Snack stick question

Getting ready to make some venison snack sticks. My question is do you cut it with pork and if so what percentage?

I use 20% pork. Usually bacon.

Just use venison here.Nothing added.

Mail me some when you are done and I'll let you know if you got it right.

Well that doesn't help much lol.

Ok don't want silm jim type sticks but don't wont sawdust texture either.

How did you hit 20 % pork? Why don't you add anything? I want a moist but not fatty ie mouth coated with grease type stick

We use 5% pork and get them to 165 degrees. Don’t over cook that’s when the sawdust comes.

Ive typically done all venison and it can be just fine if you dont get it over temp. Ends at the top of smoker can get dried out when waiting for the bottoms to come.up to temp. Rotate if you can. That said, im going to try 20% pork this year to try to improve. Im choosing 20% because i dont want it like my fresh sausage which is 40% pork.

I use my packaged burger, moose or venison, done with 10% beef and add 5% pork. We didn’t care for it with pork fat only.

5% is about right. Jimmy Dean sausage works well. Stuff and let sit in the fridge for a day or two. Then into the smoker 110 degrees for 30 minutes, turn up to 170 for 30 minutes, then 220 until internal temp is 150-155. out of the smoker and into an ice water bath for 15 minutes.

Never found any need to add anything.Comes out great.Nice and moist and not fatty.

I like to add high temp cheese chunks

I use a minimum of 30% pork/pork fat. Most commercial places use 50% pork.

I've always used 1/3 pork with venison. Pork trimmings not just fat.

I use pork butt and add 1/3 of what ever my total meat weight is. I try and catch the pork butt on sale and freeze it before season gets here. Last year I made right at 970 snack sticks 10" and the turned out great. If your going to add hot temp. cheese it's best to use 21 mm casting.

I’m going to try snack sticks this year. Did summer sausage and it turned out great. How do you temp the skinny snack sticks accurately? And when I did summer sausage, I added 20% pork .

John

I do a lot of sticks every year(60-80lbs) I work in 20# batches.
I use 1 pork shoulder(7-8#) is the average size and the rest venison.
I had texture problems when I started but now I feel I have it worked out as close to perfect as I care to tinker.

I mix all the meat together cut into 1 or 2 inch chunks then grind through a coarse plate.
Next I use a meat mixer to blend it all together and mix in the seasoning. I use pre mix seasonings from places like LEM. I also add soy protein powder from LEM. The ratio is on the package. It absorbs moisture and help hold it in the stcks so they don't dry out and get grainy.
The seasoning and protein powder mix i use gets mixed with 2 quarts of water. Blend the seasoning, protein powder and water together before adding. I use a food processor or a blender.
Mix the meat until its sticky. I don't think you can over mix so go for more than less if your unsure if its ready.
Grind the mixture again this time I use a medium plate.
Stuff. I use collagen casings, that are presmoked. Make sticks as long as the rack in my smoker.
(Once the meat is mixed and ground a second time, or after it has been stuffed i have put it in the fridge for 3-4 days before I had time to finish it with no ill effects. It is noticeably harder to stuff after a sit in the fridge, but the finished product is indistinguishable.
I cook in my smoker until the sticks hit just over 160 then dump into a cooler of cold water until they cool off.
I start the smoker at 100 for a couple hours the bump it up 20deg every hour till 180. Leave at 180 till they hit temp.

For the best stick, after they cool in the water take em out and let them air dry for 6-8hrs in a cool area. It really helps the cassing stick. I have just dried on a towel and packaged them after the water bath as well, but the cassing tends to slip or peel. No taste affects mostly just appearance and a little texture.

I don't add much smoke when cooking maybe 2 or 3 hrs of light smoke. Thats more up to the taste of the maker if you prefer a heavy or light smoke flavor.