<![CDATA[MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS]]>When I make my home made beef sticks or pork they always turn out real solid, like they are packed to tight. They don’t taste back but they are solid and a little on the dry side. How can I correct this.
Thanks
Bob

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/topic/4995/making-homemade-beef-sticksRSS for NodeThu, 10 Sep 2026 20:52:15 GMTSat, 05 Feb 2022 12:28:13 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sun, 06 Feb 2022 12:13:45 GMT]]>rmb823 said in MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS:

DO you let the temp. get to 160 before you take them out? Don’t they get to dry. Because they still keep cooking after you take them out don’t they.

With sticks and other sausages, you should be cooling them rapidly when they reach 160. That way they don’t keep cooking and it sets the ingredients in the casing.
You can cool them the fastest in a tub of cold water. Because sticks are so small, they can be cooled fairly quickly in a refrigerator or outside if air temperatures are cold. The faster they cool, typically the less they wrinkle.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68183https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68183Sun, 06 Feb 2022 12:13:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sun, 06 Feb 2022 09:45:14 GMT]]>DO you let the temp. get to 160 before you take them out? Don’t they get to dry. Because they still keep cooking after you take them out don’t they.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68182https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68182Sun, 06 Feb 2022 09:45:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 21:29:41 GMT]]>wdaly said in MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS:

PapaSop I also used a 10mm plate on my last batch. Just curious what plate you use? Is the thought that 10mm is too course, or too fine?

I started using a 3mm some time back for final grind. Same for summer sausage. Seems like a better mouth feel to me. Yes Jon, I said it.

10mm I’m using as a first grind, then 7mm for brats.

No right or wrong. Whatever works for you.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68100https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68100Sat, 05 Feb 2022 21:29:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 21:11:36 GMT]]>PapaSop I also used a 10mm plate on my last batch. Just curious what plate you use? Is the thought that 10mm is too course, or too fine?

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68096https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68096Sat, 05 Feb 2022 21:11:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 21:10:52 GMT]]>rmb823
When I was just starting out, I used to make sticks in the oven too.
To keep from getting them too hot, crack the oven door open about an inch with a block of wood.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68095https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68095Sat, 05 Feb 2022 21:10:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 21:08:29 GMT]]>DJS303 said in MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS:

Don’t know the process your using for stuffing, but I used my grinder to stuff for a long time. I recently bought a sausage stuffer and my family all say that the sausage I am now making is more “tender”. I use a course grind, 10 mm plate and grind twice through it for my snack sticks. I use the cooking schedule listed on here.

A 10mm plate for sticks?? Interesting. Never tried that.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68094https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68094Sat, 05 Feb 2022 21:08:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 20:31:46 GMT]]>Don’t know the process your using for stuffing, but I used my grinder to stuff for a long time. I recently bought a sausage stuffer and my family all say that the sausage I am now making is more “tender”. I use a course grind, 10 mm plate and grind twice through it for my snack sticks. I use the cooking schedule listed on here.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68090https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68090Sat, 05 Feb 2022 20:31:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 17:25:00 GMT]]>rmb823 Ideally a 70/30 ratio would be perfect, but the 80/20 should really be fine if it is mixed well. Use a manual oven thermometer to watch the temps. Open the doo a little every now & then should be fine to regulate. If you have a glass oven door, you can see the oven thermometer & know when to open, hopefully. Also, if you have a smoke box, but that in there for a little smoky flavor. I used to do that in the oven when it was real cold & I only had a stick burner, I called it Middle of the Winter Cheating. Margaret did not mind because she likes it & it reminds her of the old wood burning stoves we used to have. Some folks have said their wives would not put up with it though, so be forewarned. Best of success to you, we know you can do it. We will be happy to sample the results to render an opinion on how well you did!

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68065https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68065Sat, 05 Feb 2022 17:25:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 15:20:16 GMT]]>If they are too “solid”, the first thing to consider is meat to fat ratio. I normally try to stay at least 70/30. Second would be the cooking schedule BUT you didn’t mention fatting out. But from a technique standpoint you may grind too small. Hard to tell from the info you shared

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68025https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68025Sat, 05 Feb 2022 15:20:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 15:19:58 GMT]]>rmb823 Before sous vide I used to cycle the oven on and off

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68024https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68024Sat, 05 Feb 2022 15:19:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:53:45 GMT]]>rmb823
You can do that. Try and keep the cooking temp’s below 180 and cook them slow.
My smoking schedule is 1 hour at at 100 then I bump to 120 for an hour and then up to 170 until I get to an internal temp of 160.
I do understand your using a stove so try and keep it as low as you can.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68014https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68014Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:53:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:47:06 GMT]]>I used 80\20 beef and what cooking them at 220 degrees, then I read an article that said you should start them as low as 130 degrees, but the lowest my oven goes is 170. Can I do that and then gradually move it up until I get about 140 degrees internal temp. Hope to hear back from you soon, I’m making some now, letting them mairinate in fridge overnight.
Thanks
Bob

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68011https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68011Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:47:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:43:47 GMT]]>Can you tell me how to correct this problem PLEASE
Thanks
Bob

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68010https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68010Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:43:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to MAKING HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS on Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:30:49 GMT]]>rmb823
That can be from a couple of different things.
Most common is the cook schedule, you may be rendering your fat out during your cook. It could also be that your meat block lean to fat ratio may be off.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68005https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68005Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:30:49 GMT