How To Make Homemade Snack Sticks
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I have another question. If I’m making snack sticks, is there any reason I can’t use the bratwurst seasonings in my snack sticks?
keoni02
I am not sure if I can answer your question, but here are some things to think about.Most bratwurst recipes are fresh sausage recipes and have less salt and no added cure.
Most snack stick recipes are a cured and cooked product that have somewhat higher salt levels to aid with shelf stability and curing.
Assuming you wanted to make a bratwurst flavored snack stick, I think you would need to adjust the salt levels and add cure before cooking/smoking.
The result would be something with quite a different flavor profile than a freshly grilled fresh bratwurst. You would taste the seasoning, but being cured and cooked/smoked it would be different.
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Assuming that this is the seasoning you are using,
https://www.waltonsinc.com/parmesan-garlic-bratwurst-seasoningI would add 1 oz of cure powder #1 to the meat and spices while mixing and process it like any other snack stick recipe as far as stuffing and thermal processing.
Since you are deviating from a proven recipe, I would strongly recommend making a smaller test batch and frying up a sample to check on the flavor/ saltiness before stuffing and smoking . You can make seasoning/salt adjustments to tweak the flavor before committing to a larger batch size.
If you do a smaller test batch, remember to scale down the seasoning and cure powder #1 proportionally.
This sounds really interesting. Be sure to let us know how it turns out.
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keoni02 I agree with processhead (as usual) make a small batch to test it out. I would start at using it at a ratio of 4/5th the amount of meat (20 lb of meat to a 25 lb batch of seasoning) and then just fry up the results to see how it goes. Absolutely use sure cure if you are going to smoke it.
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keoni02 I agree with processhead (as usual) make a small batch to test it out. I would start at using it at a ratio of 4/5th the amount of meat (20 lb of meat to a 25 lb batch of seasoning) and then just fry up the results to see how it goes. Absolutely use sure cure if you are going to smoke it.
Jonathon said in How To Make Homemade Snack Sticks:
keoni02 I agree with processhead (as usual) make a small batch to test it out. I would start at using it at a ratio of 4/5th the amount of meat (20 lb of meat to a 25 lb batch of seasoning) and then just fry up the results to see how it goes. Absolutely use sure cure if you are going to smoke it.
Just curious Jonathon, is reducing the seasoning by 4/5 because of the added drying and overall moisture loss in the meat during thermal processing?
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processhead It is a combination of that and the fact that the salt content 'needs" to be higher in the cured sausages because the salt plays a functional role as well as taste. Good question.
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Yes, processed, that is the seasoning I was looking at trying. I really want to try a Parmesan Garlic flavor of beef snack sticks. I’ve been only doing 2lb test batches as it is. And I have been frying up meat to test, as you mentioned Jonathan, however the fried bit always has a different flavor than the smoked… a stronger and better flavor when fried than smoked. Honestly, kinda disappointing flavor smoked cause it is so subdued compared to fried.
Jonathan, I already know the amount of cure I need for a two pound batch but what would I use for the seasoning? I looked at the conversion chart but it wasn’t listed.
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processhead It is a combination of that and the fact that the salt content 'needs" to be higher in the cured sausages because the salt plays a functional role as well as taste. Good question.
Jonathon said in How To Make Homemade Snack Sticks:
processhead It is a combination of that and the fact that the salt content 'needs" to be higher in the cured sausages because the salt plays a functional role as well as taste. Good question.
I just re-read my question and realized I misread what you wrote. ie misread decrease the meat amount as decrease the seasoning amount.
Yeah, decreasing the meat so the salt level is proportionally higher makes sense to me.
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keoni02 “Surprise snack stick is the the name of new band, called it”
Shoot, it isnt there, if you are referring to https://www.waltonsinc.com/parmesan-garlic-bratwurst-seasoning then it would be .8 of an oz of seasoning for 2 lb of meat if this was a regular fresh brat you were making but for a snack stick you will want to use that amount of seasoning to 1.6 lb of meat, or to go the other way 1 oz of seasoning to 2 lb of meat. That second one might not be 100% correct but it would be really close.
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keoni02 “Surprise snack stick is the the name of new band, called it”
Shoot, it isnt there, if you are referring to https://www.waltonsinc.com/parmesan-garlic-bratwurst-seasoning then it would be .8 of an oz of seasoning for 2 lb of meat if this was a regular fresh brat you were making but for a snack stick you will want to use that amount of seasoning to 1.6 lb of meat, or to go the other way 1 oz of seasoning to 2 lb of meat. That second one might not be 100% correct but it would be really close.
Jonathon said in How To Make Homemade Snack Sticks:
keoni02 “Surprise snack stick is the the name of new band, called it”
Shoot, it isnt there, if you are referring to https://www.waltonsinc.com/parmesan-garlic-bratwurst-seasoning then it would be .8 of an oz of seasoning for 2 lb of meat if this was a regular fresh brat you were making but for a snack stick you will want to use that amount of seasoning to 1.6 lb of meat, or to go the other way 1 oz of seasoning to 2 lb of meat. That second one might not be 100% correct but it would be really close.
For the adjustments to seasoning and meat, I get those same numbers, we are either both right or both wrong, but I’m betting right

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keoni02 “Surprise snack stick is the the name of new band, called it”
Shoot, it isnt there, if you are referring to https://www.waltonsinc.com/parmesan-garlic-bratwurst-seasoning then it would be .8 of an oz of seasoning for 2 lb of meat if this was a regular fresh brat you were making but for a snack stick you will want to use that amount of seasoning to 1.6 lb of meat, or to go the other way 1 oz of seasoning to 2 lb of meat. That second one might not be 100% correct but it would be really close.
Jonathon
My name is Johnny Radford. I’m from Illinois. I started making my own deer sticks this year using Waltons seasonings. And everyone that has tried them really liked them. The question T. Williams told me to ask you is: is it feasible for me to use the cheeseburger cheddarwurst brat seasoning to make deer sticks? -
PS fellas… I’m gonna have a surprise snack stick to tell you about once I get some more high temp cheeses

keoni02 inquiring minds are impatiently waiting…tick tock…lol
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Jonathon
My name is Johnny Radford. I’m from Illinois. I started making my own deer sticks this year using Waltons seasonings. And everyone that has tried them really liked them. The question T. Williams told me to ask you is: is it feasible for me to use the cheeseburger cheddarwurst brat seasoning to make deer sticks? -
Allllllll riiiighty… so, some test batches are done. First group is the “surprise” batch I’ve been working on. Unfortunately I apparently didn’t stuff them as well so texture isn’t where I’d like it
but the flavor is BACON CHEESE BURGER!!!
Yes, actual bacon bits are in there!

Center batch is Honey BBQ which turned out perfect! The small batch at the right is using the Parmesan Garlic Bratwurst seasoning and it turned out pretty good.

Overall, very happy with today’s outcome
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