Is ground jerky "chewy"?

[golfnut]

With as popular as ground beef jerky seems, I'd like to know if it is chewy like muscle jerky? Does it just break apart?

I'm getting ready to do a big batch in my SV24 and am wondering about buying a cannon and taking advantage of the ground beef sales in our area.

 

[tjohnson]

Does not tear like muscle meat, but taste is the same.  Some of my buddies don;t like it because of the texture, but OH WELL!

I'm getting ready to make 20# of beef/venison jerky and going to grind it up first.  The kids like it better.

I know you want it lean, or it can spoil.

Todd

 

[que-ball]

That depends on how long you dry it for.  If you want it chewy, don't dry it as much.  If using a dehydrator, begin taking out sample pieces to try at about the five hour mark, keeping in mind that it will dry a little more as it cools.  By about the eight hour mark, the jerky should either be done to your liking or gone.

Use the leanest ground meat you can get for jerky, to avoid a mess in the dehydrator.

 

[roller]

Its kinda wierd to me because its not chewy but has a good taste. You want pull your teeth out.

 

[smokinsteve]

Anybody have any good recipes for ground beef jerky?  I have some Hi-Mountain seasoning blends for this purpose, but I would like to be able to make some from a regular recipe.

 

[werdwolf]

I use a premixed as a starter IE the first 5 lbs.  Then for the second 5 lbs I add the appropriate "pink salt" (cure) and spices I like.  I do not add any more salt or sugar.  the origional has some smoke in it.  I use ground Jerky.

Did I mention lots of red pepper?

It is amazing how fast it disappears.  I dehydrate mine until it is fairly tough.

 

[graniteman]

I make hamburger burger jerky and my friends so far like the LEM spices.  You can order on line at LEM.com or go to Bass Pro Shops.  LEM has Soy Protein Powder which works great as a binder if your mix seems to falls apart.   The protein works well to give your burger jerky the pull you want when you bite it.

Have fun I do

Graniteman

 

[rbranstner]

I really have had good luck with the LEM seasonings as well. Are you going to stuff them in casings or not? I usually put more seasoning then they call for. So if you are doing a 10 lb batch I will put enough seasoning for 12+ lbs. I like it with a little more seasoning and I have heard of some people putting as much as double as the recipe calls for. Seems a bit over board for me but do what you like. Just remember you don't add all of the cure that comes with it you put enough cure for the amount of meat you are using. The cure and seasoning come in the same big package but they are packaged separate. At least the ones I have used were. If the cure is premixed then I would use the exact amount they call for per lb of meat you are doing. You don't want to put more cure than you need.

 

[arnie]

If it’s chewy you’re cooking rather than drying, turn the heat down 160⁰- 180⁰