Artificial Food Coloring Free Whole30 Beef Snack Sticks
Homemade snack sticks hit differently when you know exactly what went into them — and these are built entirely from real spices, ground beef, and collagen casings with zero synthetic dyes or artificial colorings anywhere in the mix. That deep reddish hue you see comes straight from smoked paprika, not a lab, which is a genuinely satisfying thing to know when you're reaching for a protein-packed snack. Commercial jerky and meat sticks are notorious for sneaking in color additives to make the product look more appealing on the shelf, so making your own is one of the cleanest ways around that problem. The spice blend here — garlic, onion, mustard powder, black pepper, and a kick of cayenne — layers up into something bold and smoky that rivals anything you'd find in a gas station cooler, except actually good for you. Whether you run them through a smoker for that authentic low-and-slow bark or use your oven on its lowest setting, the slow cook drives out moisture and locks in flavor while bringing the internal temp to a safe 160°F throughout. The overnight cure in the fridge is the secret step that makes the texture genuinely snappy and the seasoning deep rather than surface-level. Batch these on a weekend and you'll have a stash of clean, satisfying snacks ready to grab all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
- 2 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 1 tsp curing salt (prague powder #1)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 12 collagen casings (19mm), soaked per package directions
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, curing salt, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne (if using). Add the cold water. Mix with your hands or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is tacky and holds together when pressed between your fingers.
- 2
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow the curing salt to work through the meat and the flavors to develop.
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