Jerky Sticks

[Scotty-G]

I've seen at a smoke house store jerky sticks that are really tightly packed and smooth cylinders.
I am using a "Jerky Cannon" to shoot out my Jerky Sticks of seasoned/cured ground meat.
I've done both packaged into casing and not packaged into casing.  After smoking the jerky I get wrinkly little sticks, not tightly packed, smooth cylinders.  I don't know if it's because of the equipment or the ingredients or technique I am using.
Any advice or insight as to how I can get better looking jerky sticks?
Thanks

[acords]

What is the process that you are using.  What temp are you smoking at?  What temp are you taking the internal temp to.  Plunging in cold water after they are done seems to help.

[iceman]

A friend at a local sausage shop told me the way they get a smooth cylinder is with the collagen casing, hard packing the meat, and steam cooking after a cold smoke. I've only tried that once and it seemed to work. It's a real pain to get the stuffing part right unless you have a good stuffer. I kept blowing out the casing. Oh well. I don't really mind a few wrinkles after all. ;D

[Scotty-G]

I've been squeezing the ground meat into a casing (not packed tightly in)
and then smoke (150 deg) cook (175 deg) until dried out.
At that point, the meat is smaller in diameter and not a smooth, tight cylinder.
When I don't use a casing, it resembles more of a oak tree branch look.

[Gizmo]

it resembles more of a oak tree branch look.

Nothing wrong with that Scotty-G.  Good Oak Tree is just built in oak flavor. ;D

[NePaSmoKer]

I use on my grinder whats called a snack stick needle. Long SS pointed tube that my casings slide onto and i get tight stuffed sticks.

nepas

[Scotty-G]

I use on my grinder whats called a snack stick needle. . . and i get tight stuffed sticks.

My Jerky Cannon is like a calk gun.  Load the barrell and squeeze the handle.  I too have a
SS snack stick needle so it might be the pressure that is being used when I squeeze the handle.

Nepas - how do you cook/dehydrate your snack sticks?  low and long to dehyrdate?

Thanks.
Scotty-G

[jaeger]

The jerky cannon would probably work good to caulk your windows but thats about it.   :o
I use my stuffer with a copper attachment that I made and just clamp on to the medium size horn with stainless steel hose clamp. I like the flat pieces and this way I don't need casings at all. (My #1 taste tester likes to warm up the pieces in the nuker when she is ready to snack on one.) The great thing about the stuffer is that it is easy to refill, much easier to crank out product and a lot easier to clean. If you like ground jerky, you have to try using a stuffer.
Here are a couple of pics.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/Hornattch.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/Stx.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/Formed.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/PlanB.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/BeefSticks.jpg
Taste Tester
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/SalmonA.jpg

[NePaSmoKer]

I use on my grinder whats called a snack stick needle. . . and i get tight stuffed sticks.

My Jerky Cannon is like a calk gun.  Load the barrell and squeeze the handle.  I too have a
SS snack stick needle so it might be the pressure that is being used when I squeeze the handle.

Nepas - how do you cook/dehydrate your snack sticks?  low and long to dehyrdate?

Thanks.
Scotty-G

I start out at 160* in my smoker, 2 hrs of smoke then into my dehydrator at 140* for around 3 hrs or until casings are kinda tacky feeling.

When i use my grinder and needle i keep my casings kinda wet by spritzing with water. I have found that this eliminates (most of) the wrinkles and shrinkage. when stuffing i overstuff just slightly.

I will try to find my pics and post em.

nepas

[acords]

Taste Tester
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/SalmonA.jpg

Hard to argue with those results ;)