Is this a bad idea?

[kurd2408]

So I've been making jerky a few times a year with my dehydrator over the last five years or so. I've been smoking meat now for just a few years and really enjoy it but don't do it as much as I'd like. I really like the idea of adding smoke flavor to the jerky I've been making, but unfortunately I'm one of those desperate fools who smokes with a horizontal offset with a wood and charcoal combination. It makes amazing meat but sure makes you work for it.

Any way, I've never smoked jerky since the hassle of the smoker just isn't worth it when I already own a dehydrator. It's pretty much set and forget. Well I just did my first cheese smoke a couple days ago with my new little pellet tube I just got. And as I was just loading up the dehydrator with some jerky meat a few minutes ago I had an idea. My smoker is just a few feet from an outlet. Is there any reason I can't put the dehydrator in my smoker, let it do the heating and dehydration, and then throw in my pellet smoking tube for smoke just like I did with the cheese?

I can't see any reason this won't work. But I don't know a lot about how dehydrators actually work, other than heat and a fan. Or exactly about the best/safe way to apply smoke to jerky. For now I'm not gonna throw in the jerky that's going, but it's got 5 or 6 hours left so let me know what you think. Any help would be great.

Thanks

 

[tropics]

 
So I've been making jerky a few times a year with my dehydrator over the last five years or so. I've been smoking meat now for just a few years and really enjoy it but don't do it as much as I'd like. I really like the idea of adding smoke flavor to the jerky I've been making, but unfortunately I'm one of those desperate fools who smokes with a horizontal offset with a wood and charcoal combination. It makes amazing meat but sure makes you work for it.

Any way, I've never smoked jerky since the hassle of the smoker just isn't worth it when I already own a dehydrator. It's pretty much set and forget. Well I just did my first cheese smoke a couple days ago with my new little pellet tube I just got. And as I was just loading up the dehydrator with some jerky meat a few minutes ago I had an idea. My smoker is just a few feet from an outlet. Is there any reason I can't put the dehydrator in my smoker, let it do the heating and dehydration, and then throw in my pellet smoking tube for smoke just like I did with the cheese?

I can't see any reason this won't work. But I don't know a lot about how dehydrators actually work, other than heat and a fan. Or exactly about the best/safe way to apply smoke to jerky. For now I'm not gonna throw in the jerky that's going, but it's got 5 or 6 hours left so let me know what you think. Any help would be great.

Thanks

I don't think you will like how the dehydrator would feel,after smoking it would feel real sticky to the touch.

Lay your jerky out in the smoker ( if you are using cure #1 )  Smoke it that way for an hour or more,to your liking.Then dehydrate it

IMHO 

Richie

 

[BGKYSmoker]

 
I don't think you will like how the dehydrator would feel,after smoking it would feel real sticky to the touch.

Lay your jerky out in the smoker ( if you are using cure #1 )  Smoke it that way for an hour or more,to your liking.Then dehydrate it

IMHO 

Richie

Thats what i do also. About and hour of cold smoke then the dehydrator and YES (Always use cure) even in the dehydrator.

 

[tropics]

 

 
I don't think you will like how the dehydrator would feel,after smoking it would feel real sticky to the touch.

Lay your jerky out in the smoker ( if you are using cure #1 )  Smoke it that way for an hour or more,to your liking.Then dehydrate it

IMHO 

Richie

Thats what i do also. About and hour of cold smoke then the dehydrator and YES (Always use cure) even in the dehydrator.

Rick nice pick up thanks,Use the cure any time making jerky.

Richie

 

[kurd2408]

Ok thanks. I guess smoke will have to wait until the next batch then. I'll give that technique a try next time. I always cure since we like to eat on it for several days and take it on road trips with no fridge to keep it in. 

Thanks for the help

 

[kajun58]

I use Liquid Smoke as part of my marinade. Marinade for 24 hrs then on dehydrater for 2.5 hours. Turns out really good.