[Cjs180]

Posted this question on another forum but it may not get seen. You guys who have made hot sticks or snack sticks, any advice on how to get a decent consistency/texture with the meat? I did 5 lbs this past weekend and ended up with what I would call a bunch of mush. Talked to a guy here at work who has been trying to make sticks the past few years on his smoker and he ends up with a mushy stick as well. I used 20% pork fat mixed in with my meat.

When I pulled the sticks out of the smoker they were at 160*F - 165*F. I did pulll a couple out around 155*F and they were mushy as well. Used the LEM hot stick seasoning.

 

[sureshot006]

How much did you grind them before stuffing?

 

[Waif]

After confirming not being over ground , check temp of meat,and grinder head.
Your second grind should (depending who you believe) be your last. And still , too fine a plate for example ,combined with heat, and you'll get more pate/liver paste texture..

 

[sureshot006]

After confirming not being over ground , check temp of meat,and grinder head.
Your second grind should (depending who you believe) be your last. And still , too fine a plate for example ,combined with heat, and you'll get more pate/liver paste texture..
View attachment 467401

Exactly. You want snack sticks not branschwagger.

 

[iFishy]

To add to Waif, freeze your grinder horn, stuffing tube and plates - everything you can. Put your meat in the freezer too - not frozen, but very - very cold - this is hard to describe. What you want to prevent is the smearing of the fat (and meat to a lesser extent) as its ground.

 

[Cjs180]

I used the regular grind plate that I use for all my burger. Not sure of the size but you can just push a q-tip through it. I would guess around 1/8”. The meat would have been double ground using that size plate. Possibly I should be using one of those larger holed grind plates for my first grind? There was some pheasant breast mixed in there as well. I use that blend to make jerky and it comes out well. I don’t put any pork fat in the jerky.

 

[Cjs180]

Here is the grind plate I use. It is for a #10 plate.

 

[maddiedog]

I don't really use any fat for sticks. I save that for sausage. Just grind a pork butt with whatever fat.

 

[sureshot006]

One thing you can do to avoid mashing it too much is use a stuffer or "jerky gun" to fill cases instead of putting it through a grinder again.

 

[Huntahalic]

Make sure you cutter is good and sharp. A dull cutter will press the meat through the holes in the plate. I us a 30% lean pork mix and grind verry very cold. Warm meat does not grind well at all. Also for sticks a single grind will give you a more meaty texture.

 

[Cjs180]

Used a jerky gun. The 2nd grind was to grind in the pork fat. I put a 10mm grinder plate on my list to buy before next deer season. Everything in my freezer now is ground to fine.

Next year I will grind in the pork right when I grind the meat with the 10mm plate. Maybe over the winter I will pick up a cheap piece of beef and try it for a trial run prior to next deer season.

The meat was fairly warm yet this year when I ground it. Deer was only dead about 4 hours before it hit the grinder!

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Cjs180]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I tried again this week with a larger plate and ground the meat when it was partially frozen. Works great that way and the hot sticks came out like they should.