1st time LEM Cannon

[hooked on smoke]

1st time using the LEM jerky cannon. I am now a fan of ground meat jerky.
I got my cannon and order of Nesco variety seasoning box. I went with the Hot and Spicy.
Mixed 2lbs of 93/7 ground beef with seasoning and cure. Then into the fridge overnight.
Got my Mes40 gen 1 fluctuating at 160-178.
I wanted to taste the Nesco seasoning on its own so I went with no smoke for my 1st run.

Mixed and ready for overnight nap.

I have not done this before so did not know what to expect nor what the heck to do. So I rolled a log to fit into the chamber and slid it in. I was surprised that it loaded so much. And so cool shooting edible meat instead of caulking.

Lock and load.

Then came the fun part. Squeezing the goodness.
It was so easy. Sorry didn't get a pic of that.
Here it is in the Mes40 gen1 about an hour in.

The wait is on.

It took just over 4 hours to bend but not break.
I will definitely do this again and again and ......


Question, I checked the IT with my inkbird instant read thermometer at the 2 1/2 hour point and eat 4 hours in and the IT only reached 145- 155 but seamed to be "crisping up" on the edges. The smoker temp maintained 160-178 throughout the entire process.
Is this okay?
Thanks for any input.

 

[old sarge]

Looks mighty good to me.

 

[mike243]

Looks good to me, I normally use the dehydrator and run it till it cracks when bent , I learned it has to be refrigerated or frozen as thrown on the counter in a ziplock bag will mold. Not sure why. I bought some cure but have yet to make a batch yet with my own seasonings on the MES but that's the plan with deer meat. I also prefer ground though I bought a jerky slicer/cuber awhile back

 

[tallbm]

1st time using the LEM jerky cannon. I am now a fan of ground meat jerky.
I got my cannon and order of Nesco variety seasoning box. I went with the Hot and Spicy.
Mixed 2lbs of 93/7 ground beef with seasoning and cure. Then into the fridge overnight.
Got my Mes40 gen 1 fluctuating at 160-178.
I wanted to taste the Nesco seasoning on its own so I went with no smoke for my 1st run.

Mixed and ready for overnight nap.
View attachment 446488
I have not done this before so did not know what to expect nor what the heck to do. So I rolled a log to fit into the chamber and slid it in. I was surprised that it loaded so much. And so cool shooting edible meat instead of caulking.

Lock and load.
View attachment 446489
Then came the fun part. Squeezing the goodness.
It was so easy. Sorry didn't get a pic of that.
Here it is in the Mes40 gen1 about an hour in.

The wait is on.
View attachment 446490
It took just over 4 hours to bend but not break.
I will definitely do this again and again and ......

View attachment 446492View attachment 446493
Question, I checked the IT with my inkbird instant read thermometer at the 2 1/2 hour point and eat 4 hours in and the IT only reached 145- 155 but seamed to be "crisping up" on the edges. The smoker temp maintained 160-178 throughout the entire process.
Is this okay?
Thanks for any input.

Man looks like u did great! I like the jerky cannon too but I do 10 pound batches of jerky usually so have switched to other methods for that volume.

You should be ok with the temp u took it to BUT keep it refrigerated and eat it all up within 2 weeks or freeze whats left. The jerky we make is not created and stored in a "shelf stable" manner like jerky u get from the store so don't be fooled and be safe :)

 

[hooked on smoke]

Thanks tallbm,
Being my 1st run I dint want to do too much until I sampled it. Yep, I will be doing it again.

 

[Steve H]

1st time using the LEM jerky cannon. I am now a fan of ground meat jerky.
I got my cannon and order of Nesco variety seasoning box. I went with the Hot and Spicy.
Mixed 2lbs of 93/7 ground beef with seasoning and cure. Then into the fridge overnight.
Got my Mes40 gen 1 fluctuating at 160-178.
I wanted to taste the Nesco seasoning on its own so I went with no smoke for my 1st run.

Mixed and ready for overnight nap.
View attachment 446488
I have not done this before so did not know what to expect nor what the heck to do. So I rolled a log to fit into the chamber and slid it in. I was surprised that it loaded so much. And so cool shooting edible meat instead of caulking.

Lock and load.
View attachment 446489
Then came the fun part. Squeezing the goodness.
It was so easy. Sorry didn't get a pic of that.
Here it is in the Mes40 gen1 about an hour in.

The wait is on.
View attachment 446490
It took just over 4 hours to bend but not break.
I will definitely do this again and again and ......

View attachment 446492View attachment 446493
Question, I checked the IT with my inkbird instant read thermometer at the 2 1/2 hour point and eat 4 hours in and the IT only reached 145- 155 but seamed to be "crisping up" on the edges. The smoker temp maintained 160-178 throughout the entire process.
Is this okay?
Thanks for any input.

Yup, that is normal. I've had a batch take 7 hours before.

 

[tallbm]

Yup, that is normal. I've had a batch take 7 hours before.

I think I have started walking my jerky up to like 190-200F the last couple of times I did it. Came out good as well. I had to pull some of the outer jerky first as it dried faster and did a couple of rack rotations to try and keep it more evenly drying so it wouldnt take all day.
I messed with it more than I like but this is not like opening the door on a brisket or a pork butt, this is jerky and the low temps recover fast so I don't think it really hurts things much if u have to fool with it.... other than giving me face fulls of smoke that I don't care for multiple times lol :D