beef stick question?

[SmokinHotPapa]

hi gang, was just wondering can i use ground beef you by at a super market as my meat for making beef sticks or should i buy chuck roast and grind myself, what would be the difference? I am very intrested in making those tasty treats and i really like stickbowcrafter's method and recipe he posted with pics, any help would be appreciated thanx.

[HCT]

Best way to go, pick out your chuck roast and have the butcher grind it for you. I never buy ground beef because you don't know what they are putting in it. Yeah they put in a certain % of the beef but the way the laws are in the US, they can put any other kind of filler in it also.

[acords]

You are better off grinding your own.  I have never had a problem using store bought ground beef for sticks though. 

[SmokinHotPapa]

thanx guys was'ent sure, it just sounded like why not buy the meat already ground, nerver though about what fillers they might put in it. What about cheese to put into smokies? I know i've ate them that way, what keeps the cheese from melting when your smoking them or does it, any insight?

[acords]

I crumble pepper jack and mix in at the end right before I stuff.  Smoke at a low temp.  I start out at 120 for 1 hour, then start the smoke and bring the temp up 10 degrees at a time until IT is 152.  I usually finish no higher than 170.  The cheese will melt somewhat, but if you keep the temp low enough, it shouldn't "run out" of the casing.  You can get high temp cheese that won't melt, but it is expensive.  I've found that it really isn't necessary, JMO though.

[SmokinHotPapa]

thanx for your input acords i think im on the right track.