1st attempt at beef jerky

[bubbabob]

Bill and Tony,
Thanks again. I think I'm ready make another batch. Well, once I've eaten the last batch, that is. I guess I'll need to look into the jerky tray rails here and see what they run. That's the only way I can smoke a decent sized batch and lay em flat. Thanks again for the help. I'll post some results when I get her done.
Cheers,
BB

[elkins20]

Hey Bob, First goodmorning, now what I did on the #1 was to make my own seafood racks. You might do a search on cookie cooling rack and see if you can find some the same or close to the size of the racks in the #1. Normally can find cooling racks at a reasonable price. Another option is the fiber cloth that is on amazon, but not sure how often you can use them.

[NDKoze]

Bob, I disagree with the meat needing to be "dry" before putting in the smoker.  I would lay it in wet, right out of the fridge, set the dial to 140 and let it go for 2 hours.  It will absorb smoke best when it's cold and wet.  Then it's dehydrator time!

Hey Tony, I attended a BBQ Boot Camp (as they call it) at our local university (North Dakota State University - Home of the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 FCS National Football Champion BISON) and the faculty and food scientists that conducted this boot camp told us that smoke will not adhere to wet meat.

NDSU BBQ Boot Camp
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/ansc/news-events/copy2_of_bbq-boot-camp-rugby

I think this is the same reason that we try to dry our fish to form a pellicle prior to smoking.

That being said, if I brine my meat, I usually dab my meat as dry as I can with paper towels before smoking. But, it is by no means dry and I have always had great results.

Most of my jerky is made with High Mountain dry seasoning mixes that I mix with fairly wet meat and marinate overnight. By the time I smoke, it is more sticky than wet when I smoke it.

The bottom line is that I am not sure how big of a deal it is to have your meat really dry prior to smoking. But, regardless of whether you dry your meat prior to smoking or not, you must either use a dryer of sorts or pull the meat and put into a dehydrator.

If you are only smoking for a couple of hours and moving to the dehydrator and considering your space issues in the #1, your best bet is probably to stick with the skewers. But, if you were not using the dehydrator method, then I think you would still be better off smoking horizontally and rotating the trays even if you have to do smaller batches.

Regarding the temps that I had mentioned, I was primarily talking about set temps. But, the bottom line is that through some trial and error you want to find the lowest set temp that will still allow you to achieve smoke especially if you are smoking your jerky in the smoker for the entire smoke. If you move to a dehydrator, a few swings up into the 150s would probably not hurt.

I have purchased the jerky rails and some extra racks and they do work really well.

Good luck on your next batch. Take some pictures and let us know how it goes.

[DivotMaker]

Bob, I disagree with the meat needing to be "dry" before putting in the smoker.  I would lay it in wet, right out of the fridge, set the dial to 140 and let it go for 2 hours.  It will absorb smoke best when it's cold and wet.  Then it's dehydrator time!

Hey Tony, I attended a BBQ Boot Camp (as they call it) at our local university (North Dakota State University - Home of the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 FCS National Football Champion BISON) and the faculty and food scientists that conducted this boot camp told us that smoke will not adhere to wet meat.

This is why the eggheads need to stick to their books and "theories!"  LOL!!  I have NEVER put a piece of "dry" meat into a smoker, and have also NEVER failed to have smoky meat!  Jeez...the crap that some "experts" spew!  Hope that course didn't cost you much!  Don't they realize that the surface moisture dries, as the meat heats?  I guess they're the experts, but it's funny how "real life" doesn't always match a bunch of college professor "theory!"

[NDKoze]

Bob, I disagree with the meat needing to be "dry" before putting in the smoker.  I would lay it in wet, right out of the fridge, set the dial to 140 and let it go for 2 hours.  It will absorb smoke best when it's cold and wet.  Then it's dehydrator time!

Hey Tony, I attended a BBQ Boot Camp (as they call it) at our local university (North Dakota State University - Home of the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 FCS National Football Champion BISON) and the faculty and food scientists that conducted this boot camp told us that smoke will not adhere to wet meat.

This is why the eggheads need to stick to their books and "theories!"  LOL!!  I have NEVER put a piece of "dry" meat into a smoker, and have also NEVER failed to have smoky meat!  Jeez...the crap that some "experts" spew!  Hope that course didn't cost you much!  Don't they realize that the surface moisture dries, as the meat heats?  I guess they're the experts, but it's funny how "real life" doesn't always match a bunch of college professor "theory!"

There were definitely some things that they said that were maybe true for traditional wood and charcoal smokers that are not true for our smokers. But, for the meager $35 that I spent, I got to eat a ton of free food and did learn quite a few things.

[DivotMaker]

There were definitely some things that they said that were maybe true for traditional wood and charcoal smokers that are not true for our smokers. But, for the meager $35 that I spent, I got to eat a ton of free food and did learn quite a few things.

Hehe.  Good to hear, Gregg!  Some food, and learning a few things was worth $35, for sure!  I was hoping it wasn't one of those $500+ "bootcamps" where you learn the secrets of the stars!

