Smoked jerky disaster...

[Stucue74]

Anyone out there have a secret for making jerky in the Dera? I had a bad experience last week that I'd rather not discuss (ended up throwing the deer jerky out). I've used the same recipe in the oven( on warm setting with screwdriver butt propping oven door for several hours) and it has turned out muy bueno. So good a couple of friends want to pay for batches.

Last weeks saga turned out too smokey and overcooked instead of dehydrated. I smoked with Pecan, Hickory, and lump for about 2 and a half to 3 hours and didn't watch the temp too closely but it was between 155-180 I'm guessing :? (had a few beverages by this point). I meant to only smoke for this time then set in the oven to finish but it was long gone by the time I rescued it.

Any suggestions?

Side note: Kudos to Mark and others on Chipotle powder....it turned out damn tasty.


thanks.

[BigAl]

Sorry, the only "jerky" experience I have is 'jerkey off'.
P.S. and often, according to medical studies it helps prevent colin cancer, doing my best to prevent it!

[Stucue74]

Sorry, the only "jerky" experience I have is 'jerkey off'.
P.S. and often, according to medical studies it helps prevent colin cancer, doing my best to prevent it!


BigAl,

I think I'm okay in that department. Practice makes perfect....preventing Colon cancer that is.

[Wayne]

Put it in the smoker with a reall low fire just long enough to get a good shot of smoke. Then put it in a food dehydrator to finish it off. Be sure to watch it a pull it off of the dehydrator when it is done.

[Stucue74]

Put it in the smoker with a reall low fire just long enough to get a good shot of smoke. Then put it in a food dehydrator to finish it off. Be sure to watch it a pull it off of the dehydrator when it is done.




Wayne, do you have a good jerky marinade?

[Wayne]

I use a commercial brand called Hi Mountain, Jerky Cure & Seasoning, Original Blend. It was nothing special, I just saw it on the shelf at Dillon's Market and tried it. I have also never actually used the Bandera but I know people that have. I usually just fix it and let it sit then put it in the food dehydrator. I like it chewie so I dont let it dry completely to a crisp. I have also never used any other seasoning so I cannot recommend any other brands or secret recipes.

[cheez]

Here's one that my son and I came up with as a result of modifying one we found on the web:
1 c red wine
1 c soy sauce
3 tsp chopped garlic (or 3 cloves fresh, chopped
2 tsp cracked pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp liquid smoke flavoring (I know, GASP, liquid smoke! If you don't like it, leave it out. I've made it both ways)

This seems to be an appropriate amount for about 5 or 6 lbs. of meat. Put the meat in a large zip-lock bag and pour in the marinade. Squeeze out all the air and seal, refrigerate at least overnight, preferably for a day or two. I try to avoid doubling the recipe for larger amounts of meat, and instead make up a second batch. The difference? All the bits of garlic and pepper tend to stay in the bottom of the bowl, so when you pour half of the marinade out, the "good stuff" is all left behind for the second bag full.
The last couple times I have added more cayenne, but not to the point that the "average" person won't like it. Be sure to use a decent wine - something you would actually drink, not that "cooking wine" stuff. I usually have a merlot or shiraz around (love those Aussie Shiraz's), and that's what I use. More garlic is, of course, always ok too. Oh, and I always pepper my jerky. Grinding fresh pepper, while preferable, for numerous trays of meat is a chore, so I use Tone's "Restaurant Black Pepper" Tone's is the spice brand Sam's Club carries (I think), and the restaurant stuff is a coarser grind than regular ground pepper. I lay out the meat on the dehydrator trays and then sprinkle it all rather liberally with the pepper.
I make jerky for scout campouts, and this recipe is always the biggest hit - I don't bother trying to make different kinds anymore. The adult leaders now come up to me and say "I need another fix" when they want jerky.

Thanks for the reminder guys - think I'd better get a batch going. Got a campout this weekend, need some jerky to take along!

[Stucue74]

Cheez,

I think I've actually used that same recipe---probably same site a couple months ago. The jerky turned out great, I use an oven propped open to dehydrate and it comes out nice an chewy. Although, my downfall is that I used cooking wine instead of a decent drinking wine. Also, another friend that tried said it could use some Worsty sauce. Anyhow, that bag didn't last long. Thanks for the tip.

[ckkphoto]

Problem with doing jerkey in the bandera is getting the temps LOW enough LONG enough. The door thermometer is useless for that. Use a brine (to avoid Botulism) and smoke in the wintertime to help in keeping the smoke box temps down. Take the fire grate out of the fire box and replace with a charcoal chimney in the bandera full of lump but leave the lump in the chimney. As it burns down, replace with whatever wood chips you like--Start with hickory but end with oak or apple for a milder smoke taste. Alder of course is classic if you can get it. Smoke until cured completely, or transfer to oven or dehydrator.
I think you will find that the chimney will allow you to burn clean without creosoting the jerky. :)

[Stucue74]

Never thought of just using the Chimney, great idea. Think I might try that next time for an hour or so then finish in the oven.

