snack stick question

[turkey buster]

I am have trouble when I make snack stick out of venison, the casing isn't sticking to the meat when it,s cooled off, a Friend told me it was moisture from the cooling process, I am using strait venison should I be mixing a little pork in it?

[dogtuk]

TB
I add pork butt to my snack stix and have no problem with the casings are you giving your stix a cold water bath at the end I do not do this I pull out of the smoker and place on the counter over night and they shrivel up some but have no problems with the casing
I have also done them with straight venison and had no problems hope this helps

[billythekidrock]

Not sure why my post didn't stick.

I was wondering what type of casing you were using, collagen or natural?

[turkey buster]

dog tuk no I am not giving it a cold water bath, normally I let it cool in the smoker for about an hour then into my food tote with the lid cracked and put in the fridge, btkr I am using collagen casings, thanks guy's I'm doing another batch rite now 25 lbs of teriyaki will lett you know how it turns out tomorow
chuck

[billythekidrock]

I don't do a water bath on my snack sticks, but I do let them cool down in the smoker and then on a table over night. Sometimes I have a fan running.

I am not sure if I would put a lid (even if cracked open) on the tote while the meat is cooling. I would be worried about condensation.

[huntlakewood]

I use the kit from Cabellas that has the casings with it. I add Bacon ends and peices to mine. When I take mine out of the smoker I just let it cool down on the counter then package it the next day.

[steen]

My husband uses a little pork fat and some trim.  With the snack sticks he did them without any casings this time.  You just need an extra person to hold the sticks as they come out of the tube.  They smoke like they have a casing to a dark finish but without all the work.  The rest he puts into summer sausage big sticks.  Yummy!