Jerky temps and time

[pyre]

I smoke jerky at 185 degrees for about 3-4 hours. From reading here, that sounds a bit high, but my jerky always comes out good. Its real easy to get too much smoke, so be careful. I know its done when I can snap a piece in half instead of bending it.

 

[deejaydebi]

I think like everything else it's up to the individual as to what the proper doneness is. Some like it brittle some like it flexible.

 

[chrish]

another difference in method is if your grinding the meat or using whole meat, but im not one for "jerkybrittle" i like it soft but chewy.

the time you need a higher heat is when your not using a curing agent "nitrates" in a smoker for at least 30 min to start the cooking/drying action then reduce the heat to dry the meat. again air drying meat with out a curing agent is verry unsafe as the meat can start to rot.
if your using a smoker the smoke will help in presurving the meat after its done.

 

[jts70]

Well, I finally got some time and did 15lbs of PORK , yes PORK jerky.
Used High Mountain Cajun Spice let cure for about 24 hours then smoked with apple for 3 hours between 185 and 200. Turned out great! Had several people tell me it was the best they ever had!

I'm not sure about that but it was really good!
I'll try to get the pixs up tonight.

 

[evworld]

I normally use my smoker for jerky. I am still learning and trying different methods and cures. Lately I have been smoking at 185 with no water pan for 3 to 4 hours. I only use smoke for 1.5 hrs. Sometimes when it's warm out I need to turn the temp up on my masterbuilt electric smoker to get the smoke going. I only do this for a short period and turn it back down to 185 when its smoking. I found that the best outside temp to smoke is around 55 degrees. I also hang the meat on rods rather than laying on racks so I can keep all the meat as high in the smoker as I can. One thing I learned is that the meat will continue to dry some out of the smoker. I let it sit for a few hours on my kitchen counter spread out on a cookie sheet.

 

[deejaydebi]

I just did some jerky last week in the smoker from what started out as beef bacon but I made it to lean. It made a great jerky with the addition of a dip into soy sauce, garlic, cajun spice and onion powder. It was about 7 lbs of jerky.

It was pre cooked as bacon so It smoked for about 2 hours at 175°F with hickory.

 

[wilded]

Here is the way I do it.

The Best Jerky you ever made!

TEXAS STYLE

Cut lean strips of venison, beef, chicken or turkey. The pieces should be no more than ¾ inch thick at the most but as large as you want them. Trim off all fat as it will turn rancid as the meat dries.

Fill a large mixing bowl with water and stir in equal amounts of Brown Sugar and Salt until it starts to fall out, kind of like a glass of tea with to much sugar in it.

Stir in
1 Teaspoon of Garlic powder,
½ Teaspoon of Allspice
¼ Teaspoon of ground Cloves.

Add meat and soak in the brine for 24 hours in a refrigerator.
Remove meat from brine and rinse in cold water.
Roll or shake on coarse ground black pepper to taste.
Do not use table ground black pepper or it will have to strong a pepper taste. Remember course ground adds flavor fine ground adds heat.

Arrange meat on a smoker and slow smoke with your favorite wood keeping the heat under 180 degrees until fully smoked. I smoke mine overnight. I use very dry or seasoned mesquite with no green left in the wood.

If you do not have a smoker you can do this in your oven, just add liquid smoke to the original brine and dry on your ovens lowest setting or warm setting. Place a wood spoon in the oven door so moisture can escape and dry meat to the texture and hardness desired. You can then place jerky in a bowl in the refrigerator for up to a week to finish dehydrating. It never lasts that long at my place. Place any extra in a bag in the freezer and take out about 2 hours before you intend to eat it.

Enjoy. Ed Thomas

 

[smokin' siggy]

I've always dried vension jerky in the oven. Yes...liquid smoke

. Finally bought a MES and will be trying my first batch very soon. I smoked some ribs a few nights ago and they turned out very well, but a little too smokey. Now I'm worried about how much smoke to use for my jerky. Also any suggestions on time and temp. would be helpful. Got about 15lbs soaking in the fridge!

 

[richtee]

Hia Sig! Welcome to SMF. Stop into the Roll Call forum and intro yerself proper-like with smoker type, etc. and we can better answer your questions. Far as jerky there's no temp, or time really. I smoke mine for 2 hours or so and finish drying in oven. How long? depends on cut and meat type.

 

[dirty ole phil]

I am in the process of "Right Now" smoking some Farmer Johns finger pork sausage. I plan on getting it up to around 190 to get the fat out of the meat. I figuare it should take about 3 hours at 220. Temp out side "Right Now" is 44. I be id desert in S Cal.

 

[buzzard]

i had the same problem with over smoking it. i have learned two things. use a wood that is a smoother flavor like pecan and such. also only smoke an hour or two then i finish in a dehydrator, or in your case an oven. the therm on my dehydrator only goes to 155 and that is their suggestion. i now have a newer bigger unit and i think it recommends like 160 or something. i still stick to the 150-155 area as i am comfortable with that and know how long it takes. i use a meat slicer though to get it as even, on each peace as i can so drying times are fairly consistant. even with that pieces still dry different and will require a keen eye, or really a lot of watching each piece. it was an excellent investment i recommend it, since xmas is just a few weeks away?!?!?!?! make sure you get a decent one around 150+ to start, i burned my gear out after a couple of years on this one. with the amout of abuse you will put on it i doubt a cheaper model will hold up.

 

[fritz]

I like to do it start to finish on the gosm smoker. Give it smoke for about 3 hours.Its all what you like. Pit temp about 150-170 untill its as dry as i like it.

 

[desertlites]

welcome-I just finished 10#s-100 with smoke first 4 hrs (apple)than up to 125-130 ish.2-3 hrs,finished with a temp of 175 couple hrs.pretty meaty-not dry-no smoke after first 4 hrs. ( I use cure in my mix because of low temps)Mom lites won't stay outta it! spose to give friends for x-mas.

 

[dacdots]

Fritz thats some mighty nice looking jerky.We done about 5 lbs this weekend and it turned out really good.Id take some pics but it never seems to set still long around here to get a camera focused.Ill tell you,when you go to talking about jerky seems like everyone you know wants some of it.I forgot to take some to work today like I had promised and I thought I was gonna get drawn and quartered on the spot.I put it in my lunch box when I got home so I wouldn't get massacreed tomorrow at work.

 

[squeezy]

I just love the toothpick hanger idea ... that will work great with my CCSV
Why didn't I think of that?

Thanks for sharing Fritz

 

[fritz]

Thanks Sqeezy, can't take credit for it, stole it from smeone else. It will work great on your rig. Its time intensive, but you can get much more on at one time.

 

[squeezy]

Most things we do ... someone else already thought of ... but it's good to share!