusted. Some smokers can’t provide low temperatures, so don’t use them for smoking snack sticks.
To get the best results, preheat the smoker to 140 degrees F and add the meat sticks. Let them smoke for an hour at 140 degrees F. Hickory wood works well with this recipe, but feel free to use any type of wood you’re comfortable with.
Step 7: Adjusting The Temperature
To ensure that your snack sticks are evenly cooked and delicious, it is important to adjust the smoker temperature slowly. Smoke at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, increase the smoker temperature to 150 degrees F for the next hour. Make sure to open the smoker’s door or damper when increasing the temperature.
Increase the smoker temperature by 10 degrees F per hour until reaching 180 degrees F. It’s imperative to keep the internal temperature in check with meat thermometer. You want the internal temperature of the snack sticks to reach 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember to check it frequently between temperatures.
Step 8: Cooling the Snack Sticks
After cooking your snack sticks to the desired internal temperature, it is time to stop cooking them. To ensure that the snacks cook evenly and do not develop wrinkles, it is important to shower them or put them in an ice bath after cooking process.
To do this, soak the snacks in ice water immediately. After soaking for 10 minutes, remove and place at room temperature for one hour before storing in the refrigerator or freezer.
Step 9: Storing the Snack Sticks
If you plan on consuming these delicious snacks at a later date, you can vacuum seal them for freshness. When properly sealed, these delicious snack sticks can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or six months in the freezer. However, note that they will only last one week in a zipper-lock bag inside a refrigerator, so make sure to finish them up before they go bad!
Pro Tips About How To Make Snack Sticks In A Smoker
– Many snack sticks require six to ten hours to smoke. It depends on a lot of factors, including the type of meat you’re using. Make sure you keep the smoker temperature in check so that your snacks don’t undercook or overcook.
– The type of wood used in a smoking process will have a significant impact on the flavor of the meat. Therefore, it is important to understand the wood chip’s flavor before using it. There are many varieties available, so choose one that you are comfortable with. If you’re looking for a mild and subtle flavor, apple or cherry woods are two great options. If you want a sweet flavor, try using either hickory or maple.
– It is important to follow precise and simple steps when adjusting the temperature. If you make sudden changes, your snacks may not cook evenly or reach the desired temperature. Make sure to slowly open the smoker’s door or damper as you increase the temperature so that you do not shock or overheat your meat. Finally, be sure to check the internal temperature of the meat periodically in order to ensure it has reached its desired level.
If you immediately turn the oven to 180 degrees F and bypass the gradual temperature adjustment, you will run into some problems. The meat will be too dry and it will overcook the outside of the sticks. If the temperature is set too low, your meat will cook for an extended period of time. However, if the temperature is set too high, all the fat will be lost and your meat will become very dry and crumbly.
– There are a few different types of smokers you can use to smoke your snacks: charcoal, propane, and electric. While electric smokers are convenient, they don’t offer the same level of smokiness as smokers with direct heat do.
– If you’re just starting out, it’s a good idea to stick to recipes that are already familiar to you. This way, your smoke sticks will taste consistent. And don’t forget – always check the ingredient amounts against how much meat you are going to smoke.
– Laying the snack sticks on the racks allows you to control how much smoke gets into the sticks, while hanging them inside the preheated smoker lets more of the smoke flow through and cook the snack sticks evenly. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference.
Racking is a technique that helps heat the meat evenly, but it requires turning the sticks around occasionally. Hanging the sticks in a smoker creates more airspace for air circulation, which results in better smoking. Place a small pan at the bottom of the smoker when you hang your snack sticks inside. This will help increase humidity and keep your snacks from becoming crumbly.
– It is important to stuff your meat into a casing of no more than 0.8 inches in size. This will ensure that the meat hangs properly later on when it is mounted on a stick. The casings come in collagen or a natural sheep material, so you can select the one that best suits your needs.
Try to load the snack sticks evenly and do not leave air pockets. Leaving enough space between them so that they don’t stick together. You also want to make sure the snack sticks are not too long so they fit in your smoker and don’t get too close to the heater.
– Smoke the meat carefully so that all of the white fat remains on the outside. If it gets too hot, the fat will melt and you’ll end up with greasy pieces instead.
– To make the best-quality and great snack sticks seasoning, you should first freeze the meat before grinding it. This will help to preserve texture of the meat.
Next, use a medium plate to grind the meat and add any desired spices. Finally, mix it well using your hand and refrigerate for one hour. Afterward, remove it from refrigerator and mix it again for another 3 to 4 minutes before let it sit for another hour in the refrigerator. After filling the casing with the mixture, put the snack sticks in the refrigerator overnight before smoke them. After smoking, you can put them in cold water to cool down.
Beef Stick vs Beef Jerky
Beef jerky is a dried meat product that is usually made from lean cuts of beef. The meat is thinly sliced and dried using one of several methods which removes most of the fat, leaving you with a delicious, beefy snack that has a long shelf life ideal for on-the-go snacking. Beef jerky is high in protein and low in calories and fat, but can contain high levels of sodium from the preserving process.
Beef sticks are made with chopped and mixed ground beef that is then pushed into collagen or natural casings. The beef sticks have a higher fat content than jerky, but lower sodium. They have equivalent caloric content.
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Make Snack Sticks In A Smoker
What kind of wood is best for smoking snack sticks?
Apple and cherry wood offer a mild, fruity flavor, while walnut and mesquite provide a robust and intense aroma. For a sweet flavor, try hickory or maple.
What temperature should you cook venison snack sticks at?
To smoke venison snack sticks, preheat the smoker to 200 degrees F. Smoke the sticks until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Why are my snack stick casings tough?
One possible reason is that the cooking temperature was too high, or that the temperature was increased too quickly. This can cause the exterior of the casing to become hard and tough.
Why are some of the casing loose on my snack sticks?
Some parts of the sticks had rendered out fat, which made it difficult for the casing to stay in place. In those spots, the casing would easily slide off. Showering the snack sticks after they have been cooked will help set the casing and also prevent them from wrinkling. It should take around 10 minutes to cool them down to a safe temperature.
What is the best cut of beef for making snack sticks?
Starting with a high-quality cut of beef is crucial for making a quality product. The best cuts of beef for snack sticks are the whole muscle mock tender and shoulder clod, which come from the chuck primal (shoulder area). These cuts are lean and have a rich, beefy flavor.
What kind of meat is best for making snack sticks?
You can use any type of meat to make snack sticks, including beef, pork, chicken, other poultry, wild game meat such as the lean venison, or a combination of meats. For the best results, use a lean to fat ratio of at least 80/20, and a maximum of 40% fat.
