1st batch of snack stix. Problems and Questions

[renoman]

Made my first batch of snack stix yesterday and ran into a few problems and I have a few questions. Used a Hi Mountain kit for the stix because I didn't want to deal with the recipe first try just wanted to get the procedure down right. I ground, mixed and stuffed the night before and put the stix in the fridge over night as per the recipe. The stuffing went really good with the new Kitchener stuffer and 3/8" horn. I made the links 28" long +/- so they would fit nicely in the smoker. Next day I fired up the smoker and let warm up for over and hour while the stix came up to room temp on the counter. I then hung them on 2 dowels in the smoker for 1 hour to dry off completely before adding smoke.



I smoked them for 2 hours at around 120 and then kept bumping the temp until they reached 153 at which time I took them off and let cool on the counter.





Well I had a few problems

#1 I could not get the ends of the casings to close on most of the stix.

#2 The bottoms of the stix were very overdone and dried out. Is this because I made them too long? Maybe I should just put them on the racks so moving them around would be easier.

#3 When the temp hit 163 in the tower it just refused to get any higher. It sat there for at least 2 hours and the IT of the stix raised maybe 2-3 degrees. I then turned on the smoke generator without pucks to get a little more heat but it still would not climb. I had to shut the vent to get the temp up into the high 170s to finish off the stix.

#4 I know it is the LAW to keep the vent open but is that for when smoking only?

The stix taste great except for the dried out ends. I have used this Hi Mountain (pepper blend) seasoning for my jerky for many years and it always turns out spectacular just want to get these few bugs out of the smoking procedure.

[Sailor]

Well I had a few problems

#1 I could not get the ends of the casings to close on most of the stix.

#2 The bottoms of the stix were very overdone and dried out. Is this because I made them too long? Maybe I should just put them on the racks so moving them around would be easier.

#3 When the temp hit 163 in the tower it just refused to get any higher. It sat there for at least 2 hours and the IT of the stix raised maybe 2-3 degrees. I then turned on the smoke generator without pucks to get a little more heat but it still would not climb. I had to shut the vent to get the temp up into the high 170s to finish off the stix.

#4 I know it is the LAW to keep the vent open but is that for when smoking only?

The stix taste great except for the dried out ends. I have used this Hi Mountain (pepper blend) seasoning for my jerky for many years and it always turns out spectacular just want to get these few bugs out of the smoking procedure.

#1 Don't worry about tying off or closing the ends of the casing.  The meat is not going to leak out of the 18mm-21mm casing.  I never tie them off.  I stuff and then take scissors and cut the rope into the lengths that I want to hang.  Been doing this every since I started making sticks and never had meat fall out.

#2 The ends are very close to the V-Tray and are getting more heat from the element.  I have the 4 rack OBS and I cut a 1 X piece of wood and put them on edge on the top rack holder to give me extension for my hanger bars.  This will lift up the dowel or bell bar a good bit.  Try to keep the ends at least 1 inch off the v-tray and you will be fine.  I still get some that are too long and get a little brown but I eat them anyway  ;D

#3  Not sure but it looks like you have a digital smoker.  I don't know anything about the digital smokers.  I would fire that baby up without a load and see how high you can get it.  I am sure someone that has a digital smoker will be along to point you in the right direction about temp control.

#4 Keep the vent open all through the cook.  When you close the vent you are trapping moisture which cools the inside cabinet.  My OBS vent has been stuck in the full open position for years.  I am too lazy to just take the vent off  ;D


Looks to me like you did a fantastic job on the sticks.  Them would last long!

[beefmann]

those snack sticks  look really  good , sorry cant be much  help on them

[pensrock]

Like was mentioned you do not have to tie them off all though I normally do tie mine off with cotton cord.
I also do not hang my sticks for the very reason you have seen. The bottoms are much closer to the heat source so IMHO will get done much sooner. But there are many here that do hang them so I would defer to them. I normally lay mine on the racks, that way I can rotate and move them around depending on which ones need more heat.
I always keep my vent open.
I have not used High Mountian because a very good friend told me he did not like using then. I go by what he tells me.  ;D

[AK_Smoker]

I gave up trying to twist and tie the ends.  I just stuff and cut the sticks to fit on the racks.  I use the racks and rotate them front to back and top to bottom every hour.  I also place them on ice in a cooler when I take them out. 

[renoman]

#3  Not sure but it looks like you have a digital smoker.  I don't know anything about the digital smokers.  I would fire that baby up without a load and see how high you can get it.  I am sure someone that has a digital smoker will be along to point you in the right direction about temp control.

OK, so I did fire it up without a load and it shot right up to 273 degrees in a matter of minutes. So it must have been the temp of the sticks that was keeping it that cool.

[PapaC]

They look good. Not sure why you had the temp problem. Once the sticks warmed up it should have came up to temp. I made shorter sticks, and laid them on the racks my first time. Wouldnt hurt to try that next time. If your like me, you will soon be wanting to add the second element/PID mod. As far as the ends go, try this. Twist them at the lengths you want, but don't cut them apart till after setting in the fridge overnight. It might help. Good luck.

[renoman]

I did some salami a couple of weeks ago and did not have the temp problem but it was 5 chubs 2-1/2" so I am thinking the surface area of the 40+ stix was what was keeping the temp down.

[renoman]

How many pounds of 22mm stix can I fit on four racks??

[pensrock]

I can not say how many pounds will fit on four racks. I only make five pound batches and they all fit fine in my four rack.  :)

[Z7extreme]

I can not say how many pounds will fit on four racks. I only make five pound batches and they all fit fine in my four rack.  :)

I have 10 pound in my 6 rack on 4 racks now slowly bringing them up to temp.