Meat Processing

@Phil-Layfield No, you don’t need to add sure gel or carrot fiber, it will help but you can do it without it. Just make sure you mix it very well and get lots of protein extraction. I’d add about a quart of water per 25 lb of meat, if you arent using a binder I wouldn’t add more than that.

@Jonathon Thank you sir!

Personally don’t care for it in my venison. My brother loved it so he got the whole 12lbs. Actually never heard of it until hanging around this site.

OH… I think the light just went on! If I take 1/2 cup of seasoning, PLUS 4tbsps of seasoning PLUS 1tsp of seasoning, it would add up to a total of 4.8oz of seasoning per 5lbs of meat… Thank You!

@Carl-Scheuer No, everything else is an option. While I would recommend using Encapsulated Citric Acid (it adds tang and is a cure accelerator) and Sure Gel as a binder you are fine with just the cure and the seasoning. Some people like making a Summer Sausage with no tang and if holding it overnight before smoking isnt a problem for you then you are fine there, and just make sure you get really really good protein extraction. If you have issues, or want a different result then try those additives next time! Good luck, and please post pics if they come out really well!

@akdave sweet thanks I’ll check it out!

Thanks. Will start small before going big

I think your right I just watched the video on it .I don’t think I mixed it long enough.

@Abu65 i dont know what kinda grinder you got but like i say if its a smaller one and you got bigger chunks then i see no issue running it through the kidney plate. It will certainly help the meat to run smoother through the 3/16th. Are you going to run it twice through the 3/16th? I personally would recommend that.

@Jonathon , Thanks for the help! they sat only 2days taste fine

@JSager Yeah like @lamurscrappy said if you are holding it for 12 hours there is no need for the smoked meat stabilizer and I try to not add things that don’t need it. Also on the amount to add that is a matter of taste and different seasonings might be different as well so it just takes some experimentation, for some people additional 10% will make it a little too salty and for some people just using the recommended amount will leave them with a jerky that is a little too bland.

@Jonathon Thank you sounds good.

@Jonathon said in Snack sticks meat ?: @JohninPa With what @Unionguy1019 just added I would strongly consider tossing the meat. I came to the conclusion that I am going to do just that. I think I would of been fine but used too much water when mixing it and too hard to stuff with the grinder. I will be trying again this weekend.

@twilliams What @blackbetty61 said is correct! You do count the pork fat, so 6.25 to 18.75 would be pretty much perfect!

@RatguyGary You should have no issue with this as long as you add the Encapsulated Citric Acid during the last minute of mixing. The cotton seed oil coating on the citric acid will easily stand up to being in cold meat for a few hours, so you are good to go!

@Larry-Joe-Sample Cold Phosphate would be at the rate of 2 oz of phosphate per 25 lb of turkey. So, if you have 120 lb of turkey then use 9.6 oz of cold phosphate. For the Turkey Cure use 1.29 lb of the cure to 1 gallon of water for a 10% pump. So that would be enough to pump 96.3 lb of turkey but remember, you want to have a 50% strength solution after you inject to hold it in overnight. So, you pump it to 10% it’s green weight, then make up a solution that is 1.29 lb of cure to 2 gallons of water and let them sit in that overnight. If you want to just do it 6 times though you can absolutely do that!

@JohninPa If you don’t want to finish in a water bath you will still be done pretty quick with 1.5" logs. I’d guess you won’t be at the last stage for more than 2 hours or so. You can grind exactly like parksider said!

@Craig-Stockman Exactly what @farmwife said. Using a different seasoning to make jerky might present you with a stronger taste. Backing it off somewhere around 10% should fix that, or just enjoy some really strong tasting jerky! Nothing wrong with that at all in my mind, as long as you like salt!

@Jonathon I agree pork fat would be better, however the small place I have my elk processed doesn’t have pork to add. I generally have pork fat to add if I need additional. The casings I used were the tubed natural hog 35-38mm. Smoke schedule was 150 for 3 hours, 160 for 2 hours them 170 to an IT of 150. Using a Yoder pellet grill, it was also the first time using the Yoder for smoking, so me figuring it out may be part of it too. I gave some to a friend and he said it was really good, so it could just be me/the link I cut into for a snack.

@davesdang You can use any wood you want really. I’d recommend something with a smoother smoke, my personal favorite for sausage is pecan. It is relatively inexpensive and I like the mild smoke it puts out.