[Bigdog]

Now let me get this straight, you leave the chimney in the firebox? Doesn't this make it burn hotter and faster? How often do you need to refill? Does it trash out your chimney?

[rbinms33]

Never smoked jerky in the Bandera, we use the dehydrator. You can pick one up at a Target/Walmart for about $39.99. It's the Ronco model.

Here's the way we do it.....

Basics:

1 bottle of Liquid Smoke
3 cups Soy Sauce (naturally brewed)
1/2 pound brown sugar

Additions:

Hot sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Teriyaki sauce

Sometimes, we add in crushed red pepper or ground peppercorns. You can leave out the pepper while
marinating and just sprinkle black pepper on the meat once you place it on the dehydrator. That way
you can make some pieces hot and leave the other pieces normal. Mix everything well and let the
marinade set in a sealed container while you cut up the meat. Meat Slicer....Harbor Freight....$19.99.

The meat should be cut no more than 1/8" thick. All fat should be removed. Cut the meat with the grain
so that the jerky can be "pulled" in strips.

Place the meat in the marinade and cover for at least 15 minutes (we prefer overnight) making sure to
shake the bowl and turn the meat occasionally to ensure all pieces are well coated.

Drain the meat and place it on the tray being sure not to overlap. It's ok if the meat is a little wet but it
shouldn't be dripping.

Set vents on top and bottom to fully open. Plug in the dehydrator and leave it alone. After 12 hours,
check the meat and rotate the trays.

Drying time will vary, but it normally takes 12 - 24 hours for smaller pieces and up to 2 or 3 days for
larger pieces.

[brdbbq]

What kind of meat ?

[Jorge]

Never smoked jerky in the Bandera, we use the dehydrator. You can pick one up at a Target/Walmart for about $39.99. It's the Ronco model.

Place the meat in the marinade and cover for at least 15 minutes (we prefer overnight) making sure to
shake the bowl and turn the meat occasionally to ensure all pieces are well coated.


I use a FoodSaver and it works great, and keeps the better half from......commenting about the odor in the fridge.

[rbinms33]

What kind of meat ?


Usually an English Roast or London Broil. The butcher knows exactly how to slice it when I mention jerky. We use our slicer when we do deer meat.

[brdbbq]

I have only used ground meat (hamburger) and the syringe kit American Harvest. People don't know it's hamburger till I tell and they still don't beleive me most times. Best part CHEAP......

[parrothead]

About a year ago I bought me one of them fancy deli slicers. They work fantastic and give as uniform a cut as you can get.

[ckkphoto]

Now let me get this straight, you leave the chimney in the firebox? Doesn't this make it burn hotter and faster? How often do you need to refill? Does it trash out your chimney?




Yep. Yep. fairly often. Nope. in that order.
Leaving the chimney in the firebox and burning inside the chimney allows the wood to burn CLEAN and not oversmoke the meat. Also keeps the temp down so you aren't cooking but curing and drying the meat. But it is a warm anaerobic environment, so a brine or nitrates are essential.

[Bigdog]

Now let me get this straight, you leave the chimney in the firebox? Doesn't this make it burn hotter and faster? How often do you need to refill? Does it trash out your chimney?




Yep. Yep. fairly often. Nope. in that order.
Leaving the chimney in the firebox and burning inside the chimney allows the wood to burn CLEAN and not oversmoke the meat. Also keeps the temp down so you aren't cooking but curing and drying the meat. But it is a warm anaerobic environment, so a brine or nitrates are essential.

Thanks for answering all my questions. Got 2 more. About how long do you smoke the jerkey, and when do you know it is fully cured?

[ckkphoto]

if you use enough salt or if you use prague powder that is actually the curing agent. Smoking is a DRYING/FLAVORING agent. There are phenols in the smoke that additionally help with curing, but you are looking at 5 days at 50-60F. Just CURE IT WELL (tenderquick), smoke it with clean smoke at a LOW temp for as long as you are willing to watch the fire, then put in the oven for 1-2 hours at 180 deg (kills nastys, but you shouldn't have any) be sure that your final product is dry and salty. Moisture and protein are the freinds of the Ooby Goobies. Salt creates a hostile environment. BTW properly cured jerky WILL still spoil, but it will be FUNGUS not bacteria, so no fear.

[redfishrandy]

Cheez's jerky recipie earlier in this post is really a good one to use
the cracked pepper sprinkled on before you dehydrate is a must.

I made this jerky sunday and everyone loved it Thanks for your posting
wow the brethren rock :lol: :lol: :lol:
Redfish

[redfishrandy]

I have only used ground meat (hamburger) and the syringe kit American Harvest. People don't know it's hamburger till I tell and they still don't beleive me most times. Best part CHEAP......


Is it as goog as regular beef jerky?
How would you marinate it to get the same flavor if you use a recipe
for sliced beef?

[brdbbq]

People I have given it too can't tell a diffrence. American Harvest makes spice kits for it no marinating involved. Try it I'm not trying tp pull anyone's leg.

[redfishrandy]

Thanks Brian I'll try it

[cheez]

Glad you liked it Redfish. That's why we're all here - to share ideas (and hopefully wow the friends and neighbors :-) )