Help a UK Jerky fan Please

[Jerkyfan]

Hi,

I got hooked on Jerky on various trips to USA. But its hard to get hold of in the UK. My favourite Jerky is expensive when I buy from America  when you add shipping and import taxes:(

Anyway I think to myself I'll make my own, a quick search on the internet and I found this Bradley smoker and I just went ahead and ordered it without any research or anything. It sounded that good :)

But now Im thinking to myself er what will I do with it when I get it( and where am I going to put it). I have searched and I have found lots of recipes on here but could not find a "how to" right from the begining"

Im a little confused on the difference between cureing ,smoking and one recipe mentioned de hydrating in a de hidrator? do I need to get one of those?

I could do with an idiots guide from scratch on how to make Jerky.

Help out a clueless Brit guys

Thanks in advance

[Tiny Tim]

NePaSmoker is the one to be answering your question, and I'm sure he will as soon as he sees this.

I'll cover the basics for you though.  Slice to about 1/4 inch thick, add seasoning and cure (available almost anywhere) and refrigerate overnight, then smoke for up to 4 hours at about 160 degrees, then remove the strips as they hit your doneness criteria.

[Jerkyfan]

Thanks Tiny tim.

Didnt think it would be that simple.  Can I just ask what you mean by cure when you say add seasoning and cure. Does that just mean leave covered in the seasoning or is there something more specific to the word cure.

Sorry for somple question. I dont cook much as you can probably tell.

[Tiny Tim]

The cure is included with the jerky seasoning kit (available here in the US anyway), and is needed for extended storage, as well as other reasons probably.  I get my seasoning kits from http://www.himtnjerky.com, but don't know how practical they would be for you. 

The cure goes by many names, Insta-cure, Cure #1, Prague Powder, Sodium Nitrite, and if you look hard enough, you can find it outside of the kits and mix up your own seasonings to make your special kind of jerky.

If you need any further advice, it's over my head.  :D ;D  Have a great day.

[Wildcat]

Hi Mountain Jerky cure and seasoning is a kit here in the US.  I have some, but have yet to give jerky a try.  There are a couple of forum members that really get into it and I am sure one of them will get with you on this issue.  Congrats on buying the best home use smoker in the world and welcome to the forum.

[Jerkyfan]

Thanks for the help guys Much appreciated.

Havong problems ordering some high mountain seasonings and cures as the website wont accept my UK post code although they do list Uk as a destination. I have emailed them.

[NePaSmoKer]

Hi jerkyfan

Hi Mountain has cure in the box you add.

Cure for me is like optinal because i dont let the temp fall below 140*

Just know that there are 2 different types of cure. Cure 1# which comes with the HM jerky stuff. And cure #2 which is used for making dry cured products such as pepperoni, hard salami, geonoa salami, proscuitti hams, dried farmers sausage, capicola and more.

Cure 1# Ingredients:
Salt, Sugar, Sodium Nitrite(.6%)

I use my own marinade and rarely use cure. I do however spray my finished jerky with potassium sorbate to repel any micro bugs and it keeps it fresher.

Here is a simple marinade.

5 Lbs. Minimum (One piece preferred) Fresh Brisket (Lean) - Any brand
*You may substitute the beef brisket with your choice of meat*
15 - 20 oz. Soy Sauce - Any brand
15 oz. Worcestershire Sauce - Lea & Perrins - Preferred or Any
15 - 20 oz. Teriyaki sauce - Any brand
2 - 4 tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar - Any brand
2 - 4 tablespoons Garlic Powder - Any brand
2 - 4 tablespoons Onion Powder - Any brand
2 - 4 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper - Any brand (opt)
2 - 4 oz. Dark Corn Syrup or Molasses for even more flavor - Any brand (opt)
You can make as salty OR spicy as you like too by sprinkling onto the wet meat before putting in your BS

NOTE: No cure?

Cook in your BS @160 to 170* with no water in the pan and vent full open position. I only use 3 to 6 pucks of hickory but any wood will work good, just go easy on the mesquite. Watch the jerky as so you dont over cook it, if its bendable and tears rather roughly its done, if its white and breaks when bent its over cooked. When done i put the jerky in a brown paper bag to absorbe any surface fat that might have melted.

I turn out 30 pnds a month so i just smoke mine for the 3/6 pucks then into the dehydrator, then sprayed then into a vac bag.

Many different ways to make jerky, just pracice and have fun.

Hope this helps some

nepas  ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

Jeryfan;

Welcome to the forum.

You don't have to purchase a jerky cure kit. Do a search on the Internet, and you should be able to find a lot of recipes to make your own cure. I haven't made any jerky yet, but have been looking into making Biltong. It's a type of jerky popular in South Africa.

[NePaSmoKer]

Thanks for the help guys Much appreciated.

Havong problems ordering some high mountain seasonings and cures as the website wont accept my UK post code although they do list Uk as a destination. I have emailed them.

jerkyfan

I work at Cabelas and have access to all the HM. If your willing to pay for the HM & the postage I am willing to send to you, dont want nothing xtra just tryin to help out.

nepas

[NePaSmoKer]

Jeryfan;

Welcome to the forum.

You don't have to purchase a jerky cure kit. Do a search on the Internet, and you should be able to find a lot of recipes to make your own cure. I haven't made any jerky yet, but have been looking into making Biltong. It's a type of jerky popular in South Africa.

Habs

I been making some biltong recently, its real good and so simple to do.

nepas

[Habanero Smoker]

After reply my browser went crazy. It just began repeatedly opening new windows for the forum.

NePa;
I see we must have posted at the same time. Easiness is one of the reasons why I wanted to start with biltong; plus I wanted to add a few more seasoning that are used in West Africa, and in Ethiopia. I was at Banes and Noble and they had a bunch of cook books in their clearance table. I got a couple of interesting books on Mexican and African cuisine.

[Jerkyfan]

Thanks guys.

Really helpful of you all.

Nepasmoker thats a very kind offer, I will bear it in mind and get in touch if they cant help me on the site. I may as well wait to see their reply as I have already e-mailed them.

As I ordered the smoker Friday evening I don't imagine I will see it until the middle of next week. I cant wait,not sure what the Mrs will think she doesnt know yet :)

[Tiny Tim]

As I ordered the smoker Friday evening I don't imagine I will see it until the middle of next week. I cant wait,not sure what the Mrs will think she doesnt know yet :)

Bravery...that's what I like to see. :D

[Wildcat]

Better have some smoked supper on the table just before breaking the news!  ;D

[LilSmoker]

Hi Jerkyfan and welcome, i'm from the u.k. and i also love the food from accross the pond, so i know how difficult it can be sometimes when trying to source the needed ingredients over here.

I do a fair bit of curing, especially Habs pastrami which is awesome btw , and i keep meaning to do some jerky, but my time is limited atm. Anyway as already mentioned there are a lot of suppliers on the net, so i'll give you some links of ones i've used in the past.

These people were recomended to me by manxman, i now use them a lot and found them very good:

http://www.sausagemaking.org/

Here's their cure #1 & #2

http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/Cures.html

Here's the curing salt, i use this stuff quite a bit:

http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/All_Purpose_Curing_Salt.html

Another u.k. supplier:

http://www.designasausage.com/Pages/prods.asp?catid=2&subcatid=6

Spices etc:

http://www.spiceworld.uk.com/


I have quite a few more if needed, hope this helps  ;)

LilSmoker