Venison Jerky

[watchdog56]

I am going to try to make venison jerky in my DBS for the first time. I have made it  many times in the oven for years but it is hard to clean up so I bought the non-stick racks and will try in my smoker. I use a liquid marinade and cut my chunks about 1"x2"x4". When I make in oven my temp is about 180 so I will try that in my smoker.It usually takes 5-6 hours. Everybody that has had some says it is the best they ever had. I plan on just using the oven temp with no smoke. I was wondering as far as the drip pan,there will be plenty of juices dripping for the first couple of  hours so should I wrap it in foil with a drain hole or spray it with a coating of Pam? Also made some fish yesterday and sprayed the racks which made it easy to clean but did not do the drip pan. It ended up being pretty black on the bottom from the smoke and there was quite a bit of drippings crusted on it. Should I be spraying the drip pan every time also or cover it with foil?

[NePaSmoKer]

Hi watchdog

What i would do is start your jerky at 150* no water in the pan and vent half open with 4/6 pucks of wood. The v-tray drip pan will clean up fine without and spray on it. As far as covering the v-tray with foil i have never done it but some have, you need the v-tray vented.

If you start at 180* your actually cooking the jerky instead of drying it. When i use spray i use whats called Peel Ease. It wont leave any aftertaste or burnt residue on the jerky or racks like Pam does.

nepas

[watchdog56]

I do  not plan on using any wood for smoke. I plan on using the same formula that I use when I make in oven just figured it would be alot easier clean up in the smoker  than the oven. I will just be having the oven temp on in my smoker.

[NePaSmoKer]

I do  not plan on using any wood for smoke. I plan on using the same formula that I use when I make in oven just figured it would be alot easier clean up in the smoker  than the oven. I will just be having the oven temp on in my smoker.

I dont think you will have a problem. I have done this way too with great success.

nepas

[watchdog56]

Well made jerky this weekend. Put venison in liquid marinade for 24 hours. Pieces were about 1x1x4. Sprayed racks with a Weber "grillin spray" and set temp for 150 for a couple of hours. Then turned up the temp to 170 for 5 hours. Still was not done. Some pieces were still soft so I had to turn up temp again to 200 and cooked for 2 1/2 more hours.Then went to bed. Checked the next day and flavor was good just a little to done. Next time will I will try 8 1/2 hours@180. Made in the oven many times @ 180 for 5-6 hours but it seems like smoker needs more time. Did not use any smoke.