Anyone here a jerky?

[Tab]

I got a nice dehydrator and have been experimenting with beef jerky (and other stuff).

Anybody here who has had success? I guess I'm looking for (1) what kind of meat, (2) what kind of spice (rub or marinade, and which kind of which), (3) pressed or sliced?

Most success?

[kestrel91316]

1. I'm most familiar with venison jerky, and my dad didn't use a recipe.

He just cut up the meat in suitably thin strips, sprinkled liberally with salt and pepper, and hung it to dry out in his workshop/shed under the deck outside. This was after deer season in the fall out west, so cold snaps had killed all the flies. And the climate was very dry.

I have made more elaborate jerky, and used a dehydrator, but nothing tasted as good as his.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. My son makes it from beef or venison

He marinates it and then dries it in his oven. The trick is the marinade. After that its just a matter of waiting for the oven to do its thing.

I don't know what he puts in his marinade.

[Sentath]

3. Sounds weird, but

The local SCA group does some of the best jerky

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/3151/jerky.html

[Callalily]

4. I used to make jerky . . .

used both venison and/or a good quality cut of meat (sirloin tip for example)

Cut meat 1/8" thick (remove all fat). If you're having the butcher slice the meat, ask for #13 or 14 on the meat slicer. Then you can cut meat into desired size pieces.

Marinade:

1/2 cup liquid smoke
3 cups soy sauce
1/2 lb. brown sugar

mix in a large bowl (not plastic). Stir frequently. Let mixture stand about 10 minutes to be sure the brown sugar dissolves.

Put slices of meat, one at a time, into the mixture to be sure all sides are coated.

Only marinate as much meat as you think will fit on your trays. Wrap the rest of the meat and store in fridge until ready to marinade for next batch.

Let meat soak for 20 minutes to an hour (your personal discretion), pushing meat gently down under the solution and stirring very gently every so often so all the pieces cover equally in the marinade.

After approx. 20 minutes place meat on trays. Be sure that pieces are not touching.

Set vents on top of dehydrator to fully open. Meat will take from 8-20 hours to dry, depending on thickness and vents.

Rotate trays (placing bottom try onto the top of stack, etc.) every couple of hours (more frequently towards the end) so that meat dries evenly and each tray is exposed to heat source on the bottom.

Hints:
If vents are closed on top of dryer, jerky dries faster, but have to watch it closely or gets too bitter.

Jerky should be dry and leathery but not rock hard and brittle. Check individual pieces as some may be done before others, depending on tray placement and thickness of meat.

When done, cool and store in zip lock bag.



Edit: oh just a typo

[Kali]

5. I hate smoked flavor jerkey

the old style way I make it is plain old salt and pepper. Lean cuts of beef, just barely frozen make cutting into thin strips easy. I just roll it in dry salt and pepper. Dry slowly.