Go Ahead and Laugh, I know I'm weird...

[SonnyE]

...My over developed Granddaughter told me so.
I made my own 'Jerky Gun'.
The idea here is to make Jerky Sticks with my dehydrator. But I'm going to smoke them, then dehydrate them. The best laid plans....

So the question is: Should I just use the ground meat Jerky recipe I like?
Or is there anything different to make tasty sticks (short of casements. I don't have the means)?

Any thoughts or ideas are welcome.
And Thank You in advance!

 

[tallbm]

...My over developed Granddaughter told me so.
I made my own 'Jerky Gun'.
The idea here is to make Jerky Sticks with my dehydrator. But I'm going to smoke them, then dehydrate them. The best laid plans....

So the question is: Should I just use the ground meat Jerky recipe I like?
Or is there anything different to make tasty sticks (short of casements. I don't have the means)?

Any thoughts or ideas are welcome.
And Thank You in advance!

View attachment 353877 View attachment 353878

Interesting looking jerky gun lol. I have the LEM Jerky Cannon and it looks very similar.

I have made my fair share of ground meat jerky but have yet to do so in the smoker... its on the list.
I just used a store bought jerky mix (Lem's brand) and followed the directions. It doesn't hurt to do a little fry test to ensure the jerky seasoning isn't too salty, if so add a little more meat.

If in your shoes I would just smoke AND dehydrate in your smoker for simplicity.
However if you want to do it in two steps make sure you use the appropriate amount of Cure #1 in your seasoning mix since you plan to smoke, then move, then dehydrate.

With your proposed process I would highly recommend you have a good plan for transferring the jerky sticks from the smoker to the dehydrator without tearing them all apart since they may not be ready or stable enough for a move like that. Again, this is another reason for just doing in the smoker all together.
I guess one approach would be to put the jerky on the dehydrator trays and put the dehydrator trays in the smoker that way you just move the trays and rather than transferring meat from a smoker rack to a dehydrator tray when moving from smoker to dehydrator.

In any case the ground stick jerky without a casing is not an issue. I have made quite a few batches in my time. I have just done it in the oven with the door open to the first stop since I did it all before I ever had a smoker :)

I hope this info helps :)

 

[SonnyE]

It's actually a well used calking gun. My favorite.
I tore it all apart and cleaned and sanitized everything. Then began modifying it to pump GB Jerky mix.
Recognize any of it? The barrel is 16" double ended 1 1/2" drain pipe like under the kitchen sink.
Then I made inserts for the ends to make the bore smooth all the way through.
My plunger is the bottom portion of a food grade plastic bottle. And a cold rolled 5/16" bar is the ram rod.
A brass adapter from union, and the spigot part of a funnel.
If I add in my time and parts fiddlin, it cost me about $200 to make it.
But subtract the development costs and probably about $20.
The best part was not arguing why I needed it and $50. :mad:

I'm almost ready to put it to the test. I have 2 pounds of lean ground beef as my 'fodder'.
Either way, I'm makin Jerky today, while the wife is away, I'm going to play!

(And my meshes arrived for my racks.)

 

[SonnyE]

OK, it needs a name. I'm thinking Skat Cannon.
Because what comes out of the stubby tip looks like something you'd find in the woods.
No problem. I'll eat it.
But I might have to close my eyes.... :confused:

Otherwise, it worked good once I figured out to push the mixture into the barrel while holding the release. Used my thumb.
That packs the meat into the tube without air. :p

Why didn't you think of that?

Why I call it skat...
Unappealing, but tasty!

2 pounds did not go far...


Cold smoking, heat off, running on natural drafting of the stack/mod box...


I've decided the Taylor will remain my IT thermometer at the smoker. It isn't quite linear, but good enough for there. 76 Vs: 75, but 299 Vs: 275 at the high end.

 

[SonnyE]

PS: I went against the grain again. I put the raw hamburger in the smoker yesterday since it was smoking anyway for a cold smoke test of my "Craftsman Mod". I had flattened it out, and let it smoke for about an hour at 75 degrees.
Then brought it in, mixed it up thoroughly, and filled my jerky gun. My dehydrator racks were already prepped with a wipe of canola oil on the meshes. (I remembered!)
The resulting GB Skat Jerky has a very nice subtle smoky flavor. Even if it is about like biting a turd :confused:, because I way over dried it... :oops:
If there was any pathogens in it, those little boogers are petrified.

Oh, and if anyone reading this would like a Skat Gun of your own...
Tough. Build it yourself. I won't be making another. :p