Hot bath for snack sticks!

[DOUG3D]

I decided to make 10 lbs of LEM snack sticks, 5# pepper and 5# hot sticks. I mixed all up on tuesday and let rest in fridge. Started smoking 5# on wednesday at 9:00 pm, first hour to dry at 130 then 2:40 min apple smoke at 150 then finished at 170. Temps at 6:30 in morning were at 147, I needed to go to work so I brought in house for a hot bath of 160 water to finish IT at 152, this seemed to work well. Tonight I did the last 5# and used same process, except after smoke I let go in smoker for one more hour, the IT was at 137, i then pulled and did the hot bath again to 152 IT. I prefer my sticks not so dry and this seems to do the trick. I was just wondering if there is anything wrong with using this method on snack sticks? I do use a PID and have the fan mod, so the temps were right on. I could not be more happy with the results and the LEM seasoning!!!

[classicrockgriller]

Can you post some pics of the sticks.

Sounds like a good plan.

[Scottie's Gourmet Meats]

I did this exact same method (referring to the warm water bath) tonite with tremendous success! I am extremely happy with how it all turned out! And this is what it all looks like:

20lbs worth.

[DOUG3D]

CRG, I did not have time to take pics, but they look just like Scotties! The end product yields casings that are completely smooth and they kinda snap when you bite them. Also the product is very moist! The whole process took 5 hrs. Those sticks look great Scottie! How long did you dry and smoke? What recipe did you use?

[Sailor]

I have not tried the hot bath with the snack stix (1) fear of ruining the collagen casing (2) I don't have a pot or container long enough or deep enough to put an 18 inch item in.

This is good to know that the stix held up well and turned out good.  I think the hot bath for sausage is the way to go and if you are getting good results for the stixs I will have to try that. 

Can you tell me what type of container you are using for the hot bath?

[DOUG3D]

I just used a normal 5 Qt. kettle, the sticks were not hard to get in at all, could almost fit 5 Lbs at a time. The sticks were tied every 6 inches with butcher twine. Scottie must have a pretty big kettle for those lenghts

[RAF128]

Years ago I tried the hot water on some beer sticks with collegen casings.    I'm not sure about the procedure but think I put them in the hot water before any smoke.    The casings shrivelled up and meat came out the ends so haven't done it since.    Maybe have to heat and smoke first before the hot water.   Also the water might have been hotter than 160.   As I said, that was some time ago.

[marauder11]

Should work the same as regular sausage. Pikeman does a hot water bath he might know more.

[pikeman_95]

It sounds like the hot water bath trick is working well for most. You guys might be thinking of a turkey cooker. In the case of snack sticks that are tied off in moderate length links you should be able to curl up at least 15 pounds in a hot bath. Raf128's post indicates that he might have the water too hot. This one thing that I have had to pay special attention to. I never let the water temperature go over 160 and I have some cold water handy and when the sausage reaches about 154 I add some cold water so the bath is cooled to 155 then the sausage do not go over 155. When working on perfecting the process I let some of the sausage get to 165 and would start seeing some holes in the sausage where some of the fat melted out. This is why you want to keep the temp at 160 and no more.

PS don't trust the thermometer that comes with a turkey fryer. Get a digital thermometer. I found that if you dip the probe connection where the wire goes into the probe into some dip and grip liquid plastic. [Ace Hardware] they keep working even if they get dunked under the water. The Thermester in the tip of these things do not like to get wet.

Kirby

[Scottie's Gourmet Meats]

Hey sailor, I am using a 22qrt stockpot with a canning rack in the bottom of it and heating it with my propane campstove. The water temp gets between 160-175 and I water bath it for about 20-25 min until I get an IT of 165. Then I pull them out and lay them on a papertowel on my table and allow them to cool. Almost zero shrinkage as you can see from my picture above, also there was no issues at all with the collagen casings. I did find that after sitting in the fridge overnight they were nice and firm and they have that nice snap to them that most pepperoni usually has.

Lovin figgerin out how to make something new!

[NePaSmoKer]

Just want to add here. If you have a digital electric turkey fryer like a masterbuilt you can keep water temp close to dead on.