Jerky in smoker and dehydrator

[flipman77]

Hello all,

  Has anybody ever started doing jerky in the smoker for some time to get that natural smoked flavor, then finished it off in a dehydrator?

I've done both techniques and personally prefer the Smoker technique for the flavor.

My wife prefers the dehydrator technique because she prefers the texture of the jerky. this texture I speak of has nothing to due with the cutting with or against the grain.

I personally don't see much of a difference, well enough to make me say id choose one over the other when it comes to texture.

I definitely prefer the natural smoke flavor over the liquid smoke. 

just thought I'd give this a shot, and see if anybody has ever done it.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Quite a few do just that.

You can achieve the same texture in the smoker, it takes time and patience though. I make my jerky in the smoker only. Here's my process.

Fire up the smoker to 120°-130° Put meat in, no smoke for 1 hour. Bump temp up ten degrees add smoke (I typically run the smoke for 6-8 hours total).. Bump up the temp 10° every hour until the pit temp reaches 170°-180°. Smoke until you have the texture you are looking for.

Depending on the thickness of the meat and the texture you are looking for the entire process can take 12-18 hours.

A few jerky smokes with different textures:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/233270/thai-jerky

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/227772/london-broil-we-aint-gonna-let-spoil

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...they-shout-and-scream-we-want-more-thai-jerky

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/247420/thai-style-pork-loin-jerky

 

[flipman77]

thanks for the reply.   My choice of technique has always been in the smoker.  About a month ago my daughter picked up a Nesco "American Harvest" FD-80 for drying herbs.

made a small batch of jerky and did it in the Nesco.  and the wife fell in love with it.  I will be doing 10 pounds of jerky in the smoker this weekend..... I will make about a few pounds for the cross over test.