I’d like to make jerky, now what? UPDATED W/Batch #3!

[antharper]

I’ve been making it for years. I do use a dehydrator I bought in the sporting goods dept at Walmart on sale after hunting season . I always take at least a couple hams and separate into about 2lb pieces and freeze . When I want to make jerky I take a pack out and just slice kinda thin with a good sharp filet knife while meat is still about half frozen . I use hi-mountain jerky seasoning . Add a little soy or Worcestershire sauce and marinate overnight and put in dehydrator until done . Love it and so does everyone that tries it . You’ll try several different batches and they’ll all be good , before you find what’s perfect for you .
And the jerky gun works great also but I hardly ever use mine . No fat in the ground if you go that route .

 

[bfriendly]

i've got the manuel type gun and its hard on the hands squeezing, i'm going to get a battery type(rechargeable) before i do another batch....

I’m thinking I’d like the softer texture of jerky from grind. But this ^^^ has me thinking. Why not use the grinder itself? I don’t remember seeing a flat bit like the round sausage ones. But you could flatten out a round tube of grind. Maybe go back and forth with a tray to lay them out since the grinder ain’t going anywhere. I’ll probably do at least a few pieces like that when I get to grinding.

UPDATE ON A BRAINSTORM!! So my wife’s been wanting an Air Fryer for a while. I just saw a nice one that is also a dehydrator…….I imagine they all do it. Anywho, I think she deserves a real nice one for Christmas! Win Win! Thanks for all the great ideas and it seems most are marinating and the flavors are not overpowering the meat.

 

[bfriendly]

So the first batch was horrible and an epic fail…….figures! I marinated it in a soy and Worcester mix and it was all I tasted….yuck! I got access to a slicer so I cut it too thin too. A few thicker pieces actually ate good, but tasted horrible! I’ll try again but just some seasonings and probably just a little…..I am excited to try again though!

Since it was a fail, I ate a bunch of this instead!

 

[bfriendly]

I do mine in the oven. While I've got a gun for use with ground, I much prefer the solid type. I let mine marinate in the fridge for 24 hrs in whatever seasoning I'm using (I like Dale's), then lay it out on a baking sheet on parchment, set the oven for 170 degrees, and cook with a dish towel stuck in the door to hold it open a half inch or so. If using the oven, you need to be able to let any moisture out. Usually takes 7-8 hrs. You can watch it, and tell when it's done, or tear off a small piece and try it. You want it to have a little red coloring in it yet. When it's over done, it'll be dark brown/black, and crunch vs, well, jerky...

Mine was certainly overdone….maybe cause it was too thin?

 

[georgiadawgs44]

Watching this thread. I’m about to embark on my maiden jerky voyage.

 

[ilbcnu]

When I made my own mix I just used 1/4 c dales with 3/4 c water soaked overnight then sprinled on Montreal steak seasoning or lemon pepper.

 

[Al White]

Here's one that is about full proof for dehydration

2 pds of meat, sliced 1/4 inches thick
1/4 cup of soy
1or 2 tablespoons of Worchester sauce
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. A pinch of red of you like it.
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of of smoked salt

Marinade at least 8 hours or longer.
Dehydrate to your liking. I have an el cheapo tray model, about 8 hours with all the trays loaded up is gonna be close.

 

[WOODIE13]

You can add some sugar or honey to it as well

 

[bfriendly]

When I made my own mix I just used 1/4 c dales with 3/4 c water soaked overnight then sprinled on Montreal steak seasoning or lemon pepper.

Mine was in a bath of straight up spirits it bout killed me when I was cutting it up and putting it in there! I wasted some serious steak worthy cuts too

 

[ilbcnu]

Mine was in a bath of straight up spirits it bout killed me when I was cutting it up and putting it in there! I wasted some serious steak worthy cuts too

Don't give up

 

[bfriendly]

When I made my own mix I just used 1/4 c dales with 3/4 c water soaked overnight then sprinled on Montreal steak seasoning or lemon pepper.

Im a big fan of Montreal steak seasoning too!
Lowrys is really good and a favorite of mine for pork chops and burgers.
Here’s where I started and with what…

 

[ilbcnu]

Im a big fan of Montreal steak seasoning too!
Lowrys is really good and a favorite of mine for pork chops and burgers.
Here’s where I started and with what…

View attachment 1193548

That everglades may be good. Do a 1/2 with that and 1/2 Montreal. The lemon pepper is excellent. Just like buccees gas station

 

[dwhee87]

Mine was certainly overdone….maybe cause it was too thin?

I shoot for 1/4 inch thickness, and flip it over after about 3-4 hrs. Once flipped, I check it about every 30 mins, and take it out as soon as I think it's done. You can always put it back in for a while if needed.

 

[Gbr5pb]

Heck I just used no fat ground marinade overnight in high mountain then 6 hours in a Cabela’s dehydrator I got on sale with rewards points! I thought it was good and everyone I passed it out to said good. Keep at it bfriendly

 

[gb1194]

I’ve made 2 batches so far this year. I use ground deer meat with no fat added. I have a Cabelas jerky gun that lays down 2 strips at a time. Works really good. For seasoning I use the Cabelas peppered jerky seasoning, it’s already pre-measured for 5# batches. I do add a little more black pepper to the mix. Both batches have turned out really good, all the family likes it. Just my .02

 

[antharper]

Heck I just used no fat ground marinade overnight in high mountain then 6 hours in a Cabela’s dehydrator I got on sale with rewards points! I thought it was good and everyone I passed it out to said good. Keep at it bfriendly

I’ve tried I bet 15 different seasonings and mixed some myself . The hi mountain is hard to beat

 

[bfriendly]

I’ve tried I bet 15 different seasonings and mixed some myself . The hi mountain is hard to beat

Im gonna look for it next time I stop by Cabela’s. Are y’all just splashing a little soy and Worcester? I guess if it’s grind, it’s all mixed up like a meatloaf or sausage?

 

[Qazaq15]

I’ve done sliced meat and grind, and I do grind now exclusively. You get perfectly consistent pieces out of the jerky gun, and you can use pretty much all the meat off a deer. Sliced meat is marginally better but you’re limited to the big muscles off the hindquarters and back straps to get the really good pieces. I usually just buy the packets with cure included and make it in 5 pound batches. Fat is the enemy when doing jerky, you want it as lean as possible, and remove as much connective tissue as you can also.

 

[bany]

The round dehydrator with fan on top has been a good one. I got the rectangular model (fan on bottom) awhile back and don’t care for it as much. Sure beats the oven and you can put it wherever you want.

slicing by hand isn’t terrible. Near frozen is easiest, not a fan of the gun stuff but to each his own.

The recipe should be simple and then tweak it by small amounts for “exotic” flavors. Al White gave you a pretty good looking one. Liquid smoke is missing but he had smoked salt. Marinate for 24-48 hours or experiment longer times.

If your salt is right you should be good for up to two weeks on the counter, a month with refrigerator or freeze it for…………

 

[Qazaq15]

Mine was certainly overdone….maybe cause it was too thin?