Jerky Rotation

[whitetailfan]

I currently have a batch of jerky in the smoker as I type.
Question is as follows:
I plan to rotate the racks at about 4 hours because I am using all four; but, does any one flip the meat over?  When I did some at a friends last year, we flipped over the meat on the racks, like flipping your steak on the grill - do you think this was necessary?
Note: This was in a homemade unit with fire heat, not a Bradley.
I have some pretty small pieces and would like to leave them alone unless someone thinks I should flip them.
Thanks[;)]

John - Lethbridge, AB

[Chez Bubba]

John,

I would think flipping would not be neccessary, but I've only done it once in the Bradley. I'll happily yield to the opinions of the more experienced jerky makers on this board.

Best of luck with your project,

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[whitetailfan]

Thanks for the reply Kirk,
I did wind up turning over the jerky pieces.  It gives it a more uniform color because based on air flow and heat, the bottoms tend to look nicer and be darker.  The outside edges of the trays worked better as well.

My problem is that I made too much for the Bradley to hold.  I wound up making almost a solid tray of meat on each level, where leaving some space would be your goal.  The drippings from one layer would fall on the tray below and add a layer of juice which eventually will dry off, but it leaves a white residue and would be much better if it could fall to the bottom drip tray right away.

With my first try, I did not have a recipe to work with.  I took a whole bunch of internet recipes and shot for somewhere in the middle.  Unfortunately it turned out like something from Purina[xx(][xx(][xx(] although a dog will eat Purina[:)]

No problem - I can't win them all.  Back to the drawing board, at least now I have an idea how long it will take to cook.  That was the last of 2002 whitetail, so now I still have 2003's take to work with till next October[:D]  There should be plenty of pork chicken beef and fish inbetween.

I Love this hobby[8D]

John - Lethbridge, AB

[trout]

Whitetail,  you may want to use a little less heat making your jerky.  The best way is to dry it out, but not at a high enough temp to "cook" oil and moisture out.  You want it to evaporate, but not drip all over the other pieces.  Just remember, if you want the best results, you may want to dry them slowly over an entire day. [8D] And if you want a horror story, I once was dumb enough to smoke a rack of salmon over the racks of jerky that I was doing.  Can you say fish flavored beef[xx(][xx(]

Let your trout go and smoke a salmon instead.

[Richard Pearce]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Unfortunately it turned out like something from Purina[xx(][xx(][xx(] although a dog will eat Purina[:)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
<font face="Comic Sans MS"></font id="Comic Sans MS"><font color="navy"></font id="navy">Hey John
Keep us informed. I've mentioned elsewhere that my jerky had the consistency of dried tarmac on a frozen day and not much flavour either.[:(]
I have around 10 lbs of jerky sliced but not cooked yet from this years 14 point whitetail (did ya notice that!) and I'm not gonna let it screw up. [:o)]

Stouffville, Ontario, Canada.

[MallardWacker]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by trout</i>
<br /> [8D] And if you want a horror story, I once was dumb enough to smoke a rack of salmon over the racks of jerky that I was doing.  Can you say fish flavored beef[xx(][xx(]

Let your trout go and smoke a salmon instead.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Man, that makes me feel better.  We are getting to know each other way to much if admit things like that around here.  Sometimes this smoking stuff can humble ya..


SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know.  But...