Snack sticks
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Arnie Hofer mrobisr
I had issue’s getting smoke from the MB chip tray unless I was up into the 150+ deg range. This was using the smaller thin wood chips. At times they would actually start burning.Once I went to the pellet tube, problem solved.
mrobisr
I tried running the temp up to get the smoke going, but then backing it off to a low temp didn’t work so well, quit smoking. Don’t know why. Pellet tube solved everything! -
Ok I smoked my first batch yesterday I bought wood chunks instead of chips but I chopped them into small pieces but I could get hardly any smoke our of them.Is there a difference in the wood or am I expecting to much smoke
Arnie Hofer you need to use chips, the chunks will not produce the smoke you are looking for. PapaSop is making a good suggestion unless you have a cold smoking attachment. The MB has a very difficult time making smoke at low temps.
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I have venison and 80 20 beef wat ratio should I add the beef at 50 50 maybe
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I have venison and 80 20 beef wat ratio should I add the beef at 50 50 maybe
Arnie Hofer what else would you be using for moisture/fat? Beef fat or pork fat? I recommend pork fat if it is available to you. Your venison should be trimmed very lean with as much fat removed as possible. Adding 80/20 beef even at 50/50 mix is gonna be too lean and will most likely be too dry. For a 25 lb batch I recommend….
16.50 lbs venison
6.50 lbs 80/20 beef trim
2.00 lbs pork or beef fatIf you ran a 50/50mix you could probably cut the fat down to 1 lb pork or beef fat.
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Arnie Hofer i don’t really know what the minimum temperature is to produce smoke, i tried and when it didn’t make smoke i attached the exterior smoker. The suggestion papasop made is a good one or maybe you could run the temp to 250f to get it smoking and then reduce the temperature and add your meat, worth a try.
mrobisr So I got a external smoker how long do u think I should leave that on can I over smoke them
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mrobisr So I got a external smoker how long do u think I should leave that on can I over smoke them
Arnie Hofer said in Snack sticks:
mrobisr So I got a external smoker how long do u think I should leave that on can I over smoke them
You can absolutely over smoke for some. I always have to very lightly smoke my product if I want the wife to enjoy it, but there are times that I want the ingredients to shine. Sticks are small so it don’t take long to saturate them in smoke compared a 4" bologna. I would not smoke over and half hour which means just a hand full of chips in the MB external smoker. If you really like smoke you can go for 1-2 hours after that the meat will just be smoke. Start on the lighter side and work up until you find your sweet spot.
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Arnie Hofer said in Snack sticks:
mrobisr So I got a external smoker how long do u think I should leave that on can I over smoke them
You can absolutely over smoke for some. I always have to very lightly smoke my product if I want the wife to enjoy it, but there are times that I want the ingredients to shine. Sticks are small so it don’t take long to saturate them in smoke compared a 4" bologna. I would not smoke over and half hour which means just a hand full of chips in the MB external smoker. If you really like smoke you can go for 1-2 hours after that the meat will just be smoke. Start on the lighter side and work up until you find your sweet spot.
mrobisr which chips are u using I used apple and left smoke on for 6 hours not oversmoked just right
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mrobisr which chips are u using I used apple and left smoke on for 6 hours not oversmoked just right
Arnie Hofer I use apple too and I’m so glad that they turned our for you, got to love it when a plan comes together.
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How do I stop the casing from becoming wrinkled I have water in at all times but the casing still wrinkles up on me
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How do I stop the casing from becoming wrinkled I have water in at all times but the casing still wrinkles up on me
Arnie Hofer slower ramp up on the heat, finish in water bath once IT of 130-135f is reached, and ice water bath when IT is reached for 20 minutes.
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Arnie Hofer slower ramp up on the heat, finish in water bath once IT of 130-135f is reached, and ice water bath when IT is reached for 20 minutes.
mrobisr 1 do 125 for 1 hour 140 for 1 hour 155 for 2 hours them 175 do u think that’s still 2 fast
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Arnie Hofer slower ramp up on the heat, finish in water bath once IT of 130-135f is reached, and ice water bath when IT is reached for 20 minutes.
mrobisr wat do u mean finish in water bath 130-135
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mrobisr wat do u mean finish in water bath 130-135
Arnie Hofer what mrobisr is referring to is finishing the cook by placing the snack sticks on a heated water bath. Once the internal temp of the sticks are around 135 to 140, move them from The smoker to a water bath that has a constant temp of 170. You can use a sous vide machine in a large cooler or if you dont have one, a roasting pan that you can monitor the water temp. Once the sticks reach 160-165 for a few minutes, they are done. Move them to an ice bath to stop the cooking about 20 minutes then alow them to dry before packing. And
Yes I believe you are upping the temp to fast. If you heat to fast you dry out the casings before the water in the sticks can evaporate. Once the casing dries (called case hardening), the meat cant get the extra water out.
Try 1 hour at 110 or 2 hours at 120 if you cant get that low. The add smoke and go 2 hours at 130 then 1 at 140 and 1 at 150. Internal temp (IT) should be at or near 135 to 140. Hope that helps -
Can’t I achieve it in the smoker without the water cooker
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Can’t I achieve it in the smoker without the water cooker
Arnie Hofer your not trying to keep snack sticks moist. Your drying them out slowly. With sticks I think you only add the water pan if you need increased humidity. To get through the stall. Since you avoid the stall with the sous vide or roasting pan hot water bath, there is no need for water. That’s my undedstanding.
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Arnie Hofer your not trying to keep snack sticks moist. Your drying them out slowly. With sticks I think you only add the water pan if you need increased humidity. To get through the stall. Since you avoid the stall with the sous vide or roasting pan hot water bath, there is no need for water. That’s my undedstanding.
Arnie Hofer yes, you will go through the stall where the sticks sweat water. And, like a person sweats to cool down, the sticks do the same. By using water after 140 cooking temp, you increase the humidity inside the smoker. Like on a hot humid day the sweat cant evaporate and cool you, you do the same to the sticks. Since they cant cool off the IT goes up. It’s just slower and you have to be patient to get through that stall. And it happens on almost all slow cooks.
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Chefs, has anyone tried to pipe in a power humidifier mod like adding a smoke pistol? Just a curious mind here chefs.
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mrobisr wat do u mean finish in water bath 130-135
Arnie Hofer samspade is spot on with the explanations.
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Arnie Hofer yes, you will go through the stall where the sticks sweat water. And, like a person sweats to cool down, the sticks do the same. By using water after 140 cooking temp, you increase the humidity inside the smoker. Like on a hot humid day the sweat cant evaporate and cool you, you do the same to the sticks. Since they cant cool off the IT goes up. It’s just slower and you have to be patient to get through that stall. And it happens on almost all slow cooks.
samspade do are u saying leave The water out till 140 IT
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Most snack sticks are wrinkled because of drying, but if you don’t want that then cook/smoke until 135f IT give or take and then finish in a water bath set at 170f until you reach your desired IT, than shock in ice water for 20 minutes.
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