I Made Smoked Snack Sticks WITHOUT Casings — Mild, Spicy & Jalapeño Cheddar

Today I’m making smoked beef & pork snack sticks without casings — three flavors: mild, spicy, and jalapeño cheddar. These are easy to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for a pellet grill. Snack sticks are one of my favorite smoked snacks, and skipping the casings makes them even easier. For this cook, I’m blending beef and pork for better flavor and moisture, then forming the sticks and smoking them low and slow. In this video you’ll see: How to make no-casing snack sticks Beef vs pork flavor and texture differences Three seasoning profiles: mild, spicy, and jalapeño cheddar Smoking temps and tips to avoid drying them out 🔥 Smoked on a pellet grill 🥩 Beef + pork blend 🌶 Jalapeño cheddar favorite If you like smoked food and fermented drinks, hit Subscribe — new videos every week on Smokin’ n Drinkin’. Beef Snack Sticks - Casing-less Beef/Pork Snack Sticks – 3 Flavors RECIPE: 2 lb beef + pork batches (per flavor) 🥩 Meat Ratio (per batch) For best flavor & moisture: • 2 lb total meat, made of: ○ 1 lb (16 oz) ground beef ○ 1 lb (16 oz) ground pork This gets you the beef-forward taste with a pork richness. 🔧 Base Mix (per 2 lb batch) X 3 Use this for all three flavors, then add flavor-specific seasonings. • 2 lb meat (beef/pork blend above) • 1 tbs Morton Tender Quick Cure • 2 Tbsp ice water • ½ tsp Kosher salt • ½ tsp black pepper • ¼ tsp sugar • ½ tsp minced garlic • ½ tsp onion powder • ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce FLAVOR VARIETIES (All scaled for 1 lb) 🔵 1. Mild Snack Sticks (1 lb batch) Add to the base mix: • ¼ tsp mustard seed • ¼ tsp celery seed (optional) • ¼ tsp coriander • ½ tsp smoked paprika • Dash of Red Pepper Flakes 🔥 2. Spicy Snack Sticks (1 lb batch) Add to the base mix: • ¼ Black Pepper • ½ tsp cayenne • ½ tsp chipotle or Sriracha powder • ½ tsp chili powder • ¼ sugar 🌶🧀 3. Jalapeño Cheddar (1 lb batch) Add to the base mix: • 2–3 Tbsp diced jalapeño (fresh or pickled; pat dry) • ½-1 cup Shredded cheddar • ¼ tsp cumin • Extra ¼ tsp garlic powder • Optional: 1 tsp jalapeño brine (reduces dryness and boosts flavor) Note: Fresh jalapeños benefit from a quick 2–3 minute sauté to remove excess moisture. 🧵 NO CASING METHOD — “FORMED” SNACK STICKS Formed Stick Mold (perfectly uniform) Use: • Jerky gun (best option) • OR shape by hand into ½–¾” diameter logs • OR press into silicone “snack stick mold” Smoking Instructions (Casing-less) 1. Preheat pellet smoker to 150°F (or lowest setting). 2. Place formed sticks on wire racks for airflow. 3. Smoke in stages: ○ 150°F for 1 hr (drying stage) ○ 160°F for 1 hr ○ 170°F for 1 hr ○ 180°F until IT hits 155°F 4. Cool down: Since there’s no casing, skip the ice bath. Just cool on the rack. 5. Dry: Let sit at room temp 1–2 hours to deepen color. 🧊 Storage • Fridge: 1 week • Vacuum sealed: 2–3 weeks • Frozen: 6 months • Jerky-style dry-out (extra 1–2 hrs at 165°F): stores longer 00:00 - Intro 00:21 - Welcome 01:23 - The Tools 02:22 - The Meat 02:54 - The Base Seasonings 04:04 - The Mild Flavor Seasonings 04:21 - The Spicy Flavor Seasonings 04:32 - The Jalapeno Cheddar Flavor Seasonings 04:45 - Mix it all together 06:08 - Cover and Refrigerate 07:38 - Makin' the sticks 09:50 - Get the Snack Sticks on the smoker 11:41 - Checkin' the internal temp 12:16 - There Done! 13:06 - The Taste! 14:21 - Prost!