I'm getting ready to make some sticks this week for the first time ever. I have been reading several posts on the topic and was wondering..... Do I mix the meat, seasoning and cure then let the meat sit in the fridge overnight before stuffing or do I mix, stuff and then let the stuffed sticks sit in the fridge overnight before smoking?
I think you want to stuff your sticks as soon as you mix the meat. Letting it sit makes it a little stiff and hard to stuff. This is just my opinion. I know that there will be others with more knowledge than me who will answer shortly. Enjoy your sticks!
I mix my cure in water then I and the dry mix and stir it all up. Mix into the meat and stuff then smoke. You can mix the meat and store in fridge overnight but be sure it is covered to keep the moisture. I find if I stuff and then put in the fridge the finished casings become loose. Good luck and let us know how you faired.
This last week I did two batches of sticks. First day I mixed and let the covered meat mixture sit in the fridge over nightthan stuffed the next day and smoked. The following batch I mixed, stuffed and smoked all in the same day and noticed no difference in stick quality or taste. Sometimes it comes down to how much time you have in the day to get the job done.
Mix , stuff and smoke. I don't feel it changes the taste. It just requires time to get it all done.
KC
Remember to post pics. IF ya can :)
If you want to wait till the next day to stuff, I would mix all but the water and cure, let sit and before stuffing mix in the cure and water. If the cure sits overnight mixed with the meat it will be harder to stuff, it can be done but the meat is firmed up quite a bit.
Yeah, I'm not too sure if I can mix, stuff and smoke in the same day. I have to bottle up 6 gallons of blackberry wine first and I only have my assistant for a few hours. Probally gonna mix, stuff, fridge overnight then smoke the next day. Don't worry Mike, I'll have pics. Kirby, I can't wait to use the KC again. We love this thing. Thanks again Brother!!
Quote from: pikeman_95 on January 22, 2012, 10:10:52 AM
Mix , stuff and smoke. I don't feel it changes the taste. It just requires time to get it all done.
KC
So letting the meat sit overnight for the cure to properly do its job is BS?
As far as I am concerned.
If I were going to let something sit in the fridge It would be after a batch has been smoked. It allows the moisture to even out and will allow the sausage to dry out a little.
Take a small sample of freshly mixed sausage and put in a microwave or a frying pan. You will notice that it turns pink as soon as it gets up to heat and the meat gels together. It does not have to sit over night for this to happen.
The supposed to be BOOK rule which is BS to have the cured meat fridge rest is just that BS
You can mix, stuff, smoke right away. The times i mix and put in the fridge is when i dont have enough time to smoke.
Next time my sticks will go straight to the oven ;D