How much fat is too much.

[andy3110]

Hey everyone I'm new to making jerky and I've read that fat can go rancid and does not dehydrate well. So my question is how much fat is too much? Is a slight marbeling ok?

 

[daveomak]

Marbling is not good...  Use round roast...  top or bottom...   When the fat sours, your jerky turns rancid.... 

 

[noboundaries]

I end up using bottom round most of the time because that's what's available at my grocer.  It is sold already sliced to 1/4" thickness.  I've had to adapt my technique and storage for what's available. 

Bottom round has a little more marbling that top round, including a fat cap and seam (see pic below).  Knowing that fat turns rancid on jerky, I use cure #1 in my recipe, use kitchen shears to cut off any fat AFTER it is smoked, then store it in vacuum bags in the refrigerator veggie drawer.  It keeps until I finish it off, which is at a rate of about 1.5 to 2 lbs (jerky weight ) every six to eight weeks.

large_7a4dbf1e-6e7e-438c-839e-7106b70d1434.jpg

• noboundaries
• Aug 4, 2017

 

[tallbm]

With ground meat jerky I don't like worse than 88/12.  It sweats more fat than I care for.

When I do my pure ground venison which is almost no fat does awesome.

I think this is not exactly what you were asking for but I figured this was the kind of thread to post it in to cover all basis :)

 

[crazymoon]

A3110, I sometimes get meat on sale that has some marbling. I  always cut off the exterior fat but some marbling won't hurt. My jerky lasts for months in the fridge ( vacuum sealed) after being smoked and dried with some marbling.

 

[Rings Я Us]

Keep in the freezer and eat it after it thaws out I guess.. I use bottom round trimmed of fat.. get it on sale . You don't need all your slices to be the same.. you can cut out gristle veins running through your slices.. having some stubby pieces is good too..

 

[chef jimmyj]

 
A3110, I sometimes get meat on sale that has some marbling. I  always cut off the exterior fat but some marbling won't hurt. My jerky lasts for months in the fridge ( vacuum sealed) after being smoked and dried with some marbling.

This is the key! Saturated Fat does not go rancid very quickly at all unless exposed to oxygen or moisture. If your meat has some marbling and you will have more jerky than you will eat in a couple weeks, Vac-Pac or add cure #1..JJ.

 

[andy3110]

Thanks guys much appreciated. I've made the call that it was probably too much fat and will try some of the cut you have suggested.