Hello,
This is my first post and my first smoke. I tried making a batch of Jaegers Beef sticks, but they ended up gray on the inside. My thermometer read 165, and I had some fat out, but they are still gray. Are they safe to eat? Any help is appreciated.
Also is it normal for the meat to turn gray while you are stuffing?
W E L C O M E to the Forum MNIceman!
I am by no means a sausage expert, but someone should be along shortly.
In the meantime, a few questions:
1. Was there cure in your recipe?
2. Could you post the recipe and cooking plan you followed?
I followed this recipe very close.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?126-jaeger-s-Beef-Sticks (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?126-jaeger-s-Beef-Sticks)
Tender Quick is the cure
To answer your questions.
No they should not be gray.
Did you rely on the door thermo? If so dont depend on it. To do sausage you will need a probe thermo or a thermapen to get the correct IT of the sausage.. IT meaning, InternalTemp of the meat.
Not to worry we have all had our OOPS. My advise is to toss the gray sticks. Yeah i know $$ but better safe than sorry.
Try getting some cure #1 for the next batch.
Also can you post what FLB said, steps you took.
I better add that when you use cure #1 its 1 level tsp per 5 lbs of meat. MTQ should be 7 1/2 tsp per 5 lbs.
Thanks for the quick replies!
I was pretty much planning on tossing these.
I followed the ingredients in the recipe.
Mixed, then stuffed into 19mm casings using my grinder and stuffing tube (not impressed with that, will need to invest in a stuffer)
Preheated my BDS to 140
spread sticks on the racks so they were not touching (other than the bends)
set temp to 150
3 hours of hickory smoke
at 2 hours i opened door to rotate racks, insert temp probe and check water
Set temp to 180 left for another 1.5-2 hours
final temp showed 165
Almost looks like not enough time to get done.
I do sticks like this. Sticks can take several hours to do.
1. Pre heat smoker to 130* No smoke
2. Hang or rack sticks at 130* for 1.5 to 2 hrs to dry casings, Again no smoke. After this time touch casings. They should be kinda sticky feeling.
3. Bump heat to 140* with 1 hr of smoke (3 pucks) After pucks are done remain at 140* for 2 more hrs.
4. Bump heat to 150* with 40 mins smoke (2 pucks) hold at 150 for 2 hrs
5. Set heat to 160* no smoke for 2 hrs, check IT of sticks. NOTE: Sticks may stall for sometime here, most of the time IT stall will happen around 130*
6. Bump heat to 170* no smoke. Continue to check stick IT.
7. If IT is raising bump smoker temp to 175-180* being carefull not to exceed 180* to get a fat-out.
Like mentioned sticks can take anywhere from 6 to 12 hrs to do depending on amount in your smoker, outside temps, wind and such.
Thanks, I'll try that!
Your sticks should have this color unless you are doing black forest sticks.
(http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o290/stlthy1/IMG_0546.jpg)
Stop teasing Iceman Rick.
Your sticks are always mouthwatering and never last. :D
Lumpy
There may be something wrong with your Tender Quick, or you used the wrong type of Tender Quick, or as it sometimes happens to me, I forget to add an ingredient now and then.
If you used Morton Sugar Cure Smoke Flavored, that is only for dry cure sausage. It is a slow cure, consisting of 1% sodium nitrate, sugar, salt and additional flavoring that are packed separately. Using that in your sausage, there would not be enough time for it to have any curing effect.
If you used Morton Tender Quick, or Morton Sugar Cure you used the right cure, but then I would question if the product is still good. How old is it and how was it stored. You can test it by adding 3/8 teaspoon (1/4 teaspoon should be fine) of Tender Quick to 1/4 pound of ground meat, and mix well. Let is rest in the refrigerator for a few hours, then make a patty and fry it. When fully cooked the center should have a red like color to it.
NePaSmoker,
would you share your recipe for the nice sticks that you showed us the picture.