Smokin-It User Forum!
Recipes => Jerky => Topic started by: Tomtom on December 20, 2018, 03:13:52 PM
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Just received my Smokin it #1. I was disappointed to find out that I need to purchase a fan to make good jerky. I guess that's the trade off for getting such an air tight unit that keeps moisture in the meat. I do have a convection oven in my kitchen. Does anyone have experience using their convection oven to finish the jerky after it been smoked in the smoker? The lowest setting on my convection oven is 170 degrees. I was planning on cracking the oven door open to keep the interior cooler while drying the meat. Any advice for this newbie would be greatly appreciated.
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I think some have created some fans via PC fans. There are a few threads on here if you search talking how they did it. May help you a bit.
I haven’t done jerky, so can’t help on th oven part. Hope you enjoy the #1 though!
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I also have a #1 and made 4 batches of Jerky, they were not rock hard dry but we liked it that way, On our last batch let in the smoker for a couple hrs longer and a touch more temperature 15 degrees to help dry, as one does not want to burn the jerky. But have bought a Jerky dryer, for salmon as well as Jerky and have not used it yet.
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I am going to buy a jerky dryer when my smoker gets ordered. Heck, they are pretty inexpensive on the SI site. I did a lot of jerky in my ST without a fan. I would open and close the door frequently, also leave it cracked here and there. Jerky always turned out real well. That said, a dryer will just make that all easier and cost very little.
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I'm one of those that made my own drier fan. Cost less than $25. Used this fan from Amazon "AC Infinity AXIAL 8038" for about $18 and a 4 inch pvc drain pipe cap for $5.
Works really well to get air moving through smoker so you can keep temp down. I think temps above 140 deg make the jerky tough.
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I have made piles of jerky over the years much of it in a convection oven. The best Jerky I have made has been in my #3 with the Jerky fan. I smoke at 100 using lots of chips and run the fan the entire time.
You could keep your jerky in the smoke for a few hours then finish it in the oven. I find oven jerky to be extremely hard and overly dry. The temp can not be set low enough. even with the door propped open minimum heat in the oven is often 145-150.
If you can not afford he jerky fan or make one as others have I recommend just smoking for a few hours then laying it out to dry, either on the smoker racks, strings, or cooling racks.
You would appreciate the quality of jerky you get using a fan.
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Just received my Smokin it #1. I was disappointed to find out that I need to purchase a fan to make good jerky. I guess that's the trade off for getting such an air tight unit that keeps moisture in the meat. I do have a convection oven in my kitchen. Does anyone have experience using their convection oven to finish the jerky after it been smoked in the smoker? The lowest setting on my convection oven is 170 degrees. I was planning on cracking the oven door open to keep the interior cooler while drying the meat. Any advice for this newbie would be greatly appreciated.
I want to acknowledge your disappointment... it's always a bummer to buy something with a particular expectation and then find out it's not quite what you had in mind. Of course, what you purchased is a smoker and not specifically a jerky maker. Fortunately, you're not looking at a large investment to turn it into a capable jerky maker AND you have a very capable smoker. I'd offer that overall you've made a very good investment and great joy and satisfaction can be close at hand for you.
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Thanks for the advice. I will get a fan for jerky. I think it will be a variable speed fan. Might help me get that perfect Thin Blue Smoke for my bigger meat smokes. As always...in pursuit of lazy perfection lol.