Hi all.
Years back I used to make jerky using a dehydrator and got the smoky notes from liquid smoke. That gave me good results, but now that I have the #1, I thought of experimenting with the full range of flavors it offers, and get the real smoky flavor, not the liquid one. Today I modifying an old recipe of mine, and adopted it to the smoker. Because it came out so amazingly good, I'm rushing to share it with the members of this forum.
A few quick notes off the bat.
1. Contrary to what practically everyone thinks about jerky, my jerky is THICK, CHEWY and somewhat MOIST. I don't particularly like the traditional dry, thin/ultra thin jerky. I like jerky you can sink your teeth into, one that has a crunch on the outside and is still soft on the inside. Hopefully, if you try my method, you will realize that this way is so much tastier than the typical jerky; it takes jerky to a new level.
I got the idea years ago, when watching a Food Network segment about J & J Czuchraj Meats, in Cleveland, OH. The segment is still on their website,
http://www.jandjmeats.com. In it, Michael Symon virtually orgasms from their jerky, as being the best there is. Their secret, at least one of them, is that the cut is very thick. I ordered some of their jerky, and indeed some of it is excellent. Since then I’ve been cutting my jerky thick, and never looked back.
2. I don’t use curing salts and because the cut is thick and the inside remains fairly moist, it must be kept in the refrigerator. This isn’t a snack to take on trips that last for days on end. I suppose it’ll last a day or two outside of the fridge (can’t guaranty), but generally it should be kept in the fridge.
3. “The USDA current recommendation for making jerky safely is to heat meat to 160F (72C)
before the dehydrating process. This step assures that any bacteria present will be destroyed by wet heat. … After heating to 160F, maintaining a constant dehydrator temperature of 130 to 140 F (54-60C) during the drying process is important because: the process must be enough to dry food before it spoils; and it must remove enough water that microorganisms are unable to grow” (Marianski, Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages, p. 550-551). The book goes on the topic in great detail, and is highly recommended to all home meat producers.
I achieve this recommendation by first smoking the meat at 165F for several hours, and then dehydrating on 130-140F for several additional hours.
4. Use only a very small amount of wood (in this recipe: 1¼ oz), because the goal is to merely add smoke notes that will blend with all the other flavors, not overpower them.
Ok, on to the recipe.
Ingredients
4 p bottom round
1.25 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce, for a somewhat saltier jerky)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
4 Tbsp brown sugar
Wood: Apple and hickory work well. 1¼ oz.
DirectionsNOTE THE I IMPROVED THIS RECIPE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!
1. Place the meat in the freeze for an hour or two. This will make it easier to cut uniform pieces.
2. Cut the meat into slices 0.5-0.75” thick. Don’t cut it thinner than 0.5", and thicker than 0.75” might be too thick. The width should be around 0.75” or somewhat wider, and the length doesn’t matter - as long as it’ll fit it your smoker/dehydrator.
3. Add the marinade ingredients into a large, microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, mix well until all the salt and sugar dissolve, and allow to cool.
4. Add the meat to the cooled mixture, and marinade for 24 hours or so, mixing the meat at least once during that time.
5. When you are ready to smoke, pat the meat pieces dry with a paper towel. Do not wipe the pieces clean, you want to keep much of the seasoning on it. Just pat them dry and place on the smoker’s rack.
6. Add the wood to your smoker and smoke the meat on 165F for several hours. Remove to a dehydrator and set on 140F until ready.
Note: The total time of smoking + dehydrating should be around 6 hours. I have not yet experimented with the optimal timing, but you may divide the 6 hours thusly: 4 in the smoker 2 in the dehydrator, 3 hours in each, or 2 in the smoker and 4 in the dehydrator. I don't know which is the preferred method. This batch was 4.5 hours in the smoker and 2 in the dehydrator, and a few pieces were slightly too dry. The rest came out perfect, so I suspect that 4 in the smoker and 2 in the dehydrator is optimal, but you might want to experiment.
7. Remove the meat from the dehydrator and allow to cool on the rack.
8. Once cool, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. I don't know how long it'll last in the fridge. This is so yummy that I eat it all up well before it has a chance to go bad.
If you use this recipe, I'd like to know how it came out and what's your opinion about it!
Attached is a photo of today's jerky.
Keep Calm
and Eat Jerky
Zvi
