I have 3.5 pounds of beef that has been sitting in the fridge for almost 24 hours with the amount of cure/seasoning that the package suggested. I am about ready to preheat my OBS and get it going. I do have a question about cooking/smoking times. Should I follow the directions and smoke it at 200 degrees F for 2 hours or has anyone with a OBS found a different time and heat temp works better? Thanks!!
I'd like to know as well! I have my jerky sitting on the racks with my brand new smoker warming up as we speak! Also doing the High Mountain pepper cure, with a batch of High Mountain Inferno blend in the fridge.
I am going to try Oak I think, but would Mesquite be better?
I am using the Hickory Blend and intend on using hickory pucks for smoking if that makes a difference on smoke/cook time.
200F will work, or you could do 180F
You will want to rotate the racks front to back and top to bottom every hour or so.
Apply 2 hours of smoke, and continue @180-200F until your jerky bends but does not break.
Take a sample or two when you rotate.
I put on an hour of smoke @180F and then into the dehydrator @145F for about 6 hours.
Thanks for the advice! Perfect timing as my phone alarm just started going off telling me it is time to put it in.
One other quick thing. Do you suggest flipping the beef over as it is smoking?
Quote from: Big_T on December 31, 2010, 10:30:41 AM
One other quick thing. Do you suggest flipping the beef over as it is smoking?
I never have. Seems like too much work.
At 200 degrees you're beginning to cook the jerky rather than drying it. Not saying there is anything wrong with that method. I have 10 pounds of ground deer jerky going in the dehydrator at 155 degrees as we speak.
Well I got mine all done, it turned out pretty good, except for a few pieces on the bottom rack near the bottom. I had swapped the racks a couple times, but never turned them. Clearly on the next batch I will turn the back side towards the door as I move the racks about.
Not bad for my first batch!
Mine turned out pretty decent as well. I had trouble getting it up to temp. It was like 10 degrees out and I had it right on the inside of my garage. About half way through I shut the garage door most the way and was able to get another 40 degrees or so. I do think that I need to invest in a meat slicer through. I had the meat guy at the grocery slice up a roast for me and he used a knife and was not very consistent. So some of it could have used a little more time drying and some was maybe just a little too dry. But I guess overall it was a win.
Good for you, I found as I experiment , I get a good track of times and when to turn them,,, I have filled my 6 Rack DBS and took for every,, but the jerky was very good...
Hello, the way i do my jerky is i slice the roast thin, hi mountain seasoning, smoke in the smoker with no heat just 20 minutes of flavored pucks of my choice then i dehyderate the meat in the dehyderator for 6 to 8 hours or so. I do not flip the jerky in the smoker or rotate the racks.