Venison pepperoni

[rickomatic]

Only thread I saw was several months old, so I'll start off a new one.
Maybe I should have asked before I jumped in and tried to make some venison pepperoni. I learn from my mistakes, but sometimes it's better to ask first.
I made some pepperoni sticks this week and made a couple bonehead mistakes that cost me most of the batch.
First, I mixed 5# of ground venison with 2# 73/27 (pretty fatty I think) beef hamburger. I used a spice recipe I found online and taste was actually pretty good. I put it into 21mm collagen casings, and tied off into varying lengths. But then I screwed up and smoked it overnight in my smoker. It ended up in there 11 hours (Bradley electric) and dried out pretty bad. Some was so bad that I can snap it like sticks. The dogs love it, so not a total loss. Some of it is very dry, but edible with a glass of brew.
Questions:
1. should I have used pork instead of beef to mix it with?
2. should I have maybe just added beef tallow? and/or more?
3. I obviously smoked it way too long. Should I oven bake it instead? Or just smoke it a shorter time?

Thanks guys for any info.

[Wea300mag]

I always mix with pork shoulder roasts and have a mixture that contains 60% game meat to 40% pork. You always want to step the temp up in the smoker slowly, for example, run one hour at 120, next hour at 130, etc. stepping up to 160 deg F. Once you get an internal meat temp of 152, remove it and allow it to cool to room temp.

If you are not confident in your smoker temp, smoke for 2 hours at lower temperature and then finish it in the oven.

Hope this helps.

[dogtuk]

Check out the cooking links in the forum and sign up on one of the smoking meat forums you will learn a lot there are some good people there who can help you get started making sausage dont be afraid to ask questions I agree with wea300mag sounds like your doing ok you just need to learn how to control temps and how to use your smoker it wont be long and you will be making some great sausages good luck

[gasman]

Got a batch in the smoker right now 

I do not use pork or beef, i mix my wild game with bacon ends and pieces. Works for me and other that have tried it.

Sart at a low temp and increase as stated above.

Rinse caing with cold water after you are done drying the meat, it helps adheir the casing to the meat. Sprinkle, then let cool slowly.


I am experimenting with a new recipe and trying two different types of casings at teh same time. One is natural sheep casing and the is collegen casing. I am going to compare the amount of smoke penitration in each casing (I am trying to get a smokey/salami type snack sticks)

Have 10lbs of burger in the fridge now defrosting to make another batch tommorow with a different recipe. Ganna pull more out of teh freezer when donr with these two and try a new summer sausage recipe 

I owe huntlakewood some meat, for we ate all teh first two batches I made, and he got left out  (well, he did help butcher the antelope  )

[mkcj]

I always mix with pork shoulder roasts and have a mixture that contains 60% game meat to 40% pork. You always want to step the temp up in the smoker slowly, for example, run one hour at 120, next hour at 130, etc. stepping up to 160 deg F. Once you get an internal meat temp of 152, remove it and allow it to cool to room temp.

If you are not confident in your smoker temp, smoke for 2 hours at lower temperature and then finish it in the oven.

Hope this helps.

300 you and I make pep. the same way. my kids and I  love it.