Adding spices and seasoning

[hooked on smoke]

I have been making ground beef jerky with my LEM cannon and Nesco seasoning with pretty good results.
I am still new to this and am curious if it is safe to add extra spice and or flavor seasoning to the mixed meat without disrupting the cure ratio.
Going in on more tomorrow and would like to kick it up a notch if possible.
Thanks for any input.

 

[smokerjim]

Not a problem as long as you don't add more meat , I would watch adding more salt though

 

[hooked on smoke]

Thanks Smokerjim,
Definitely no more salt.

 

[hooked on smoke]

If I leave the meat to cure ratio alone can I reduce the amount of the seasoning packet to reduce the saltiness?

 

[smokerjim]

I don't see why not as long as the cure isn't part of the seasoning packet, i'm no pro at this but I think you do need a certain amount of salt for the curing process but I could be wrong, hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in to give you a definite answer.

 

[thirdeye]

I make jerky from sliced whole muscle meat. The drill is pretty simple.... meat is weighed, amount of cure is calculated and weighed out, and the amount of seasoning is weighed out. The mixture is added to both sides of the strips, strips are stacked and wrapped in plastic for 24 hours.

Now I can dry them in my Big Chief box smoker, or in the dehydrator. But first... I saute a couple of pieces to check for seasoning. It's not uncommon for me to add a little more pepper, or maybe a hot pepper blend to surface of the strips. I would think you could do the same... shoot out a strip of two and test cook them, then if needed add more seasonings after you shoot the strips out.

 

[hooked on smoke]

Thanks thirdeye.
So not using the entire seasoning packet may be a problem? Even though all of the cure is used based on the weight of the meat?
I'm not so much looking to add more spice/seasoning but reducing the saltiness by not using all of the seasoning packet. Go easy on me if I'm not understanding. I'm new. Just want to know from the more experienced here a safe way to go about it. The last thing I want is for anybody to get sick.
Good idea on the test cook. Thanks.

 

[hooked on smoke]

I don't see why not as long as the cure isn't part of the seasoning packet, i'm no pro at this but I think you do need a certain amount of salt for the curing process but I could be wrong, hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in to give you a definite answer.

The cure and seasoning are in 2 separate packets.

 

[smokerjim]

The cure and seasoning are in 2 separate packets.

personally I think you'll be fine reducing your seasonings.

 

[thirdeye]

The cure and seasoning are in 2 separate packets.

Oh, so you kind of have a jerky kit? And the kit might be for 10# or 20# of meat? The cure is what's needed for the food safety side of things, and the seasoning is how they market the individual kits. So you buy a 'garlic peppercorn' or 'cajun' , or 'pepperoni' kit and you are all set. So I would agree that the seasoning is all optional.... and the reality is, salt is cheap and some seasonings and rubs are heavy on salt for that reason. Hi Mountain Seasonings is about 120 miles from my house and they have a zillion jerky flavors in kits. You get a little shaker, some instructions, and a cure packet and seasoning packet. I think each kit is $7 or $8 dollars. But these guys sell the cure mix in bulk, and you make your own seasoning blend. The last jar I bought was 7 pounds and I split it with a guy at work.