The more info the better I think

@Jonathon 10hrs in the smoker, 1.5 hours resting in foil/towel in the cooler. That sauce is actually store bought Sonny’s Sweet. Pictures were taken about 3 minutes apart. It fell apart easy and had great flavor. Used cherry wood in the smoker.

This should be helpful!

Difference Between Chamber and Non-Chambered Vacuum Sealing Learn what the difference between chamber and non-chambered vacuum sealers, along with the different vacuum sealer bags, and when to use which ones with Walton's and Meatgistics. Read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below. What Is A Chamber Vacuum Sealer? A chambered vacuum sealer is a vacuum sealer where the entire vacuum pouch is placed inside of the vacuum sealer and when the lid closes and the vacuum process begins. The air is removed from from inside the machine and the pouch is fully enclosed by the machine and lid. The VacMaster VP215 is a great example of a small chamber vacuum sealer. Chambered Vacuum Sealers come in a ton of different options and varieties. From as inexpensive as the Walton’s Chamber Vac Sealer at a little more than $1,000 all the way to a Promarks DC-900 Double Chamber Swing Lid Vacuum Sealer that costs $26,000. For a vacuum sealer at home, Walton’s recommends the VacMaster VP215 Vacuum Sealer. At just over $1,200, this vacuum sealer is hard to beat. For a commercial unit, it is a little bit harder to say which unit is best because it really depends on your volume and capacity. Walton’s does promote and really like the quality and functionality of the Promarks Vacuum Sealers for any type of commercial application though. What Is A Non-Chambered Vacuum Sealer? A non-chambered vacuum sealer is a vacuum sealer where only the end of the bag is placed inside the vacuum sealer. Once the vacuum is turned on, most of the bag remains outside the vacuum sealing chamber and air is pulled out of the bag by small channels in the vacuum pouch. These types of units are typically very inexpensive and great for all kinds of applications at home. These types of units would not be suggested for commercial applications though. Walton’s carries its own brand of vacuum sealers with two choices in the non-chambered models. The Walton’s 12-inch Pro Vac Sealer is made of stainless steel and is ideal for home vacuum packaging, including marinating meat and seafood. Constructed from stainless steel, the Walton’s 12-inch Pro Vacuum Sealer has handle featuring a quick-start and quick-seal buttons for convenience. Another affordable option for the home user is the Walton’s Fresh Vac Sealer. For bags up to 11 inches in width, this vacuum sealer comes with a lock down handle and extra vacuum power. For $89.99 this vac sealer is a good option for home use. What Vacuum Pouches work with Chamber Vacuum Sealers? All vacuum pouches! Chambered machines will work with any type of vacuum pouch, regardless of brand or style. That is the great thing about Chamber Vacuum Sealers in that you aren’t stuck using only a special type of bag like the non-chambered units require. And, with Chamber Vacuum Sealers, you also get the added benefit of having multiple options available. Instead of just plain 3-mil Vac Pouches, you can also get 4-mil Vac Pouches, 5-mil Vac Pouches, Zippered Vac Pouches, Windowed Vac Pouches, Boilable Vac Pouches, Safe Handling Printed Vac Pouches, and Gold Foil Vac Pouches. What Vacuum Pouches work with NON-Chambered Vacuum Sealers? Only vacuum pouches with a textured interior. Sometimes referred to as “full-mesh bags” or “textured bags” or “non-chambered bags”. Almost all vacuum sealer bags that have a textured interior are compatible with any brand of FoodSaver, Walton’s, VacMaster, or Ziploc heat-seal vacuum systems (and other brands). Walton’s offer vacuum sealer bags with the textured interior from both Walton’s and VacMaster. I personally use the Walton’s bags, but both types of brands of bags from Walton’s will work with any brand of non-chambered vacuum sealers. Why Should I Choose Chamber or Non-Chambered Vacuum Sealers & Bags First off, whichever machine you have, buy the right type of bags for it. If you have a chamber machine, it will still work fine with the non-chambered (textured interior) bags, but the actual Chamber Vacuum Sealer Bags will be less expensive. Then, if you are still trying to choose between the styles, consider this… Initial costs will be less expensive on the “non-chambered” units, but more expensive on the bags over time. The machines cost less and it’s easier to start off by buying a non-chambered vacuum sealer but buying a chamber vacuum sealer will save you money because chamber vacuum sealer bags are a fraction of the cost of their non-chambered counterparts. Non-chambered vacuum sealers cost less than chamber vacuum sealers, but chamber vacuum sealer bags cost less than non-chambered (textured interior) vacuum sealer bags. What Is The Price Comparison Between The Two Types of Vacuum Sealers & Bags? Example: If you average using 10 bags a week to seal leftovers from dinner or package a few batches of jerky and snack sticks from time to time, then you’d use 520 bags in 1 year. That cost in 8x12 bags for the non-chambered type would cost you about $125. The same quantity of bags, but for a chamber vacuum sealers would cost about $30. That’s a $95 difference. Multiply that out over 5 years of use, and add in the cost of buying a vacuum sealer of either type… Walton’s 12inch Pro Sealer ($340) plus vacuum pouches ($625) equals a total cost over 5 years of $965. Walton’s Chamber Vac Sealer ($1,099) plus vacuum pouches ($150) equals a total cost over 5 years of $1,249. From that, you can see that the cost of vacuum sealer bags are really a great equalizer over the long run, and the total cost of ownership between non-chambered and chamber vacuum sealers is really quite close. Shop waltonsinc.com for Vacuum Sealers Shop waltonsinc.com for Vacuum Sealer Bags & Pouches Shop waltonsinc.com for Vacuum Sealing Accessories Buy Chamber Vacuum Sealer Bags Buy Non-Chamber Vacuum Sealer Bags

