Antelope sticks –

[bpnclark]

I have a speed goat hunt coming up, so I cleaned out the freezer this weekend. I used around 7.5 lbs of antelope cuts and a little less than 3 lbs of pork fat. I was in a hurry to get these done on Sunday so I used 2 packs of Bass Pro's "Backwoods Snack" season pack. 

The package called for the smoker to be at 180 and the finished IT at 165. I have made sticks before but I always pulled them out at 152-155. So I looked at the cure packet and it said "cure #5". I don't know if this is really different then the cure #1 I have always used, so I followed the directions.

So in the smoker they went. They were in there for a good 12 hrs when they started to hang up at 145. So being the patient person that I am, I bumped up the temp to 200. I checked on the smoker less 20 min later and the IT was past 165 in the middle. So I immediately took them out and gave them a ice bath.

So after thinking about it, and rushing it, I don't know if all of them came out at 165. The ones on the bottom were definitely past 165, the ones in the middle were probably at 165 but I'm not sure about the ones at the top?

Do you think 165 is way to high to cook sticks? And does anyone know about a cure #5?   

[KevinG]

Never heard of cure#5, but I'd look to see if the number fell off and was put on upside down and should be cure#2.

[NePaSmoKer]

Never heard of cure 5 either

[bpnclark]

I never heard of it either and I think it might have just had the #5 by it for another reason. But it did make me follow the directions...

I have been eating the sticks and I'm still alive! But for sticks that were pulled out with a IT of 165-169, they sure are moist. They almost taste like they're not fully cooked? But I'm assuming it was the straight pork fat I used. The times I made them before, I always used pork but. But these antelope cuts were lean. I had to throw in a couple backstrap pieces (a sin I know), so I thought it would be better to go with the fat. Does this sound right?

[NePaSmoKer]

Try omitting the pork and use some 80/20 or 73/27 GB.

165-169 is kinda high for the IT of the meat, it was close to a fat-out. If i recall you used 3lbs of pork to 7.5lbs of pronghorn? Try 8 prong and 2 73/27gbeef.

I quit using pork in the sticks and sausage when i do game, unless one of my friends wants the pork butt

[Tenpoint5]

Never heard of cure number 5 but if I had to take a wild guess I would guess it was cure weighted for seasoning blend number 5

[NePaSmoKer]

Never heard of cure number 5 but if I had to take a wild guess I would guess it was cure weighted for seasoning blend number 5

Its the cure for love potion #5   :D  :D