Pam,
NFDM is Non Fat Dry Milk or powdered milk.
AC Legg is a season company. Their snack stick mix is #116. You can find their products here:
http://www.bestsouthernseasonings.com/ECA is Encapsulated Citric Acid. It's what gives the sticks that "tang".
NFDM and ECA can be bought at The sausage maker website, Butcher & Packer website and I'm sure a few others.
My smoke cycle goes like this:
130 for 1 hour to dry the casings
140 for 1 hour with Pecan smoke (I like Pecan with sticks)
150 for 1 hour with Pecan Smoke
160 for 1 hour with Pecan smoke
170 with no smoke until I reach an IT of 152.
I don't shower the sticks with water afterward, I hang in the basement to bloom for a few hours. Then into the refrig overnight to mellow in a paper bag.
That's my way. I know others may do it differently, but this works for me.
Good luck Pam.
Edit: I use HOT water in the bowl during the smoke cycle and up to the final IT. No water in bowl to dry the casings. That's a trick NEPAS taught me.