106 new users…Wowzer!

They keep computer generated my review responses too but I still have not gotten to use them ye! Dang if I’m not neat 3 going on 4 months behind!

Jonathan, thanks you for the link and the answer.

Dry Aging: 101 The Basics Attend this Intermediate-level class from Meatgistics University by watching the video, reading the article and post any questions you have! Why Dry Age? So, what is happening when you dry age meat? Well first, during the initial 21 day process of dry aging the collagen and connective tissue are being broken down within the meat by enzymes that are naturally present in beef. The results of this process are similar to what happen when we cook a tough brisket or a pork butt all the way up to 190°, in that process the collagen and connective tissues are being broken down by heat, in this process the enzymes are eating and breaking them down, so similar results but with totally different processes. Most of the tenderness is set in by 21 days, beyond that flavor profiles might change but you will not have increased tenderness. Why Don’t People Dry Age That Often? One of the reasons that very few people dry age their beef is because as you dry age you are going to lose as much as 25% of your product, obviously it could be higher, in fact, you could lose 100% of it if things go really wrong. For someone doing this at home once in a while that might not be a large concern but for a commercial processor this is going to increase costs per lb significantly. Another reason is that you cannot take a 2 inch thick steak and dry age it, you need a large subprimal cut like a strip loin or ribeye, which is going to be fairly expensive. As the drying continues the outside is going to “spoil” as most of the moisture is drawn out from the meat and evaporates off, this process intensifies the flavor of the meat but does account for a decent amount of the product loss. The trimming is why larger subprimal cuts are necessary for dry aging. Dry Aging Sausage Is More Difficult In this process we are going to rely on a pH drop and then the good bacteria to outcompete the bad bacteria to prevent anything harmful from growing on the meat. This is why it really is critical to have a place where you can reliably control both the temperature and the humidity. I know that some people have done it forever in their basement during a certain month of the year or other but this isn’t a process we recommend, a drying cabinet of some sort that is easily sterilized before and after use is important. You will have to have a way to reliably measure the pH of your sausage to be able to make sure this process has been successful as well. Different starter cultures have different requirements but an example of one would be for Spanish Chorizo where we are using Bactoferms T-SPX. We are going to ferment it at 75°F with 90% relative humidity for 36-48 hours or as soon as we see the pH falling below 5.2. After that we are going to dry it until the Water Activity is below .85 which can take weeks. Shop waltonsinc.com for Victorinox Straight Boning Knife Shop waltonsinc.com for our Newest Sales!

