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ksprairie_gw

snack stick casings

KSprairie
9 years ago

I'm currently making venison jerky and would like to try some snack sticks next. Never done them before. What we've got from the meat locker in the past have been about 1/2" diameter.
Any recommendations for brand, type, and size of snack stick casings to purchase? Where do you get them - Do you find them locally or order them?
Thanks!

Comments (6)

  • balloonflower
    9 years ago

    Are you sure they had a casing? When I've made snack sticks, it was just a matter of putting the meat thru the 'gun' to shape, then baking dry. Have done both strips and sticks with no casing.

  • KSprairie
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Not sure actually! I did a quick Google search for High Mountain Snack Sticks to see what they recommend, and they sell collagen casings with the seasonings/cure in their snack stick kit. I don't have a kit, so I wondered if you needed them or not, or what some of you all typically do. I put the cure and seasoning on yesterday and started drying process today.I tried one tray without casings in round shape, and two trays of flat jerky strips. I am doing all ground meat right now, and using my new jerky shooter for the first time. WOW! Sure makes the process a lot easier and faster. I shouldn't have waited so long to buy one. :)

  • dirtguy50 SW MO z6a
    9 years ago

    KSprairie, I'm not positive about this but I think if you are using a recipe with a cure in it, you don't need a casing unless you just want to. The product will firm up and hold it's shape. Without a cure, you may need a casing which should be available like sometimes you may see in a slim jim type product. Our local Bass Pro Shop has the small casings in stock if you have a store like that in your area. Let us know how it all turns out. Those snacks are sooooo good to have around.

  • KSprairie
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    My family says the snacks turned out great! I ground my own venison and used High Mountain Original & Hickory jerky seasonings. The first 3# batch I split in thirds using the 3 different tips that came with my jerky shooter so I could test them all out; round tip, wide flat tip, and double slotted flat tip (makes 2 narrow strips at a time). The round snacks win hands down as my family's favorite. The round ones held their shape just fine.
    I don't think I care fore the texture you get when a cure is used. The next several batches I make I may try recipes w/o cure, but then the round sticks may not hold together as well, as you mentioned, dirtguy50..
    I would like to try the NCHFP recipe for ground jerky, but I've made a similar one in the past and do not care for the worcestershire. Does anyone know if that is necessary, or is it just there for flavor?

  • balloonflower
    9 years ago

    I honestly don't know about the necessity of the Worcestershire, as I do like the flavor and would not omit it for that reason. I'm guessing it's a flavor thing, since I can't think of a safety issue requiring it. It has a lot of background flavors that it would contribute to the overall recipe flavor and balance. Have you tried different brands? I can only use the Annie's natural kind now that I started--the others taste artificial to me. The same for soy sauce--now that I've found one that's actually made with soy, and not wheat as the popular commercial brand is.

  • KSprairie
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I have tried several brands over the years, never Annie's natural though. I will look for it. I think in general, the Worcestershire made the jerky much too sweet tasting, but we do not like sweet jerky as some people do.