Call me crazy....

[SonnyE]

I've been experimenting again....
This time with home ground chicken meat, and a pound of lean hamburger.
I got my pound jar of Prague Powder, so full speed ahead now.
I cook for my little buddy every day, so I threw in a couple of extra Skinless/boneless thighs to grind up for myself (boiled, to death). I used the Lemon Pepper Jerky recipe for the batch. Actually, both batches.

While it was resting in it's ziploc bag in the fridge for two days, I went and introduced myself to one of the local butcher shops here, and took advantage of their Buy 2, get one free Hamburger specials. A bit pricey, but after 30 years here in the same spot, I figure they have a reputation to uphold. So I bought with confidence. (The wife put me up to it)

I split my new meat up into 3 - 1 pound packages and vacuum sealed two of them for the freezer. The kid gave me .08 over when adjusting the meat on the scale.
I took the recipe and calculated it down to the 1 pound level. And combined the ingredients in a bowl, whisking them together.
Then I tried something new to me, I got out Mama's electric hand mixer and added the meat and mixed it up. It got quite smooth quite fast, and was very evenly blended. 24 hours later, the dehydrator is done, emptied, and cleaned of the fruit roll ups I'd made. Time to make ground Jerky again. (I haven't quite given up on the idea yet...)

Here's where crazy came in. My paint sticks are kind of thick. So I went browsing for something more suitable. Long story short (well, too late for that I guess...) I remembered a steel ring I'd picked up when brain storming over some project of mine.
Maybe a bit thin at 1/8" thick, but I'll tell you, it's almost the perfect diameter for a form with the cut baggie Jerky puck making. I'd been following things I'd found on the Internet, and Dave confirmed I was headed the right way. Thanks Dave!

I was thinking (dangerous!) of ways to round-up my Jerky burgers as they seem to have groan into. With the ring, and a flat bottomed sauce pan, the little scooper full of meat smooshed out nice and round. And to pretty them up, I just slide the ring around on the bag holding the meat to firm up the sides. Then a final press with the sauce pan.

The Blob...

The tools. I scoop a dipper full in the bag, then strike it off flat. Keeps the meat in the bag.

Here we go...

I chose this pan because it looks like a press tool. Darn bottom must be 3/8" thick. But flat.

Nice and flat and uniform enough to suit me.


So everything is running along out on top of the chest freezer. After 5 hours they seem to be pretty dry already, so I'm cooling them down before bring them in.
Just sampled one of each...
Um, the chicken should make great dog food. At least he likes it...
The beef tastes pretty good, not as dry, chewy texture.

I think thicker would be better. I can't find a 4" x 1/4" thick ring (for 1/4" patties). But did find 4" x 5/16" on Amazon that are plastic.

Bottom line: I still like my sliced roast pepper Jerky the best. Shrug
Maybe the ring thing with the paint sticks.

Always thinking outside the box, because they won't let me in....

 

[SonnyE]

Where I screwed up....

"When making ground beef jerky, liquid ingredients have to be kept to a minimum.

Makes sense to me. What I made is dehydrated marinade in a ground beef carrier.

Awful stuff! Welcome to the Human Race.

Pound 2 is defrosting, and I'm learning. OK, off to bend some rod for my next thickness mandril.
Oh boody oh doe... Back to basics...