Collagen Sausage Casings Help & Information What are collagen sausage casings? What are collagen casings made of? What kind of collagen casings are available? Watch the video, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below. What Are Collagen Sausage Casings? It is an edible product that is apart of the connective tissue found in animals. Because collagen is made from naturally occurring proteins, it’s also completely safe to use and eat. It makes a strong yet flexible and edible food casing. One reason to use collagen is that it saves money. Sausage production costs are lower when you use a casing that is consistent and uniform in size, shape, and color. It also reduces waste, and the uniformity makes storage and packaging easier and faster. It also saves money because the pricing is more consistent, especially compared to the commodity fluctuations exhibited in the natural casings market. Also, a reason to use collagen is because many consumers like the appearance, bite, and mouth feel it produces in a sausage. And, the last big reason to use collagen casings is because collagen is extremely versatile. Almost any type of sausage can be made with collagen casings. What Is The Shelf-Life Of Collagen Casings? So the next question you may ask is how long can I keep collagen casings? Shelf life should be between one or two years. It does really depend on your storage environment though. Ideal storage locations would be with a cool temperature between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and dry. Casings will also last longer if left in the original and unopened package. We recommend that you reseal any opened packages and always store collagen casings in an airtight container. Just remember, once a package is opened, the casings can become more brittle and delicate at a quicker pace. This can lead to excessive breakage or blowouts during stuffing, which is simply a result of the moisture content of the casings changing and drying out. Do I Need To Soak Or Prep Collagen Casings Before Usage? Collagen casings are ready to use straight out of the package. So there is no soaking or other prep work like you have when using natural or fibrous casings. What Types Of Collagen Casings Are Available? The two basic types are Fresh and Processed casings. Fresh casings, as the name indicates, are for fresh or unsmoked sausages. Processed casings are for cooked or smoked meat snacks like snack sticks, hot dogs, German sausage, and other smoked sausages. What are Fresh Collagen Casings? Fresh casings are meant to be used as a replacement for various natural casings, like hog or sheep casings in fresh sausage applications. We have sizes from a 21 millimeter up to a 32 millimeter, and they are all clear in appearance. One thing to remember is that fresh casings are not designed to hang on smoke sticks in a smokehouse. They just don’t have the strength to support the hanging weight of the sausage. If you try to hang fresh casings, you might end up opening your smokehouse door after the cook cycle ends and find that the casings broke and all your product is laying on the smokehouse floor. Now, let’s look at the different sizes. A 21mm Fresh casing would be perfect for making breakfast sausage or just a normal pork sausage. A 4 inch link will make a traditional 1 ounce link. A 30 or 32mm fresh casing is what you might use for things like bratwursts or italian sausage. The 32mm is closer to what you may find in many store brand sausages, but Walton’s prefers the slightly smaller 30 millimeter casings because they fit on a bun just a little bit better. What Are Processed Collagen Casings? These casings are typically for smoked or cooked products like snack sticks, hot dogs, and a whole lot of other types of smoked sausages. Processed casings have two variants though: Processed Stix and Processed Fine. Both types of Processed Casings have a heavier wall weight than the Fresh casings, which allows Processed casings to be hung on smoke sticks during your drying and thermal processing steps. What Are Processed Stix Collagen Casings? Processed Stix are primarily a smaller diameter casing and are specifically designed for things like snack sticks. All our Stix casings are