# making deer snack sticks



## AFoster (May 29, 2011)

So i have made snack sticks before and with my recent batch have found a recipe that i really like. 
but i have never made a bunch of snack sticks from 1 deer, it has always been using leftover roasts that have been trimmed of all fat/silver skin. 

im wondering how much of the fat and silver skin must be trimmed from all the trim meat off of a deer in order to make snack sticks. i know the less the better as the silver skin and fat is what tastes gamy, but how crazy do i have to get with trimming? besides its going to be seasoned a lot and made in to snack sticks so i cant see the fat changing the flavor a whole lot.


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## Rolexdr (Jan 24, 2012)

we make those snack sticks as well i agree the seasoning takes over but we had issues with ld grinder not wanting to grind well unless we really really trimmed 

but new grinder this year so we will see


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## Krypt Keeper (Oct 10, 2007)

I tried making some a couple yrs ago using store bought seasoning.. nasty nasty nasty

interested in good recipe if anyone has one.


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## Maxtor (Jan 7, 2007)

Me too, what's this recipe you have and like AFoster??


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## AFoster (May 29, 2011)

here is my recipe, it is pretty sweet with just a touch of pepper at the end. I may add more liquid smoke this time. If you dont like sweet and spicy (not very spicy at all) then this recipe isnt for you. 

per pound of meat
1 tbs morton tender quick (for curing purposes)
3 packed tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp mustard
2 tbs dry milk
3/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp black pepper ( ill be adding more this batch to add some spice)
1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

I trim all fat and remove as much silver skin as possible, its easier to remove the silver skin when the meat is stiffened up, throw it in the freezer for a little while to stiffen it up a bit, I then mix in some pork and pork fat to replace the deer fat....taste so much better! I use 60% deer meet and 40% pork, then I add 20% of the total weight in pork fat. For me this adds just the right amount of flavor but doesnt make the Snack sticks greasy. Then I stuff them up in 16mm collagen casings and throw them in this and give em some Hickery/Apple smoke!









And here is the outcome


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## cjjeepman (Oct 28, 2011)

To all you guys making them ,Your ideas will never work ....You need to send me a big batch of them so I can verify that they are ok .Ok just kidding they all sound great no im starving ...


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## Rembrandt1 (Mar 6, 2005)




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## Louro (Jun 19, 2009)

Onytay,

Can you give the specs on the smoker. maybe show a inside pic.

Thanks


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

Specs are 4ftx4ftx6ft tall, ill get a couple inside pics up in a bit when I get to the desktop


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

Heres a couple of inside pics, these are from some of the very first runs thru so thats why it looks so clean

















This is how I generate heat and smoke when smoking at temps abaove 100 degrees


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

A sausage shot









And sausage isnt the only thing it can smoke!


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

Sorry to the OP I didn't mean to derail your thread, if there is further interest I would be happy to start a new thread to answer any more questions!


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## PA B0WHUNT3R (Feb 13, 2010)

Did you make the smoker yourself or did you buy it?


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

I built it myself.


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

great thread - now I am starving


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## PA B0WHUNT3R (Feb 13, 2010)

Got any tips or specs on how to build one? Did you build it from scratch or is their some sort of website you can get building plans also?


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## AFoster (May 29, 2011)

Onytay said:


> Sorry to the OP I didn't mean to derail your thread, if there is further interest I would be happy to start a new thread to answer any more questions!


not a problem, i just got done grinding up all my meat, didnt trim it hardly at all but my grinder kept getting the fat wrapped around the blade, so i just had to clear it off every few pounds of meat. i think i would rather do this than trim the meat, much easier than trimming for a few hours.


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

AFoster said:


> not a problem, i just got done grinding up all my meat, didnt trim it hardly at all but my grinder kept getting the fat wrapped around the blade, so i just had to clear it off every few pounds of meat. i think i would rather do this than trim the meat, much easier than trimming for a few hours.


If you place your tubs or bowls in the freezer for a little while after you cut your meat into the sizes needed to fit in your grinder that will firm up the meat and fat and will help keep the buildup in the head at a minimum. You want your cubes to be pretty firm, but not completely frozen this will make the grinding process go alot more smoothly


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

PA B0WHUNT3R said:


> Got any tips or specs on how to build one? Did you build it from scratch or is their some sort of website you can get building plans also?


This one mostly built from scratch. The only thing I bought was the 2x4s for the framing, the outer boards I pulled out of an old barn at my grandfathers farm, and everything else I had laying around from previous projects. 

Tips for someone who is building one, make sure that the cooking chamber is air tight as possible, this way the only thing that affects the cooking temp is the intake vent, the smoke stack and the heat source. Do not use any galvanised metal or treated wood inside the cooking chamber. Make sure you have ample protection from the heating source, wouldn't want to burn it down! I was able to keep mine pretty air tight, If I settle the the temp at 225 it never goes above or below that temp more that 1 degree.


