Description
Homemade spicy venison snack sticks with habanero peppers and cheese – perfect for hunters and meat processing enthusiasts looking for a protein-rich, portable snack with a kick.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 pounds ground venison
- 2 pounds pork fat (or ground pork with high fat content)
- 3–4 fresh habanero peppers, finely minced
- 8 oz high-temperature cheese (cheddar or pepper jack), cut into small cubes
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Prague Powder #1 (pink curing salt)
- 1/2 cup ice water
- 21–23mm collagen casings
Instructions
- Ensure all meat is very cold. Mix ground venison and pork fat in a large container.
- Combine all dry ingredients (spices, salt, curing salt, and brown sugar) in a separate bowl.
- Add the spice mixture to the meat along with ice water. Mix thoroughly by hand for 5-7 minutes until sticky.
- Fold in the minced habaneros and cheese cubes until evenly distributed.
- Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours to allow cure to work and flavors to develop.
- Stuff the meat mixture into 21-23mm collagen casings using a sausage stuffer.
- Twist or tie off into 6-8 inch lengths.
- Let sticks hang at room temperature for 1-2 hours until dry to the touch.
- Smoke or cook using temperature staging: 130°F for 1 hour, 150°F for 1 hour, 170°F for 1 hour, and finally 190°F until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Cool completely, then vacuum seal in portions for storage.
Notes
- Keep all meat and equipment very cold during preparation to prevent fat smearing.
- Wear gloves when handling habanero peppers to avoid skin irritation.
- High-temperature cheese is specially formulated not to melt during smoking.
- Prague Powder #1 (curing salt) is essential for food safety in this recipe.
- For milder sticks, reduce or omit habaneros and cayenne pepper.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Snack
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stick (approximately 1 oz)
- Calories: 120
Keywords: venison snack sticks, spicy deer sticks, habanero cheese venison, game meat processing, homemade jerky, hunting snacks
