Meats for Jerky

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buzzard

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
OTBS Member
I was wondering what type of meats you all use for making your jerky. i dont have access to wild game all the time but love jerky. i have a tough time paying for meat for jerky but since moving to texas i dont really hunt anymore, and need to see if i can learn someting on the different types of meat to buy for jerky.

in the past i try and use what ever is marked down to the point where they are paying me to take it, as long as its not all fatty. london broil, some times roasts, whatever is "day old" or just down right cheep. i wish they would put flet mignon down to $1.79lb so i could see what flet jerky would be like!!

i guess it would be more like, what is your favorite meat(s) to use and why
 
buzz

i use mostly elk roast or deer roast or bear roast for whole mussel meat jerky but i also make ground meat jerky if you have a grinder you can use just about any cheap piece of meat just grind it up mix with cure and spices and smoke i try and stay away from ground meat from the store just cause i did not grind it and dont know what is in there
salmonclubber
 
I don't make a whole lot of jerky but from what I understand, lean meats work best, they can be ground or sliced.
 
What I do with my venison is grind it using the coarse plate that way it stays somewhat firm. I used to try and get meats and slice it into 1/4 inch strips but I found that to be somewhat of a pain in the ass. So I bought one of the jerky guns that hold 3 lbs of meat from cabelas. If you donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have any wild game, then you can use any lean meat you want, the key is that it is lean. If there is a lot of fat in the meat it will condense on the strips as it sweats out during the dehydrating and smoking process, and you don't want that. I keep the temp in my smoker real low, I am thinking of trying a shot at turkey jerky. When I do I will post the results and pics.
 
I've not ever made a lot of jerkey and what I have done in the past wasn't done in a smoker. But what little experience I have has been with flank steak or what you refered to a london broil (same cut of meat different names). It's usually the cheapest and easiest to cut into thin long strip for jerky.
 
Buzzard, for beef jerky I like to use a nice top round steak sliced into strips. If ya can, get the butcher to cut it thick for you-say around 1 1/2 to 2 inches.
 
Hey, Buzzard,
In my neck of the woods, literally, I can save a few cents per pound by buying a whole top or bottom round roast. My inital cuts are to steak it to about 1 1/2" to two inches with the grain. Then I pop it into the freezer to stiffen up a bit and finish the process by cutting against the grain at 3/16 of an inch.
Here's one of my favorite and very simple marinades. Works well in a smoker or dehydrator.
Seasons about 5 lbs of meat.

1 10 oz bottle Kikkoman Teryaki Marinade and Sauce
2 TBS Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Tsp powdered Ginger
1/2 Tsp powdered Garlic
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Optional for heat
1/2 to 1 Tsp Cayenne (Caution!)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl of sufficient size to hold marinade and meat as well as allow meat to be "stirred". Drop in the meat and mix well to coat all the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Remove from refrigerator and mix again. Place in dehydrator or on grates of smoker.

Jerky can be made from just about any type of meat. Hope this has helped you!
Cheers!
Monty
 
ive never thought of having my butcher cut the meat to proper thinkness before. now its time to find an old town butcher shop and order some meat. that would be a lot easier then the way ive been doing it with the roasts. i get the london broil because of the way its cut.

thanks for the recipie monty ill have to check that out my next smoke. i have 7 lbs or more marinating now. i like to leave it soak over night in some stuff i found. i posted a pick of the bottle on a nother post, its prety f'n good stuff.

im doing some jerkey and two pork loins on sun the 18th then i just purchased jeffs naked rib rub and im planning on probably 2 briskets or boston butts on mon. and maby some ribs (it would be sacreligious not to)

yea lady j thats why i used it too for the simplicity of it im glad you agree.

i do thank you all for your input. i just wish i could get some good game.
 
Hey buzzard how you doin.From what I hear Texas is full of deer,go on out and get you some.By the way from where you are its not to far to Fort Sill OK I think.My step son has just moved to there he's in the army.
 
When I was in the Air Force we used to make a trek up to Fort Sill to destroy unserviceable explosive devices. We burnt down one of the small mountains on their demolition range one year. :oops:
 
dac, im not used to how they hunt down here. i dont have the money to buy into a deer lease, and i dont know anyone that pays for one thats willing to take me. back up home you just go up to someones house and ask if you can hunt in thier back yard, someitmes you have to help do a little work around the house but it usually pays off, when you get back they would usually have some kind of light meal ready for you for helping out.

ill find someone, eventually. but untill then ill just keep on using store purchased, farm raised, steroid using, hormone injected cattle. mmmmmmmmm makes my mouth water. :lol:
 
Buzz~SO THAT explains the look on your avatar!!! It's from that "store purchased, farm raised, steroid using, hormone injected cattle"! :P
 
Thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s funny Dutch. I am lucky to have a brother-in-law that raises his own beef cattle, so when the freezers low I order me up a 1/4 of beef, and let me tell ya, the crap the grocery store sell tastes like road kill compared to it. Thereâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s nothing like fresh killed, chemical free beef.
 
There goes Dutch's sense of humor again! Attaboy! Sorry, Buzzard, but it had to happen. As for road kill I get a a fair share of fresh road kill in my line of work and a little skill with a knife goes a long way! But I really am posting because of Buzzard's reference to all the drugs in animals. It is gonna get worse and soon if the USDA has its way and is allowed to fully implement the NAIS; National Animal Identification System.
Big Daddy take note and discuss this with your brother in law; better yet, point him to the following site:

http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/...nce_docs.shtml

Under the "Related Topics" section refer to "The Draft Strategic Plan" and
the "Draft Program Standards". You will be shocked at what they want to do. And they want to do it right down to the back yard level!

Only the largest producers of meat products will be able to survive this Big Brother plan. But this is a forum and not a political arena so i will leave it up to you folks and others to visit the sites.
Cheers, brothers!
Monty
 
I feel for you Buzzard,even here in in the middle of no place WV its getting harder to find hunting grounds.Thankfully I still have plenty of options.There used to be land you could hunt in WV which is owned by a timber compamy,lots of it,but they have took to leasing it to hunting clubs which has became popular in the last 10 years or so around here.I too can buy all my meat off local small time producers,some of them people I know well and work with,but the day will come when that to is gone like the rest of what made this country a good place to live.I have 5 acers here and can sit on the porch and shoot all the deer I need thank goodness.
 
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