Smoker Jerkey - need help

joey1919 · Oct 24, 2012

ok, so i make jerkey every year but last christmas i got a masterbuilt electric smoker i've only used it once so don't have much experience with it. do any of ya'll make jerky in these. i want to try it so i'm open to suggestions, recipies, temp reccomendations especially. for you that have done it how did it turn out compared to dehydrater.

also i've got oak, pecan, apple, and hickory wood ready to go, which do you suggest, thanks

joey1919 · Oct 24, 2012

anybody?

WOODIE13 · Oct 25, 2012

Used a fire smoker, keep your temp @ 150, apple makes it sweet along with pear and other fruit wood. Soy, teryaki sauce, garlic, onion, paparika, pepper powder and a little sugar/maple syrup, and a pinch of salt for marinade.

I have done both, just like the dehydrater better, but have done the smoker for an hour or two then put in the dehydrater just for a good smokey flavor.

blues brother · Oct 25, 2012

I have done jerky in the oven for years...way before Ronco ever thought about a dehydrator. Then got a dehydrator. Then bought several Stumps smokers(charcoal).
I like them all but my fav is the dehydrator. I too have put the meat on the smoker for a bit then into the dehydrator. Straight smoker is just too smokey for me.

joey1919 · Oct 25, 2012

thanks for the advice. may do half in the smoker and half in the dehydrator to compare

tbrown913 · Oct 25, 2012

i use an electric smoker for my jerky. marinade in lots of brown sugar, whatever spices you want, and i use a can of soda for liquid. lay out the pieces on the racks for about an hour before putting it in the smoker. have the smoker hot, about 220 and add the chips. put the meat in, and turn the heat down to 180. the hot start will get the smoke going. once you turn the temp down, the smoke will slow. cook at 180 for an hour, then turn down to 160 or less, and cook for another two hours, adding wood as needed. check the meat and make sure it is slightly limp. you dont want the jerky hard, that will mean when it cools, it will be too hard to chew.

i would make a small batch first, so if you over cook, you dont ruin all of your jerky!

joey1919 · Oct 25, 2012

tbrown913 said:
i use an electric smoker for my jerky. marinade in lots of brown sugar, whatever spices you want, and i use a can of soda for liquid. lay out the pieces on the racks for about an hour before putting it in the smoker. have the smoker hot, about 220 and add the chips. put the meat in, and turn the heat down to 180. the hot start will get the smoke going. once you turn the temp down, the smoke will slow. cook at 180 for an hour, then turn down to 160 or less, and cook for another two hours, adding wood as needed. check the meat and make sure it is slightly limp. you dont want the jerky hard, that will mean when it cools, it will be too hard to chew.

i would make a small batch first, so if you over cook, you dont ruin all of your jerky!

thank you sir, ive got enough slices to fill the smoker about 3 times anyway, so if i ruin one batch maybe i can correct it.

Huntinfool · Oct 25, 2012

Using an electric, just don't put any chips on it until the last half hour or so. I'd think that would cook it right but limit the amount of smoke they soaked up.

You can use a charcoal smoker, just set it up to use "cold smoke" essentially.

So like, in my BGE, I use something to contain the fire. Lots of people use a big coffee can with both ends cut out and air holes in the bottom. It limits where the charcoal goes and so you can create a much smaller, slower burning and cooler burn.

I've had a few things I've done where I've kept the temp down as low as 90 deg for many hours this way. Obviously, you'd want to be higher than that. But getting it somewhere between there and 150 wouldn't be a problem at all.

joey1919 · Apr 9, 2013

just want to update incase anyone looks back at this thread with the same question

the jerkey turned out great! i don't think i'll ever use my dehydrator again. i started the smoker at 220 and smoked for one hour then i pulled the wood and lowered temp to 170 or 180(can't remember) and finished. i had a little left over on the last batch and put it in the dehydrator and there was a noticable diff in tenderness in the smokers favor and better flavor with the smoke also

i've also done snack sticks and bunch of bologna this way and turned out pretty good.

Smoker Jerkey - need help

joey1919

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joey1919

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WOODIE13

2023 TURKEY CHALLENGE 1st place Team

blues brother

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joey1919

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tbrown913

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joey1919

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Huntinfool

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