Beef Jerky; Start with 10 pounds beef; Two Types of flavors

[NePaSmoKer]

CURES - Cures are used in sausage products for color and flavor development as well as retarding the development of bacteria in
the low temperature environment of smoked meats.
Salt and sugar both cure meat by osmosis. In addition to drawing the water from the food, they dehydrate and kill the bacteria that make food spoil. In general, though, use of the word "cure" refers to processing the meat with either sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate.
The primary and most important reason to use cures is to prevent BOTULISM POISONING (Food poisoning). It is very important that any kind of meat or sausage that will be cooked and smoked at low temperature be cured. To trigger botulism poisoning, the requirements are quite simple - lack of oxygen, the presence of moisture, and temperatures in range of 40-140° F. When smoking meats, the heat and smoke eliminates the oxygen. The meats have moisture and are traditionally smoked and cooked in the low ranges of 90 to 185° F. As you can see, these are ideal conditions for food poisoning if you don't use cures. There are two types of commercially used cures.

Prague Powder #1
Also called Insta-Cure and Modern Cure. Cures are used to prevent meats from spoiling when being cooked or smoked at low temperatures (under 200 degrees F). This cure is 1 part sodium nitrite (6.25%) and 16 parts salt (93.75%) and are combined and crystallized to assure even distribution. As the meat temperate rises during processing, the sodium nitrite changes to nitric oxide and starts to 'gas out' at about 130 degrees F. After the smoking /cooking process is complete only about 10-20% of the original nitrite remains. As the product is stored and later reheated for consumption, the decline of nitrite continues. 4 ounces of Prague powder #1 is required to cure 100 lbs of meat. A more typical measurement for home use is 1 level tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Mix with cold water, then mix into meat like you would mix seasonings into meat.


Prague Powder #2
Used to dry-cure products. Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. (1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt.)
It is primarily used in dry-curing Use with products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which is sodium nitrate, acts like a time release, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. This allows you to dry cure products that take much longer to cure. A cure with sodium nitrite would dissipate too quickly.
Use 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat.
When using a cure in a brine solution, follow a recipe.

[Redneckinthecity]

Jerky gurus -

On my initial jerky try, I relied on this thread for basics - lightly freeze the meat before slicing, toothpick method, etc.  I used AC Legg's cajun jerky seasoning.  It was fantastic - I need to tinker with thickness of the meat a bit and smoke/dehydrator time (I bought a LEM dehydrator this spring and it's never left the box. 

Legg's instructions/times are based on using a vacuum tumbler for a total of 25 minutes (!) before moving to dehydrator.  I don't have a tumbler and noticed that Kevin left his meat in for 48 hours. 

Does anyone have a recommendation on minimum/maximum times to leave in?  Has anyone rinsed after removing from the marinade?

Thanks!

[meyer lemon]

Great photos and instructions...I see a new project looming!

[watchdog56]

good looking jerky

[tailfeathers]

Jerky gurus -

On my initial jerky try, I relied on this thread for basics - lightly freeze the meat before slicing, toothpick method, etc.  I used AC Legg's cajun jerky seasoning.  It was fantastic - I need to tinker with thickness of the meat a bit and smoke/dehydrator time (I bought a LEM dehydrator this spring and it's never left the box. 

Legg's instructions/times are based on using a vacuum tumbler for a total of 25 minutes (!) before moving to dehydrator.  I don't have a tumbler and noticed that Kevin left his meat in for 48 hours. 

Does anyone have a recommendation on minimum/maximum times to leave in?  Has anyone rinsed after removing from the marinade?

Thanks!

Don't think I would rinse after marinating. I almost always finish my jerky in my dehydrator after smoking for 2 to 2.5 hours. I lay my jerky on frogmats in the smoker then when I transfer it to the dehydrator I just slide the mats from the smoker racks to the dehydrator racks. Usually around 3-4 additional hours in the dehydrator after the smoker and it comes out perfect.

[AllDayFoodie]

I'm definitly gonna have to try the black pepper jerky, and maybe a siracha jerky.

[BigBBQLuv]

Kevin, I'm trying to find racks like yours for my BDS.  Please tell me where you bought yours.  Thanks

[Kevin A]

After a nearly 18 month layoff from all things meat-smoking and sausage-making related, its time to get back at it....
I decided to make another batch of this jerky using the same recipe I posted back in March of 2013.
10 pounds of beef round, thinly sliced and marinated in two separate batches: black pepper and teriyaki. After about 3 days, I puled the beef from the marinade, hung it on the racks and placed it into the smoker. 150°F heat (no smoke) for the first hour; then applied smoke with the A-maze-N tube using the 'pitmaster's blend.' After almost six hours, the jerky had the right 'feel' and so O pulled it from the smoker. I placed it all in the fridge to 'mellow' for a day or two before putting the two types of jerky in containers.


Ready for both eating and packing....  :) Plenty of 'heat' on the black pepper. The teriyaki was spicy and not overly sweet. BOTH were quite smokey-tasting! :)


Took a couple of containers to the office to share....

[Aussie Chaka]

Kev, that's called "Black Gold"!

[Sniper-T]

so, for the toothpicks or paperclips, do you stand there with the door open hanging slices one by one.  What does that do for the pre-heat?  Or do you have a something to hold the racks while you load out side the smoker?

[Edward176]

Well Welcome to the Bradley Forum dasboat, take lots of pictures and post them so we can all drool over them :)