MSG Free Whole30 Beef Snack Sticks
Homemade snack sticks hit differently when you know exactly what went into them — and these deliver serious smoky, savory flavor without a single packet of seasoning mix or mystery additive. Store-bought jerky and meat sticks are notorious for hiding glutamates and flavor enhancers in their ingredient lists, so making your own from scratch is genuinely the cleanest way to get that satisfying, chewy snack. The seasoning here is built entirely from whole spices — smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and a kick of cayenne — so every bit of flavor is earned the honest way. An overnight cure in the fridge lets the spices and curing salt work deep into the meat, which means the finished sticks are bold and well-seasoned all the way through. Whether you run them through a smoker for that low-and-slow depth or use your oven on its lowest setting, the result is a firm, snappy stick with a beautifully dry casing. They're the kind of high-protein, grab-and-go snack that holds up in the fridge and disappears fast once people get a taste.
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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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