Beef Jerky

[di53]

Just bought a Hark hot gas smoker, going to start with beef jerky can anyone tell me how to do it. Also any hints and tips you might have for me. I'm nearly sixty and want something easy. hope  someone can help, thanks

 

[pops6927]

Thank you for posting in Propane Smokers, however I have moved your thread to Beef Jerky to better accomodate your question!  Enjoy; people here will help you!

 

[driedstick]

Welcome, jerky is a great start and to start out easy you may want to go to local grocery or sporting good store and pick up some HI-COUNTRY Jerky seasoning, or Hi Mountian or what ever they may have. I have been very please with Hi country. check out their web site or google "jerky recipes" Thanks hope this helps remember the q-view when you make some.

Steve

 

[jarhead]

Welcome aboard Di53.

I taught I taw a PUDDY TAT. A BEEG PUDDY TAT.

I DEED, I DEED, TAW A BEEG PUDDY TAT.

Make sure you don't smell like jerky around that thing.

Now, I forgot what I was gonna say. LOL

Good Luck and take pics.

 

[trent5150]

Never used a hot smoker, but I have a dehydrator and found this recipe online to super easy and really tasty.  I bet you could use the same recipe for your smoker.  If not, you can do it in your oven as low as it will go for a shorter time.  

Enjoy!!  Let us know how it goes.

http://cookawesome.blogspot.com/2012/11/dehydrator-beef-jerky.html

 

[smokinhusker]

The advice to purchase Hi Country Seasonings is a good one. I use it for all my jerky and it comes with packets of Cure #1. When trying a new flavor for the first time, I follow their measurement instructions, then the next time I know if I have to bump it up or down.

Keep the temps as low as you can because you want to dry it not cook it - try to stay under 170*. I usually start around 120* and bump up hourly and start adding smoke after the first hour, this is when I dry out the surface a bit. 

 

[pike2]

i use Hi Mountain myself,  choose the meats that are as lean as passable for best results,  are you planning on grinding it or slicing it into 1/4 thick strips?    if your grinding it you can remove almost all of the fat providing that you have a meat mixer,  i have the LEM 17lb mixer.   chill the ground meat in the fridge   then put the meat into the mixer and start cranking,   the fat will start to build up on the paddles and sides of the mixer, after the inside turns white take the meat out and then scrape all the fat out,  then put the meat back in and repeat till there's no more fat buildup on the inside of the mixer.

 at this point the meat is as lean as it gets,   if the fat is left in it  as you eat it the fat coats the inside of  the mouth and hinders your taste of the spices,  the fatter the meat the worse it gets, you can compensate by adding more spices,  to test this get a pound of ground pork and spice it up and dry it,    2 to 3 bites of it and you wont taste anything and you mouth will be slimy

 the fat content in meat varies even after cutting off all visible fat.  and it doesn't have to be very much to alter the taste from batch to batch using the same cut of meat each time.  thats why i dry a small amount of it first to see if its spiced right.