Deer sticks?

[1johntimm]

I just purchased a meat grinder and some High Mountain snack stick seasoning kit. Any one try these yet? I made jerky out of the High Mountain Jerky kit and it turned out great! Now I've got to try this. I'm not sure weather I should add some pork sausage to the snack stick recipe High Mountain calls for?

[thirdeye]

I'll be watching this thread, I like many of the Hi Mountain products, never tried the sticks either.

[Huskie]

I'll be watching this thread, I like many of the Hi Mountain products, never tried the sticks either. [/quote

What other Hi Mt. products have you used? I am planning on making some breakfast sausage and brats this year. Would you recommend their kits or is it better to take another recipe off of this or another HSOforum.

[reinhard1]

i havent seen the High Mountain deer stick mix in my neck of the woods. so i dont know what the recipie calls for. here is one out of an old sausage book. however i think High Mountain makes excelent products so it should be fine.

VENISON SNACK STICKS

18 lbs. venison

2 pounds pork fat

4 tbls paprika

6 tbls ground mustard

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp ground white pepper

1 tsp ground celery seeds

1 tbls mace

1 tsp. powdered or granulated garlic

3 1/2 oz kosher salt

4 level tsp prague powder #2 dissolved in 1 cup water [here is a note when using this cure. when you measure 1 tsp for example use a knife to level your measurement, do not pack it down]

1 1/2 oz. powdered dextrose

6 oz. fermento

sheep casings

grind meats with a course plate. mix all the ingrediants well. grind through a fine disc. now stuff into casings.smoke at 100 deg for 8 hours. maintain the temperature for another 12 hours so that the traditional tangy flavor develops. raise the temperature to 165 deg and maintain until the meat's internal temperature reaches 160 deg. remove the sausage and put the sausage in ice water until the internal temp gets to 75 deg. hang in a cool place to dry and then wrap for the freezer. good luck.

let us know how the high mountain works. i dont know what the recipie calls for so i cant answer the question about the pork. try it in a small amount and see if you like it the way it is if possible.

[thirdeye]

[1johntimm]

Cabelas just started carrying the snack stick kits. The kits consist of casings,cure,seasoning and directions. High Mountain doesn't call for any added pork, but I'll try small batches with and without and let everyone know my thoughts. I'm hoping it's as good as their jerky mixes!

[vince]

I have made their Sweet and Spicy sticks and added 2 pounds of pork to a 10 pound batch. The directions don't ask for it, but I thought it would be a little dry without some fat in it. I really liked how they turned out. I have also made LEM Hotsticks and they are very good, also. Their directions call for a pound of pork in a 5 pound batch. Sausage making is fun!!

[rocstar]

The question I have is with the smoking process itself. Do you use a particular wood chip with venison sausage? I have never smoked but am thinking about giving it a try using a kit from CurleysSausageKitchen.com

[1johntimm]

Found out the grinder/stuffer attachment is bigger than the casings the sausage kit came with. now I cannot stuff the casings? To get the jerky gun kit or try to find a stuffer attachment that fits my new Cabela's grinder?

[Borch]

I found that trying to push sauage through a grinder into the smaller stick casings made more of a mush consistency. I got a stuffer and fixed the issue. But a jerky gun might work for small batches.

[rocstar]

I just bought a stainless 3/8" diameter stuffing tube for $11. This should be the ticket for sticks.

[1johntimm]

That's what I may have to do, but I'm betting no one around here has them? Probably an hour drive to find one for me? I'm wondering if I can wedge a funnel spout over the stuffer that came with the grinder?

[delcecchi]

amazon and other places have them. search on stuffing tube.

[bloc004]

I agree with the smaller grinders making a "mushy" consistency. I myself need to invest in a stuffer.

These kits are convenient. I have done my venison sticks all with ground pork. I have used about 1/3 ground pork to venison and it has turned out to my liking, you might need to just try it and adjust from there, as with most new recipes and smoking. I like to smoke with apple or cherry for my sticks. But have used maple and hickory as well with good results. Just make sure when you are smoking to not go above about 170 degrees, or your fat will melt out and you will not be happy with the results.

If you do add pork, make sure that the amount of meat you are going to mix with the kit is pretty accurate. If you have a kit for 5 lbs of sticks, make sure that the pork plus the venison is 5 lbs, as the cure in those kits is measured for that amount/ weight of meat.

[1johntimm]

Thanks for all the info. I ordered a jerky master (meat calking gun) from Gander Mountain. I'm hoping it works!

[IlliniWalli]

i make the quick sticks.

just mix a package of the american harvest seasoning (pepperoni is the best) with a pound of plain burger, which i grind myself, use the gun to make about 6 inch long sticks and put on the dehydrator for about 6 hours.

easy and good.

[reinhard1]

i have done the same thing with the High Mountain and Nesco jerky mix. i atached the "jerky stick" tube that came with the jerky gun to the gun. then mixed the jerky mix as directed [whatever flavor you like] with the burger and made the same short sticks. they do take a little longer in the dehydrator than the thin jerky that is normaly sqeezed out of the gun. so the 6 hr time is about right. this is one way to make deer sticks. good luck.

[rocstar]

Made my first attept at making sticks and summer sausage yesterday. Things went well except for stuffing the sticks. I used one of those cheap 5-lb stuffers with a 11/16" OD tube. It was really tuff stuffing the casings through the small tube as the meat would bypass the plunger/piston. I also have a smaller diameter tube but this one was impossible. I did add some water which helped but I am guessing a better stuffer is required. Maybe a guy is better off stuffing right after you mix up the meat so that it doesn't set up so much. Any thoughts, suggestions and experienced words out there on stuffing sticks?

[reinhard1]

what kind of casings were you using and what kind of stuffer was it? the only reason i was asking was that you said it was a cheap 5 pound stuffer. the finished mix should be "sticky" to the touch. the tubes have to be lubed by water or i often use vegetable spray. i also spray the inside of my stuffer before stuffing [only because it makes for a easier clean up]. if the mix was a little firm it would be harder to stuff. i have a verticle stuffer and in my opinion, that is the best way to go. good luck.

[KEN W]

I made 10 lbs of sticks yesterday.My family likes the pepperoni seasoning with high temp mozarella.

I use 22 mm sheep casings.They are small and sometimes difficult to get on the tube.But the finished product was worth it.These are not smoked.

[1johntimm]

My experience with the High Mountain kit is not so good. The casings blow out after I get 6" stuffed. The mix is the same as the jerky mix, so the sticks taste like "jerky" sticks. The Jerky Master Kit I got is not such a good unit also. The jerky gun is plastic and warped so much you have to strong arm the plunger to get it into the tube, what a pain. Gonna have to go with other deer stick recipes on here to get some sticks that taste good!