Making pepperoni sticks

[sirfunkeybut]

Does anyone have a suggestion as to what just to get? I want to get a kit that includes natural casings if possible but open to others as well. Also could anyone give me an idea as to how much fat to add if any? I have about 10lbs of odds and ends to use and was gonna get some pork fat to add

[carpsniperg2]

I use 70% lean meat to 30% fat for my summer and pep sticks. There is a few great kits out there high mountain and eastmans makes some good ones. If you have a wholesale sports around they have them in there.

[huntergreg]

I use 70% lean meat to 30% fat for my summer and pep sticks. There is a few great kits out there high mountain and eastmans makes some good ones. If you have a wholesale sports around they have them in there.

 

I hate to make them. They dont last very long  and I use up all my hamburger. 

[sirfunkeybut]

So I could use 10lbs of deer to 4lbs of pork fat? Weights are approximate. Thanks for the help guys, I can't wait to make it.

[carpsniperg2]

Yes that will work. Some people like them a little leaner then others. I like to use a little more fat because sticks tend to dry out a little more with less fat.

[The Weazle]

I dont use fat.  I use a boneless pork shoulder.  If I had 10 pounds of deer, I would just buy a pork loin thats about 5 pounds.  The kits are usually broken up by 15 pound set ups.  Or you could add 2 pounds of hamburger and a 3 pound loin, and go from there.  I dont like greasy meat, but like mentioned, the sticks and sausage gets dry.  The secret is in the amount of cure.  Make sure you have as much meat as you are adding the cure to.  If its a tad over seasoned, no big deal, but too much cure is a bad thing in my opinion.  They will taste just like cure, no matter the seasoning...

[lokidog]

      I think we used 1 pound pork shoulder to 4 pounds venison though.

Casings are natural or fake, depending what you buy. I don't think kits usually come with casings as they will spoil.

[dogtuk]

The Hi Mtn seasoning kits do come with the casings and everything you need to make sausage and I use 70/30 game meat/pork butt and will use as much as 50/50 game/pork

[Hawgdawg]

I use 20lbs to 5lbs pork fat.  Don't use natural casings for anything you are going to smoke. They don't hold up well and you won't get the mahagony color like you  do with clalogens casings.  Quick tip.  After you bring them out of the smoker hose them down with cold water. It will shrink the casings and give you that store bought look. Good luck.

[Hawgdawg]

25lbs of Venison,Jahlepeno,cheeder pepperone in my smoker!

[danderson]

what kind of a smoker is that, I been wanting to make one, is it home made or store baught

[Hawgdawg]

It is a stainless steel vault I made into a smoker. Woodstove for fire box 6 ft away. Propane digital controled internal heat source so I can maintain constant temps. and my stove pipe comes out the bottom side of smoker so it forces the smoke to circle inside the chamber. Complete with beeper to signal me if temps change. Also, stole a swivle beer holder off the boat and mounted it on the control panel. Good luck with your smoker!

[danderson]

Very nice, that gives me some good ideas, I already have a good stainless steel cart, alls I need now is a good little propane burner or a hot plate thingamagiger for wood chips.

[sirfunkeybut]

So I got my kit and the directions say I should smoke it it a 200 for about three or 4 hours but testing my smoker yesterday it wouldn't go above 150, will this be ok? I even plugged it in inside the house and it won't reach above 150. Maybe start in smoker and finish of in the oven for an hour at 200?

[Hawgdawg]

Yes grass hopper. They wind and cold are your enemy. the MAIN thing is not to drop below the danger zone... If you are not using a cure. You don't want to poison yourself, family or friends. Try keeping it out of the wind and yes the oven is your friend to bring it up to 165 degree's.

[lokidog]

I wish I could get mine below 225.....  I think I need a different propane valve or something?

[huntergreg]

I wish I could get mine below 225.....  I think I need a different propane valve or something?

Does yours have vents on the sides and top?  Mine on low gets a little to warm depending on the weather outside. I have to open and close them off and on to keep a certain temp.     You should be able to look at the flame and be able to tell if the flame gets smaller or bigger when you turn the gas on more or less. I would check and make sure it is going to the lowest setting. What kind of smoker is it??



I have a Smoke Hollow gas smoker and love the thing. Wish I had a bigger one when I do snack stix but This one works great.

[lokidog]

Smokevault.  The dial is on low, and I turn the valve on the tank to almost the off position.  I have the vents open and I try to only smoke on cold days.  One problem was that on low, there was not enough heat to smoke the chips when the cast iron chip tray was in its suspended position.  I now lay the tray directly over the burner hole so I get plenty of smoke but it is really hot.  It works great for doing a turkey or a venison top sirloin, but it is a bit hot for the way I like my smoked salmon, dry but not crunchy....     Seemed to work well for the pepperoni we did.  Maybe I'll just have to use the Little Chief for doing fish.

[The Weazle]

Loki,
Plug every other hole in the burner with a nail, or brad.  It will reduce the heat, And still burn the chips.  Half the flame/half the heat...sort of anyways.

[lokidog]

I'll try that, seems like there would be twice as much gas coming out ofr half as many holes = same amount of flame?  Thanks for the tips.

[Cap.Silver]

Ed,if you have the burner like turkey fryer ,remove the upper part where the screw is and make the hole smaller (I used a washer -decreasing the size of the hole where the gas comes in ) or try to plug up some holes or lay piece of sheet metal over half of the burner to see if you can make the flame smaller ....

[sirfunkeybut]

Well, my night of getting the stick stuffed was stopped to make a trip to the E.R. The miss got her finger into the grinder, luckily it didn't do much as it was only a self crank grinder. It broke the nail and that was about it. Pics to follow if anyone wants to see? Be CAREFUL when using your grinder

[huntergreg]

Well, my night of getting the stick stuffed was stopped to make a trip to the E.R. The miss got her finger into the grinder, luckily it didn't do much as it was only a self crank grinder. It broke the nail and that was about it. Pics to follow if anyone wants to see? Be CAREFUL when using your grinder

   Sorry to hear that.