Walnut Free Whole30 Beef Snack Sticks
Smoky, spiced, and satisfying in a way that store-bought snack sticks rarely manage, these homemade beef sticks are built from a tight lineup of pantry spices — smoked paprika, garlic, onion, mustard powder, and a kick of cayenne — with absolutely nothing you don't recognize. The ingredient list is naturally free of tree nuts in any form, so there's no label-scanning anxiety and no cross-contamination guesswork when you make them yourself. Ground beef gets seasoned, cured overnight, and then slowly smoked or oven-dried until each stick hits that perfect firm, snappy texture that makes it genuinely hard to stop at one. The slow cook — whether in a smoker or a low oven — does the heavy lifting, drawing out moisture and locking in deep, savory flavor without any shortcuts. Collagen casings make the stuffing process approachable even if you've never made sausage before, and the whole batch can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for easy grab-and-go snacking. These are the kind of protein-packed sticks that make road trips, lunchboxes, and post-workout hunger feel a lot more handled.
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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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