smoke color, and range in size from 15mm to 23mm with our most popular size being the 19mm. There is a very nice snap in the bite to Stix casings, which is great for many types of small diameter meat snacks, like everything from a traditional snack stick, or fermented snack stick, to even other dry and semi-dry sausage like a beefstick, pepperoni, or mini-salami. What Are Processed Fine Collagen Casings? These can be smoke, red, or clear in color. Sizes range from 21 millimeters up to a 34 millimeter. Inside the Processed Fine category, we have another two sub-variants. There are Fine-H and Fine-T casings. What Are Processed Fine-H Collagen Casings? The Fine-H variant is a heavier walled casing than the Fresh or Fine-T, but not as strong as the Processed Stix we just talked about. The Fine-H casings are specifically designed to be a replacement for “Hog Gut” casings and come in a 30 or 32 millimeter size. The red casings are awesome for making hot links, or any other smoked sausage, particularly for sausages that are meant to be spicy, as it can add a great eye-popping look to your final product. And, the smoke or clear casings work great for smoked sausages, like chili dogs, german sausage, and much more. What Are Processed Fine-T Collagen Casings? The Fine-T casings are stronger walled than the Fresh Casings, but are thinner walled than the previous Fine-H variant. Having a lighter wall weight will gives the sausage a bit more of a tender bite. Sizing on the Fine-T casings range from 21 to 30 millimeters. With a more tender bite and smaller diameter than the Fine-H, the Fine-T casings work great for hot dogs and frankfurters. My preference would be to use the 26mm Clear for making hotdogs and frankfurters. Can I Twist Link Collagen Casings? Collagen casings can be twist linked, but it is more difficult than natural casings. When making links from collagen casings, we would recommend using 2 twists per link. If you twist less than twice, it may not be enough to hold the link in place, and if you twist more, the increased pressure in the meat and on the casing can cause breakage. Other options for linking can include just cutting the sausage into links, or you can tie-off each link with butcher’s twine, but this is rather time intensive. Sometimes it will be hard to have twist linked collagen casings stay twisted, so many times it is recommended to tie butcher’s twine between the links to help keep the sausages linked. What Direction Do I Stuff Collagen Sausage Casings? The two ends of a collagen casing should look different when you first open the package. One end will be a more uniform hole and opening. The other end should have a tail on it. Slide the open end on your stuffing tube and stuff sausage towards and into the end with a tail (see pictures). Can I Use Collagen Casings In A Smokehouse? If you use collagen casings in a smokehouse, remember that the Fresh Casings do not have the strength to be hung on smoke sticks. If you are hanging Processed casings from smoke sticks during thermal processing, a simple trick you can use if you have any issue with the casings breaking during the cook cycle is to put a single, simple twist in the casing at the top where the casing goes over the smoke stick to help relieve some surface tension and potential breakage. Why Is My Collagen Casings Wrinkling After Cooking? If you have issues with wrinkling in your final product, check these two simple steps in your process. First, make sure you don’t understuff the product. Second, make sure that your cooling cycle is adequate following your thermal processing. Many times, improper cooling does not allow the final appearance of the casings to be set properly. You should have either a shower cycle for 15-20 minutes at the end of your cook cycle, or simply use a water and ice bath in a meat lug. Ideally, you should get the internal temperature of the meat product to drop to below 115 degrees during the showering process. Watch WaltonsTV: Collagen Sausage Casings 101 Shop waltonsinc.com for Collagen Sausage Casings Shop waltonsinc.com for Natural Sausage Casings Shop waltonsinc.com for Fibrous Sausage Casings 19mm Smoke Stix Collagen Sausage Casings 30mm Fresh Collagen Sausage Casings

