Need some help with jerky.

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

rbnice1

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jan 22, 2017
344
254
I have tried making jerky 4 or 5 times.  Some better then others.  Chuck roast wasn't as good as top round.  I used the same recipe on all and for the most part I liked it.   So here is the recipe I have been using.

2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Its not been bad minus to much black pepper and mine is too teriyaki tasting and I tried using the smoker 1 time and used no liquid smoke.  I am looking to improve this.  I see people using cure? I have never used cure.

I have a nice sirloin and rump roast defrosting.  So I was thinking this time to try this:

2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Cure XX amount???  What would cure give me?

Also to get less teriyaki flavoring would I use less soy or worcestershire and just replace with water?
 
IMHO I would skip the recipe testing with a good cut of meat. I would only use cure in ground meat jerky. Here is some awesome jerky marinade ready to go. You probably can get it at your local grocery. Good stuff!!!!!!!!!!


My 2 cents

Boykjo
 
Me again... lol... confused about the teriyaki flavoring. Your not using teriyaki sauce. I switched to using teriyaki sauce instead of soy sauce and had much better results.

Boykjo
 
and you can add a small amount of "fish sauce" and "Soy Vey very teriyaki" and ground ginger and darn near anything that's interesting...  I even added some grated apple to my last batch...  it's all good... 

It you add cure #1, add 1 level tsp. per 5#'s of meat and marinade combined...  or 1.1 grams per 5#'s of total stuff...   that's the norm if you are going to smoke..

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/256150/korean-bbq-pork-jerky-time#post_1678532
 
Last edited:
I would think everyone is always testing there recipes regardless of the cut of meats.  In our case that just happens to be what I pulled from our deep freeze.  Last round I pulled a bunch of chuck roast and it was too fatty.

Teriyaki flavoring may not be correct but its the best I can say.
 
For Jerky you need to use the leanest cut of meat you can find. The fat is not good. The fat will also go rancid faster. Top round, bottom round, eye round are good cheap cuts to use. I part out whole round roasts and use all of it when trimmed of the fat. Pork loin is another good option.

Here is a very simple base recipe to try.  It can be modified to add other flavors. I do use cure, and I recommend that others use it to. Fairly simple 1 teaspoon of cure #1 per five pounds of meat, or 5.67 grams per five pounds. Which equals 1.13 grams per pound.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/233270/thai-jerky

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/257514/eye-of-round-thai-jerky

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/247420/thai-style-pork-loin-jerky
 
Last edited:
Thank you! 

I will be trying pork loin eventually.  Why do you recommend cure when others say no?
 
Thank you! 

I will be trying pork loin eventually.  Why do you recommend cure when others say no?

It's a food safety issue. Anytime you keep meat in a low oxygen environment at low temps you should use cure. Making jerky in a smoker has all of those conditions.
 
Ok so this attempt here is what I have:  4.5pounds meat trimmed.

I used this recipe

New try:
1 cup of light soy sauce
1/3 cup of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon garlic powder
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 cup of franks redhot
1 cups beer
1/2 teaspoon Cure #1.
per gallon bag. Roughly 2-2.5 pounds meat. per bag.

Will let it soak 14 - 16 hours before I start the smoke.  If you all think it would be better I can let it soak till sunday morning which would be 36 - 44 hours.

will put it in the mes at 160 for an hour then reduce to 140 and add 3 hours worth of wood with the amaz N.  1/2 the tray?  Then run for 6 hours total at 140 so 7 hours total cook time.  Any suggestions?  To short?  to long? 

 
You should weigh your meat and add the correct amount of cure for the weight.

As for time of cure it depends on the thickness of the meat. Rule of thumb is 1/4" thickness will cure with the appropriate amount of cure in 24 hours. With that said thats assuming cure is only coming from one side. So submerged you have cure coming from both sides and your 1/4" piece should be good in 12 hours.

If cure is used no need to do the 160 temp. The cure allows you to start lower, and adjust the temp up as you go.

I usually do a hour at 120-130 no smoke , add smoke and then bump the temp ten degrees every hour until I hit a pit temp of 170-180.
 
I did weigh the meat. 

Good to know anything over 12 hours should be ok.  Its all sliced on my meat slicer and its all right under 1/4". 

I have read that there is no need to go 160 with cure. and I have read you still should.  Honestly this seems like everyone has there own opinion on it.
 
Ok so jerky is done.......  First off this batch flavor wise is great!  It also has a really nice kick after your chew is almost done.  Took a lot longer then I thought it would but I think I need to put a small fan blowing into my mes to get better air circulation.

 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky