Bourbon BBQ Venison Snack Sticks
Making processed meat snacks is almost a rite of passage for deer hunters. Whether it’s venison snack sticks, sausage, or venison jerky, it’s got to be done.
Most guys drop their deer off at the processor after the hunt and call it a day — and there’s nothing wrong with that.
But if you value food and you’re open to trying new things, you might be surprised at how rewarding it is to make your own. And since you’re here reading this article, you’re already doing the “right thing.”
Binding
The number one thing when making venison snack sticks is binding. Yes, it’s even more important than seasoning, because no one wants a loose, crumbly snack stick.
If you cut into it and it falls apart, it’s because the meat wasn’t bound properly.
Binding is the process by which salt and mixing extract sticky meat proteins (especially myosin) that hold the sausage’s meat, fat, and moisture together as a cohesive, stable texture.
To get a good bind you need:
- the right amount of fat
- the right amount of salt
- and everything kept cold, or the fat may smear
You can also use binding agents such as nonfat dry milk or milk powder, like I did in this recipe.
Curing Salt (U.S. & EU)
Because snack sticks are smoked low and slow, they must include curing salt (Cure #1).
In the U.S., Cure #1 is 6.25% sodium nitrite.
The standard use rate is 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs of meat or 0.25% of meat weight.
In the EU, curing salt is usually 0.6% nitrite, a 10:1 dilution compared to the American version.
So EU users must use 10 times as much curing salt to achieve the same nitrite level, while still staying within local legal limits.
Cure #1 keeps the meat safe during long smoking sessions, improves color, and gives snack sticks their classic cured flavor.
Casings
Most snack sticks use collagen casings, typically 17–19mm. They’re simple, uniform, and require no soaking — just slide them onto the stuffing tube and go.
They also give that clean, smooth surface and the satisfying snap you expect from a snack stick.
Sheep casings can be used, but they’re delicate, inconsistent, and more work. Hog casings are too large for true snack sticks.
For ease and quality, collagen is the best choice.
Seasoning
I’ve been playing around with jerky and snack-stick seasoning for many years. This site is full of recipes for jerky, sausage, and even upscaled flavors like truffle and black garlic snack sticks.
But no recipe archive would be complete without a honey BBQ–flavored snack stick.
I kept this recipe simple because BBQ is simple. The main thing I did here is lead with a bourbon note — it rounds out BBQ beautifully. You could also use whiskey if you prefer.
Cooking
Cooking snack sticks is usually done in a smoker, and I find the Masterbuilt 800 to be the perfect tool for the job. It delivers good smoke flavor and, more importantly, can run as low as 150°F, which is crucial for snack sticks.
Snack sticks are cooked in increasing temperature stages:
- 150°F, no smoke — 30 minutes
- 150°F with smoke — 30 minutes
- 160°F — 1 hour
- 170°F until internal temperature reaches 155–160°F
Starting low without smoke lets the casing dry and form a pellicle.
Gradually increasing the heat prevents fat-out, which ruins texture.
For this recipe I used cherry, mainly cause I was out of apple, but both work well with this recipe. I believe this recipe would also hold up to bolder flavors like oak.
Once the sticks reach 155–160°F internally, place them in an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop the cook and tighten the casings.
Rest in the Fridge
After the ice bath, let the snack sticks rest in the fridge for 12–24 hours.
This allows them to bloom — the color evens out, the smoke flavor settles, the casing adheres better, and the texture firms up into that perfect, finished snack-stick bite.
Venison Bourbon BBQ Snack Sticks
Ingredients
- Meat
- Cure, Salt & Binder
- Sweet + BBQ Base
- Bourbon Component
- Savory Backbone
- Spices
Method
- Grind the partially frozen venison and pork belly together using a medium plate.
- Add all cure, salt, binder, sweet BBQ ingredients, bourbon, savory elements, and spices to the ground meat. Mix thoroughly until tacky, sticky, and uniform.
- Cover the mixture and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to develop and curing to occur.
- Stuff the seasoned meat into 17–19 mm collagen snack stick casings.
- Preheat smoker to 150°F (65°C). Place sticks in smoker without smoke for 30 minutes to dry the casings.
- Continue at 150°F (65°C) with smoke for 30 minutes to build color and help smoke adhere.
- Increase temperature to 160°F (71°C) and smoke for 1 hour.
- Increase temperature to 170°F (77°C) and continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 155–160°F (68–71°C). Choose 155°F for juicier sticks or 160°F for a firmer texture.
- Remove sticks from smoker and cool until casings set and meat firms. Refrigerate after cooling.
These bourbon-infused snack sticks blend wild venison with sweet BBQ elements and warm bourbon undertones. Alcohol evaporates during smoking, leaving only rich flavor.
Equipment: Meat grinder, snack stick stuffer, smoker, meat thermometer, 17–19 mm collagen casings.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.