Willie’s is good stuff; we use it for regular snack sticks (19 mm casings). If I do jal, cheese or jal/cheese, we go with H Summer Unit in the snack stick casing. For summer sausage, we use the H Summer Unit all the way regardless of the added ingredients (2.4 x 12 mahogany casings).

Meat Hacks: Packaging Meat After Cooking Learn the steps to follow when packaging meat products after smoking or cooking with Walton's and Meatgistics. Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below. Meat Hacks How to package meat products after cooking Whenever you cook meat snacks like smoked sausage, jerky, snack sticks, or any other smoked and cured meats, there are a couple steps we recommend following before packaging. First, cool the product immediately after your smoking and thermal processing is done. You should NOT cover the product while it is cooling down, so you can prevent condensation from forming and so that the outside of the meat product can be dry, especially if you used a cold water shower or bath as part of your cooling process you’ll want the product exterior to dry out before packaging. Once you’ve cooled the meat products, you should then let them sit out at room temp for 1 to 2 hours before packaging to begin equalizing with the ambient room temp so you again don’t have condensation begin to form. For a product like snack sticks or jerky where shelf stability is the goal, you can also lose shelf stability when moisture is introduced into the packaged product because moisture creates an environment where mold can potentially grow. Snack sticks and jerky are also meant to have a lower water activity and if you do not let the product cool before packaging and condensation forms in the package or the outside of the meat snack, then you won’t have the same effect and ability for a longer storage time without some packages and product going bad, growing mold, etc. Another benefit to removing moisture from the product and preventing condensation before packaging for meat snacks with casings is to prevent small ice crystals from forming and going through multiple freeze and thaw cycles which can actually separate the casings from the meat and in turn also lose the snap or bite the casing helps add to the meat snacks when biting and eating. To sum things up, when you are ready to package your meat snacks or other products, the product to be packaged should have a dry exterior and should be equalizing with the ambient room temperature so you can avoid moisture on the product or condensation build up in the package, which will help with your overall product quality, reduce chances for mold to grow, and help products with casings stay intact if they are frozen and thawed. Subscribe to WaltonsTV Make sure you subscribe to WaltonsTV and remember to tap the bell next to the subscribed button to get notified about all new videos, plus like and comment on this video, and visit waltonsinc.com and meatgistics.com to find Everything But The Meat! Subscribe to Meatgistics Easily subscribe to any category or topic on the Meatgistics community site by clicking the green “Subscribe” button to get an email each time a new post is made! Shop waltonsinc.com for Vacuum Sealing Bags Shop waltonsinc.com for Vacuum Sealers Subscribe to WaltonsTV on YouTube Shop Vacuum Pouches Walton's Chambered Vacuum Sealer

@Clint-Hunter I have some venison here and some pork fat. I will try to do this Friday and make our Meat Fact Friday about it. Its going to be a busy couple of days though here with the BHA event tomorrow night and me still trying to dig myself out from under a mountain of stuff!

@PapaSop Sweet, Salty, Spicy…embrace it!!!

@Christopher-Beach I do not. naked for mine

Meat Fact Friday - Why Use Pork Fat? Join us every Friday when we share an interesting and helpful fact about meat or meat processing and how that can effect your product! Why Add Fat <1–(Meat Fact Title) --> When making any type of sausage out of leaner cuts we always recommend that you add pork fat. Fat plays a few important roles in sausage making including binding, flavor, and texture, wild game or lean cuts just don’t have enough fat to give you a quality sausage. You can add other types of fats but pork fat does have some characteristics that make it uniquely suited for use in sausage. 1) Best Creaminess <1–(Way to Overcome or use to advantage, try to add link to product) --> First pork has the lowest melting and solidifying temperature of any of the major red meat fat sources. This is part of the reason that it has such a nice creaminess to it, this helps coat the inside of your mouth when you are eating it and allows the flavors from the sausage to linger longer. As you can see here the texture of this pork fat is much different than the beef fat. Now, part of that is the pork is belly fat and the beef is fat I trimmed from the round but the larger portion of it is the general difference between beef and pork fat. 2) Appearance Second Pork Fat is a nice Bright white color making it very appealing in products like Summer Sausage, Pepperoni or Salami where we are really looking for particle definition. Beef fat tends to have a light yellowness to it that just doesn’t pop as well as the pork fat does. The only other red meat fat that I am aware of that is as nice and white is goat and that brings us to another reason, flavor. 3) Flavor Pork fat has a very neutral flavor to it meaning that it won’t interfere with the flavor of your sausage much, if at all. Beef fat tends to have a pretty strong beefy flavor which isn’t necessarily unpleasant but it is strong. Shop waltonsinc.com for Sausage Stuffers Shop waltonsinc.com for Meat Slicers