First try at smoking and first post

[OntarioSmoke]

Hey Everyone,

Well I have been visiting the site for a few weeks but decided it was time to start posting.  Smoking is truly addictive, they need to put a warning on the box, I have a few ideas about what that may look like but anyway....

So I snagged a venison roast from my brothers freezer before our annual ice fishing trip up North to try my hand at jerky making in the smoker.  Cut it up in thin strips and let it marinate overnight in a simple marinade for about 24 hours.  Ended up with about a  1 1/2 lbs total and it didn't make it past the first night. 

After cutting and marinating for about 24 hours.


After 2 hours of smoke and about 2 1/2 hours of additional drying time.

[ragweed]

Welcome to the forum from Nebraska.  That's good lookin' jerky!  That reminds me.  I'm out, have to make more.

[NorthShoreMN]

You are right, it is addictive.  Even more so when you read the posts and get new ideas every day.
Jerky looks great.  You will need to make a lot more than that and learn to hide some.
Welcome from N E Minnesota

[UncleAl]

Welcome from Michigan - looks like your hooked welcome to the forum
 

[devo]

Well welcome from a fellow Ontarian. I am up in the Thunder Bay district where about's are you?

So you made some jerky and you marinated it overnight? I have to ask did you add cure #1 to it? I see that it only took (After 2 hours of smoke and about 2 1/2 hours of additional drying time.) about 4 1/2 hours so I am assuming you dried it at hi temps, low and slow will take you about 7-8 hours.  Using cure is a must if you want to keep everyone safe. If you have questions just ask and welcome to a good forum.

[Saber 4]

Welcome to your new addiction from down in Texas

[BoxcarBetts]

Although I now live in the Vancouver area, I'm an Ontarian too (from Cambridge).

When I did my first 2 jerky smokes I used no cure and my drying time was about the same as Ontariosmoke's.  I kept mine at a around 70C the whole time (about 155 F, or something like that). I WAS expecting upto 8 hours, but the BTIS1 worked like a charm and quick, too.

Also, my marinades were just overnight; about 12 hours.

[OntarioSmoke]

Hey guys,

I am in the Mississauga area but have lived in several cities in Ontario, including Kitchener Waterloo so just next to Cambridge.

As for the jerky I definitely need to make more next time around.  I didn't use a cure and had no issues, maybe I was lucky but the jerky also only lasted about 24 hours from the time it was out of the smoker so that helped to.  I think if I was making more and planned to keep it longer I would use a cure to be safe.

Looking forward to my big Super Bowl smoking plans this weekend and doing a test batch of deviled  eggs as we speak as well as making a batch of Jan's rub for this weekend.

This forum is great for ideas and tips, loving it

[BoxcarBetts]

I managed to make my jerky last about a week with no issues. Tasted the same as it did the day it came out! I just kept them in ziplock bags with the air sucked out in the fridge for the most part. From what I can gather, as long as you trim off all the fat and use nice, lean cuts, you should be good. I had a couple with a bit of fat from marbling that you could see coagulated after dry-out, so I just made sure to eat those pieces right away. ... In the name of safety of course. :D