Jerky "cook" time?

[Chasdev]

I'm all ready to make my first jerky run, just lacking marinating beef overnight but after reading tons of advice on the net I'm confused at the best time/temp combo to produce top shelf jerky.
I've got thinly sliced top round ready to go and will start the marinade this afternoon for drying tomorrow.
Some of the articles I read talk about low/er dry temps to get tender jerky but some (and the instruction sheet that came with the device I bought) instruct to use 160/165.
I've decided to use Prague 1 to keep the wife off the panic button so if a lower dry temp is indicated then that's what I want to do if that's the path to tender jerky...

 

[crazymoon]

CD, I use the highest temp setting on my dehydrator. IMHO you should use the temp setting recommended by the manufacturer of your device. Always use cure to prevent the nasties from flourishing in your product. Your tenderness will come from when you decide to stop dehydrating, i.e. the longer it's in the dehydrator the drier/tougher it will be. I cut my slices about an 1/8 inch thick and let them marinate for a few days with shakes /stirs etc. to keep eveything moist.

 

[Chasdev]

In my rush to get the meat soaking, I forgot to add the prague powder.
The recipie guide I was using did not mention using it so as I added the ingredients I just flew by that addition.
My understanding is that as long as I freeze the jerky or keep in in the fridge, I should be ok, no?

 

[mike243]

Yes freezer long term pull out thaw what you want, don't leave setting out for long time.

 

[SmokinEdge]

In my rush to get the meat soaking, I forgot to add the prague powder.
The recipie guide I was using did not mention using it so as I added the ingredients I just flew by that addition.
My understanding is that as long as I freeze the jerky or keep in in the fridge, I should be ok, no?

What temp did you dehydrate at?
Was this ground meat jerky or whole muscle meat?

 

[crazymoon]

In my rush to get the meat soaking, I forgot to add the prague powder.
The recipie guide I was using did not mention using it so as I added the ingredients I just flew by that addition.
My understanding is that as long as I freeze the jerky or keep in in the fridge, I should be ok, no?

I would not make it without the cure.The cure keeps the pathogens at bay WHILE you are dehydrating. Add it now and soak another day, it may be saltier from the extra soak but it will be safe.

 

[Chasdev]

What temp did you dehydrate at?
Was this ground meat jerky or whole muscle meat?

165 degrees for 6 hours and top round sliced 1/4 thick.

 

[SmokinEdge]

165 degrees for 6 hours and top round sliced 1/4 thick.

I’d eat it. Not speaking for anybody else. In my family I grew up eating carne seca. This was usually venison or lamb simply salted and peppered and sun dried on a wire line. We lived for a long time just fine before the USDA showed up, not only that we thrived. We never used cure salt to cure jerky we just used salt and the sun. Nobody I ever knew or know now has ever been sick from that.

 

[SmokinEdge]

There is still a restaurant in Albuquerque NM that has a grandfather variance to make carne seca on their roof top. They feed it to guests in their meals. Just salt and pepper some Chile and the sun.

 

[Chasdev]

I made four different flavors, 3 beef top rounds and one pork tenderloin pounded out flat like schnitzel.
Garlic soy, teriaki, and black pepper with soy and worchester.
The pork was a mimic of a Carolina bbq sauce, sort of.
The marinade flavor was almost overwhelming, way too strong on the beef (and I did follow the recipes to the letter).
Perhaps letting the meat marinate overnight was the problem.
I'm not going to revisit that site again, so on to another source for marinades.
The beef starting at 1/4 inch, came out dried hard and too thin.
Very hard to chew, so perhhaps 6 hours at 165 is too much?
The pork tenderloin started at around 1/2 inch and came out much more like what I am used to eating tenderness wise.
I bought the beef pre-sliced, next time I'm doing the cutting, and drying for less time or starting with thicker cuts, or both most likely.
FWIW, none of the marinade recipes instructed to use curing salt.