my beef jerky recipe ..try it just once!!!

[ozbach]

Try this just once, I garauntee you will do it again!!!! I am going to share the way I make my bradley smoke jerky, start out with your choice of meat, I usually use the london broil, cut out any extra fat, I use a meat slicer to cut the partially frozen meat into about 3/8" thick strips up to maybe 1/4" if you prefer....Now for the brine, yes this is a easy to make wet brine or cure what ever you guys call it? This will do about 5lbs of meat, Start with 4 cups of water, then add 2 cups of brown sugar,then I take a 1/4 cup measuring device and fill it about 3/4 of the way up twice, with kosher, or pickeling salt, add too the water. Make sure you stir the brown sugar and salt mixture real good, so it all dissolves well! now add about 4 drops of sesame seed oil, a dash of terryaky sauce, a dash of soyscauce, not too much, just a splash! 1 teaspoon of black pepper, a dash of garlic powder, and a dash of hot sauce, last, a dash of worchershire sauce.Add your meat, and leave it in a plastic container over night or 12 too 24 hours, in the fridge. thinner strips 12 hours thick one up too 24 hours.  Now the smoking!!! I only use 2 pucks with 3 dummy pucks ...no water! vent open all the way. I do have a PID digital controller which I set for 6 hours at 150 degrees. Make sure you rotate your racks at least twice ,front too back top too bottom. cooking time will depend on how dry you like it, just remember it will dry more after it cools down out of the smoker times for me range from 4 hours too 6 hours.... This stuff is like candy when its done, it tastes best when it cools down and rests for awhile, I put it in ziplock baggies and throw it in my beer fridge, my beer cans allways smell like beef jerky!!!  This stuff is like eating candy and will not last very long. start checking your jerky at the 4 hour mark time does vary for how large or small of a batch you are doing. ENJOY!!!! and have a beer with it YUMMIE!!! EDIT: if you plan on not refridgerating I recomend using Morton tender quick. instead of the pikeling salt, I think you would use one cup per 4 cups of water, not sure on how salty it would turn out because I have never used tenderquick.

[classicrockgriller]

ozbach, thanks for the recipe and welcome to the forum.

That's a kewl way to introduce yourself with one of your Favorite recipes.

If you have any questions, just ask.

You might want to check out our FAQ's
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?p=748#post748

recipe site:
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/

Try this link to get your pictures going.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showpost.php?p=768&postcount=11

[JF7FSU]

Just out of curiosity,  did you use any cure?

[NePaSmoKer]

Just out of curiosity,  did you use any cure?

Thinking the same thing  :o

[KevinG]

I was wondering about the salt. They are different in how coarse they are. Might be too salty with one or not enough with the other.

[ozbach]

I didnt say any cure I dont think?...I just dont know if you would call it "brine" or "cure" thats what I meant. and as far as salt goes I use the fine uniodized salt it dissolves better. and thanks for the welcome too the forum!!!!

[ozbach]

Sorry guys now i understand your question ""did I put any cure in it"....the answer is no. I always keep it in the fridge or vacume pack it and freeze it, it usually does not last very long around here. Im pretty new too all the cure and brine and marinate terms so bare with me, all I know is this stuff comes out tasty every time. I guess if you do add a "cure" too the brine you would not need to refrigerate, am I correct??? oh I forgot to mention when my meat is in the brine, it is in the fridge the whole time also!!

[RAF128]

Salt is a cure so I don't think to need to add any cure.   That sound's interesting a fairly simple.    Never used a wet brine, usually just dry.     Will have to give it a go this fall after I fill the fridge and freezer with some fresh venison.

[ozbach]

This stuff is so good,in fact Im doing a batch this weekend, maybe I should take some pics?

[JF7FSU]

I will defer to the more senior members here, but isn't jerky cooked at 6 hours at 150* in the danger zone a real long time to not have some cure in there?  Is the amount of salt he put in the recipe (less than 1/4 cup to 4 cups water) enough to forgo the cure?  My guess is not.  Anyway not a criticism of your technique, more of an observation. 

[NePaSmoKer]

I will defer to the more senior members here, but isn't jerky cooked at 6 hours at 150* in the danger zone a real long time to not have some cure in there?  Is the amount of salt he put in the recipe (less than 1/4 cup to 4 cups water) enough to forgo the cure?  My guess is not.  Anyway not a criticism of your technique, more of an observation. 

Right JF

Anytime you go low temps with jerky always use cure. i start at 140* when i started making jerky back in the 70s i used saltpetre which if not used right could have been bad  :-\...... now SP is used for bombs and MRE's  ;D

[ozbach]

If you read careful you will see I add more than a 1/4 cup too 4 cups of water, I use nearly a half cup too 4 cups of water, I use a 1/4 measuring cup twice, I just dont fill it too the brim, so guessing about a 1/5 cup x 2 the jerky comes out salty tasting just right.... using 2 1/4 cups is a bit too salty.

[josbocc]

Oz,

Got to agree with NePas..., anytime that you are drying (not cooking), there should be a form of cure involved.  You might be salting enough to get you through a couple of days after it comes out of the smoker..., but you are running a risk if the finished product is left out for more than a few hours.  MTQ is a good cure, and there's a lot of great info in the forum about how to make your own.

Not criticizing, just want to make sure that you don't wind up getting sick. 

Jeff

[ozbach]

Thanks guys...I am making a batch now using MTQ instead of salt....I used 1 cup per 4 cups of water....I sure hope thats not going to be too salty..maybe I should only leave it in the brine for 12 hours??? What do you guys think??

[ozbach]

Well RUINED a whole batch of jerky using MTQ i used what it said on the pakage, 1 cup too 4 cups of water....way way too salty....and i didnt add soy sauce or other salty things...I think I will use it in a half ratio next time....any suggestions???