Memorial Weekend Jerky

[Caribou]

I also made 1 lb of jerky with HM original, now i know why i cant stand it so i tossed it out. That stuff is awful.

Just my ¢2 worth.

nepas

Nepas,
Just curious why you didn't like it, enough to throw it out?
I've made 2 batches from it, one I thought was pretty and one that came out too salty for some reason.
Followed the directions to the letter both times using venison.
Carolyn

Hi Carolyn

It just taste to store bought to me. I have a friend who works at the company who makes HM he gave me a case of it. Just dont like it.

nepas

Hi Nepas,
I do have to agree with you on the store bought taste.
Oh, I meant pretty good..not pretty.  :D
I have got to edit my replies better!
Carolyn

[aha638]

200* is to high for jerky especially GM. I start my jerky at 140* and bump up to 170* so i don't fat-out the meat and use 3 to 5 pucks of wood, 1 hour or 1 hour 40 mins.  At times i cold smoke the jerky and finish in the dehydrator.

GM jerky should be 85/15 or 90/10 and wont take as long as strip jerky. (whole muscle)

Don't keep schedules, been doing this for a long time so i pretty much can tell when done. Jerky bendable (GOOD) jerky snap and break (BAD)

nepas
[/quote]

nepas, I reviewed my temperatures during the smoke and I never got over 180º during the entire "cook".  During my 2 hour smoke the temp went from 145º at time zero to 180º.  At that point I turned off the bisquette burner and set the temp to maintain the 180º.  Even after 6 hours the jerky does not "break".

Do you have a reason to use 85/15 0r 90/10 over the 96/4 I used?  I was trying to keep the fat as low as possible for long-termstorage reasons.

Thanks for your comments, as I am new at the ground beef jerky thing.

Al

[NePaSmoKer]

The fat in the GM adds flavor to the jerky. Thats why i go with the 85/15 or 90/10. If your looking for log term storage you might want to spray the finished cooled jerky with potassium sorbate. It inhibits mold, yeats and fungi from forming on the jerky.  Nothing wrong with the 96/4 you used.

Here are a few tips.

When your jerky is done from the smoker or dehydrator place it in a brown paper bag for a few hours. The bag will absorb any surface moisture or grease spots. Shake it a few times while in the bag.

When storing jerky keep it in a plastic or glass container with holes in the lid. If in a plastic bag keep the bag open. All the containers storage can be refrigerated.

nepas

[okeejohn]

Hi NePaSmoker!
Was reading your post and was wondering why the holes in the container? Is that to keep the moisture from building up? Wouldn't that aroma permeate everything in the refrigerator? (Wife might not like smoked milk ;)

Okeejohn

[NePaSmoKer]

Hi NePaSmoker!
Was reading your post and was wondering why the holes in the container? Is that to keep the moisture from building up? Wouldn't that aroma permeate everything in the refrigerator? (Wife might not like smoked milk ;)

Okeejohn

Yes right. The holes keep moisture out. I don't think the smoke smell will permeate through the milk carton.

nepas