My kids have just started hunting and they love meat sticks. I have recently made some meat sticks using Cabela's packaged mixes with less than ideal results (pepperoni and hot). May be I need to add more beef fat. Any help or suggestions?

I buy my stick seasonings from Hamm Butcher supply in St. Paul, Mn. It comes in packs that will season 25lbs of meat. It is great. I made 100lbs last year and this year it will be 150lbs. They have many different blends.Ph number is1-763-755-0180, EMAIL, mhamm@hammsbutchersupply.com

http://sausagemaker.com/

They might be cheaper the Cabela's

The pack from Hamm are $5.25 for 25lbs of meat. They have the caseings etc. also.

I'm all over meat sticks! Find the best and hook me up. I am sick to the gills of spending (no lie) two weeks on my jerky recipe. It is great and I don't think I am exagerating, but the labor investment is huge.

I have a lot of people that have somehow managed to make it onto my jerky list and I think it is time to reduce my end of the deal.

Sausage is much easier to make in bulk than the jerky I make.

Lets see some good (and easy) solutions!

Thanks for the input.

I will give some of the other makers a try.

Big Ed,

This is a tried and true jerky soak. Slice meat 1/4" thick. Let it sit over night and dry in an oven at 200 degrees or dehydrator. Must be kept in the refer since there is no preservatives. Keeps for two weeks. Works for beef too. Use this per pound of meat.


1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon red cooking wine
1 teaspoon sliced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon sliced jalapeno peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

I also make it with ground deer and run it thru my "jerky shooter". This can be a little hot, so adjust as necessary to taste.

Thanks Lowrider, but I was talking about the slender sausages. I have a jerky recipe but it is very labor intensive. I also have a long list of people that want said jerky. I was thinking about trying the meat sticks and seeing if they were easier and less weather-dependent than my jerky recipe.

That recipe for jerky looks good. I've never used a jerky shooter.

I usually cut up 4 or more entire deer a year into jerky. When we make jerky it is a week-long marathon. After all the time cutting strips, the jerky soaks 3 days in a brine, hangs 3 days in an enclosed barn, and then smokes 3 to 4 hours to finish it off. I have a pretty big smoker and it still takes 3 and sometimes 4 runs to get it all done. Frinds drop by and beer is consumed in vast amounts.

Lots of fun, but wears me out.

Ed,

I'm sorry, I wasn't clear on the last post. I use my sausage stuffer and 1/2" casing and put the same mixture I used for jerky and make meat ropes 3 or 4 feet long and dry them the same way as jerky....just takes a little longer. We roll them up and put them in a ziplock sandwich bag and freeze. You could certainly dry them in a smoker for awhile too. You need to take a sausage pricker and make holes in the casing or it won't dry properly. I find 4' will fit on a dehydrator tray nicely.

We've made about 60 lbs dried weight or 3 deer worth so far this year...it doesn't last long with kids/friends around. Remember there is no preservatives in it. When it's time to eat some, just cut off what you want and nuke it in the microwave for 1 minute and you're in tall cotton!! Think I'll have some now!!

BTW, I did a beef brisket in the wet smoker for 12 hours today...just fell apart...damn it was good with red beans and rice!!

Lowrider,

Thanks for the recipe...

This sounds alot easier than all the cutting involved in jerky prep. What is the sausage pricker..can you do anything esle, say use a pin every few inches?

I think I may have a weekend prject if the weather is bad.

pd

AKPERRYDOG,

Sure, anything that will allow moisture out of the meat will work. If you don't want to slice meat, I'd suggest the jerky shooter and forget the stuffer and casing. It puts out a continous strip of meat that will dry on the dehydrator or oven just fine. I'm living proof that it will work on Kodiak blacktail, Caribou and Moose. Nothing wrong with throwing it in the smoker with some salmon either. Good luck!!

lowrider
i bought my own grinder this year instead of using the 'community grinder"
ive done the 3# casings before
got a question on the snack stick one
can i use the oven or do i need to dehydrate?
thanks eric

Fog,

I used my oven with the door cracked open for years set on about 125 degrees and it works fine. My wife bought me a dehydrater a few years back and it works very well for the sticks or jerky and has handy trays to put the meat on. I run it on low and it takes about 12 hours. You can also do them in the smoker or gas grill with indirect heat REAL low, but some times I've had them get dried on the outside and still be moist inside which always worries me when not using preservatives, so I usually don't do that. The smoker does do a fine job and gives a good flavor with a little white oak or hickory.

Good luck and enjoy!!!