[bubbabob]

So Tony and all,
I'm listening to this conversation and wondering about why "they" say to pull your salmon from the brine, rinse and pat dry, season, then put it on drying racks with a fan on it to form a pellicle before putting it in the smoker. The pellicle is supposed to be a critical part of insuring that the salmon absorbs the smoke, and you'd have to think it gets dried out a bit in that process too. Wouldn't this apply to jerky too? Just askin...not tryin to start any bruhaha.
Cheers,
BB

[DivotMaker]

So Tony and all,
I'm listening to this conversation and wondering about why "they" say to pull your salmon from the brine, rinse and pat dry, season, then put it on drying racks with a fan on it to form a pellicle before putting it in the smoker. The pellicle is supposed to be a critical part of insuring that the salmon absorbs the smoke, and you'd have to think it gets dried out a bit in that process too. Wouldn't this apply to jerky too? Just askin...not tryin to start any bruhaha.
Cheers,
BB

Good question, Bob.  No bruhaha's here!  Fish is a different animal than beef or pork (no kidding, huh?), as far as smoking goes.  I'm not a fish smoker, but I know what you are saying is true.  I am, however, pretty experienced with beef, pork and poultry.  The only time I "dry" any of those is if I leave poultry uncovered in the fridge overnight.  But, that is not to help it absorb smoke, but rather to help the skin not be so rubbery. 

Hopefully, our fish experts will chime in about the whole "pelicle" process!  I just don't find it necessary on the meat I smoke. 

[Pork Belly]

140 is a medium steak.

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1831.0

[Tyarra]

I've done both salmon and catfish - salmon twice, and neither time did I brine it, or dry it.  I gave it a coating of ground salt, pepper and garlic.   The catfish I did brine, but it was whole and still had its skin.  Didn't dry that, either.  Just rubbed it, inside and out, with our standard paprika/pepper/sugar rub.

They still tasted pretty smoky, and very tasty!

[Pork Belly]

I know by experience that slightly damp fish does not smoke as well as dry fish, even in an SI.

[NDKoze]

So Tony and all,
I'm listening to this conversation and wondering about why "they" say to pull your salmon from the brine, rinse and pat dry, season, then put it on drying racks with a fan on it to form a pellicle before putting it in the smoker. The pellicle is supposed to be a critical part of insuring that the salmon absorbs the smoke, and you'd have to think it gets dried out a bit in that process too. Wouldn't this apply to jerky too? Just askin...not tryin to start any bruhaha.
Cheers,
BB

I actually think that the pellicle theory for fish holds true for jerky as well as fish. Moist is OK, but tacky or sticky meat is even better.

When making jerky with a brine I have always dabbed my meat dry with paper towels before adding some extra spice and then placing in my smoker. I figure this is just less moisture that I need to get out of the smoker.

This being said, I usually use a variety of premixed Hi-Country or High Mountain seasonings for my jerky. They have so many different options and are relatively inexpensive and superior to any brines that I have tried. I mix the seasoning (seasoning and cure) in with a little bit of water (just enough to facilitate an even spread of the seasonings), and then let the seasoned meat marinate overnight in the fridge.

The next day the meat is very tacky/sticky and I have to kind of pull the jerky strips apart to lay them on my racks. This is perfect and does not need to be dried at all before placing in the smoker.

[elkins20]

Hey Greg, was just going to ask if you added water to the High Mountain Jerky seasonings. Seems like I read that you can add either 1/4 or 1/2 cup of water and then marinate over night. Do you heat it to dissolve the seasoning and then cool b/4 adding the meat?

[NDKoze]

Hey Greg, was just going to ask if you added water to the High Mountain Jerky seasonings. Seems like I read that you can add either 1/4 or 1/2 cup of water and then marinate over night. Do you heat it to dissolve the seasoning and then cool b/4 adding the meat?

No, I just spread the seasoning evenly and then pour about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water on top of the seasoning depending on how much meat I have. The salt in the seasoning easily dissolves during the marinating process and kind of spreads through the meat. The water really helps ensure that the seasoning is evenly spread and mixed throughout the meat slices. It is actually a little soupy when you put it into the fridge because after washing the meat prior to seasoning there is some additional moisture with the meat. But overnight, the liquid dries up and it gets really sticky/tacky.

Even with the darker colored venison that I usually use, you can really see the change in color after a night's marinating in the fridge. It gets really dark and smells awesome!

I have used the original, sweet and spicy, hickory, teriyaki, and even a really spicy one and all have turned out well. My 20 year old likes the spicy stuff, so we added some cayenne and sprinkled some red paper flakes on the spicy one. It was too spicy for my German tongue that is not used to that spicy stuff.

I have also made jerky out of duck and goose breasts that turned out really well.

[DivotMaker]

140 is a medium steak.

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1831.0

Yes, I agree that 140 internal temp is medium, in a steak.  But, smoking jerky, with the fan at 140, does not "cook" the jerky.  It comes out almost translucent, not opaque like cooked meat.  I like 140 because that's the minimum "food safe" temp where bacteria won't grow.  Not knocking your 100 method, just explaining that 140 does not cook the jerky.