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## Gunner7800 (Jul 11, 2007)

AFoster said:


> here is my recipe, it is pretty sweet with just a touch of pepper at the end. I may add more liquid smoke this time. If you dont like sweet and spicy (not very spicy at all) then this recipe isnt for you.
> 
> per pound of meat
> 1 tbs morton tender quick (for curing purposes)
> ...


Powdered milk? I don't think I've ever heard of that in a recipe, might have to try this one.


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

Gunner7800 said:


> Powdered milk? I don't think I've ever heard of that in a recipe, might have to try this one.


Yes the poudered milk helps give the snacks stick a tangy taste, kinda similar to what you would find in Slim jims


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## Firepike (Mar 6, 2012)

We make a bologna that I think ends up like a summer sausage. I want to try these snack stocks this year. What temp are you smoking at and how long?


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## Peeping Tom (Aug 9, 2010)

I Love this Thread!


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

Firepike said:


> We make a bologna that I think ends up like a summer sausage. I want to try these snack stocks this year. What temp are you smoking at and how long?


Like with any meat smoked only the internal temp can dictate the time, also cook to the appropriate internal temp, no one likes the " Screaming Meemies "! but when I do 50 lbs it usually finises around six hours. With sausage and snack sticks its best to increase temps slowly to prevent the fat from rendering out. I start at 100 for and hour without smoke, this drys the casings and allows better smoke absorption in the meat, then increase to 130 for an hour then 10 degrees every hour until 180 max temp, internal temp of smokies at 160, then I pull the smokies and dip them in a tub of ice water to stop the internal temp from climbing further, this also minimizes the shrinkage in the casing. hang at room tempt for a few hours " blooming " this brigs out some color in the finished product. package and freeze what you haven't eaten already!


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## DougKMN (Nov 7, 2006)

Onytay said:


> Yes the poudered milk helps give the snacks stick a tangy taste, kinda similar to what you would find in Slim jims


I'm not so sure about that. I'm pretty sure the purpose of the powdered milk is to act as a binding agent, something that helps retain moisture and keeps the meat sticking together, so the sticks can be made without a casing.

There is a good SS recipe in the wild game cooking forum (jalapeno and cheese) that also yields pretty good snack sticks. I have a couple other recipes I could share when I get home.


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

DougKMN said:


> I'm not so sure about that. I'm pretty sure the purpose of the powdered milk is to act as a binding agent, something that helps retain moisture and keeps the meat sticking together, so the sticks can be made without a casing.
> 
> There is a good SS recipe in the wild game cooking forum (jalapeno and cheese) that also yields pretty good snack sticks. I have a couple other recipes I could share when I get home.


Yes you are correct! I should say that powdered buttermilk will help give the tang like in slim jims, as well as acting as a binder, i prefer this method over using ECA, because I always forget to add the ECA before stuffing!


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## PA B0WHUNT3R (Feb 13, 2010)

Onytay said:


> Like with any meat smoked only the internal temp can dictate the time, also cook to the appropriate internal temp, no one likes the " Screaming Meemies "! but when I do 50 lbs it usually finises around six hours. With sausage and snack sticks its best to increase temps slowly to prevent the fat from rendering out. I start at 100 for and hour without smoke, this drys the casings and allows better smoke absorption in the meat, then increase to 130 for an hour then 10 degrees every hour until 180 max temp, internal temp of smokies at 160, then I pull the smokies and dip them in a tub of ice water to stop the internal temp from climbing further, this also minimizes the shrinkage in the casing. hang at room tempt for a few hours " blooming " this brigs out some color in the finished product. package and freeze what you haven't eaten already!


You should make a start to finish video on how you make it. Always wanted to get into smoking, but wasn't sure on how to go about it.


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

Here is a good place to start, lots of info I get alot of great info here on anything "smoking" related! I might do a video next time I fire up the smokehouse, I have to put some deer meat in the freezer first!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/


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## gman57 (Jun 7, 2004)

What did you use for the heating element ? Im hongry already,my little electric smoker doesnt get hot enough


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

This 









Found here

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_15490_15490


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## gman57 (Jun 7, 2004)

Thanks Onytay


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## Old E. (Jul 19, 2007)

Onytay said:


> Sorry to the OP I didn't mean to derail your thread, if there is further interest I would be happy to start a new thread to answer any more questions!


Please! I would love to hear/see specs on that smokehouse and more pics.


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## Louro (Jun 19, 2009)

Onytay,

Thanks for the posting the pic. as Old E say I will like to see more in the specs. What kind of wood you use for the inside?


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## muledhunter (Feb 23, 2009)

Ttt


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

OK I will start a new thread shortly, I will post up what pics I have left, unfortunately most of the pics or on my old cell thats sitting somewhere at the bottom of Kinkaid Lake! I will list the specs and take new pics if need be for anyone that needs them, bear with me for a few as I am at work and need earn at least soem of my paycheck:wink:


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## Onytay (Aug 1, 2012)

New thread started here

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1859786


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