Jerky Appearance

[gfritz1]

Do both venison and beef jerky in a electric smoker . Have some home recipes but also mostly use seasoning from Con Yeager . you can buy bulk or a kit and have used both . Smoke with mostly apple wood . Pretty much follow the some direction on the Con Yeager Package . So it is cut and seasoned and sits for 24 hrs in fridge and sometimes 48. Hang it all on tooth picks .So goes directly into smoker and 1st hr 180 with no smoke then you turn down a little and start the smoke. Sometimes it comes out with a nice consistent color or appearance and sometimes it comes out looking like it isn't done and it varies piece to piece .Use a LEM slicer so pretty equal on thickness . Tastes ok just doesnt look good. Any thoughts why it varies? When doing smoked deer sausage we leave it hang for 12 hrs prior to smoking so the casings are dried and it then takes smoke better. Could this be the reason ?

 

[Winterrider]

Start your drying at 130-140° no smoke. Then bump temps by about 10° each time with smoke. I don't ever go over 170°

 

[gfritz1]

Start your drying at 130-140° no smoke. Then bump temps by about 10° each time with smoke. I don't ever go over 170°

How long do you normally smoke when starting at 140? Could it be that the meat is still too wet when starting to apply the smoke and this is causing the appearance issue?

 

[Winterrider]

I usually run each temp for about an hour apiece. About 5 hrs total usually. Your 180° right away maybe cooking the outside to quickly.
Just try ramping up from the lower temps once and let us know your results. Good luck

 

[gfritz1]

I usually run each temp for about an hour apiece. About 5 hrs total usually. Your 180° right away maybe cooking the outside to quickly.
Just try ramping up from the lower temps once and let us know your results. Good luck

Thanks will follow your advice next batch and will report in