Max marinating time?

[Stick-man]

I was wondering what would be the maximum marinating time for jerky? I use eye of the round, and a liquid/spices marinade. The reason I ask is because my dehydrator will handle about 40 lbs of meat. Over the holiday time, I want to start out with 100 or 200 lbs of meat, so I can vacuum pack it and freeze so it will last longer. The 50 lbs I usually start out with goes way too fast. Thanks!!!

 

[foamheart]

This is gonna sound stupid but I doubt there would be one. Maybe weeks? You are using cure and its in the reefer. I assume that with a 40 pound limit, you are talking 4 or 5 loads and your dehydrator should only take what? 18 to 24 hours?

You'll need a sizable brining container. Might be easier to do it in batches, not sure I'd want to have to move that much volume or weight around. LIke its better to make sausage in batches vice attempting it all in one day.

I see no problem in letting your meat sit in your brine cure for a week. Since you are going to dry the jerky anyway, density shouldn't even apply here either.

I am sure someone else will jump in if they see something I am missing, but I have jerky marinating right now and I wouldn't be scared to leave it in the brine cure for a week or two. You be getting some flavor in that meat....LOL

 

[chef jimmyj]

Only issue is Salt brines can make meat mushy when cooked. Jerky is dried but jerky cut across the grain may Crumble and disintegrate when chewed if dried thoroughly. If left dry but flexible I see no issue...JJ

 

[Stick-man]

Thank you for the replies. First, I apologize for not responding sooner, I work a ridiculous amount of hours lately.

I figured the longest I will have some marinating is most likely 36 hours. Enough time to make three 30+lb batches if I start out with 100lbs.

Do you think that is enough time for the salts to start breaking down the meat? It will probably be less than that, but that is a high number potentially. Thanks

 

[chef jimmyj]

There should not be an issue unless you make the jerky Snap dry, like potato chips. A couple of chews and you have a mouthful of sand...JJ

 

[potsieko]

I marinate/cure my jerky meat for a minimum of 7 days. After doing many batches at different times, 7 days seem to produce the best results. I once had to leave a batch in the marinate for 12 days, and it was actually the best batch I've ever made. However, that's too much time in between for something to pop up and push my smoke date back, so 7 days works best for me. I cut my pork meat with the grain, and use no added salt to my brine/marinade in my homemade recipes. As long as its kept cold and covered in brine, it should be fine for at least a couple weeks.

 

[chef jimmyj]

That is the difference. Meat cut With the grain can stand up to a long soak time. Meat cut across the grain has very little connective tissue holding the muscle fibers together. Soak too long and you can get Mush...JJ

 

[uncle eddie]

I don't like the way my jerky tastes if I marinate for more than 2 days but I absolutely will not marinate less than 12 hours (overnight is not long enough). 24 hours is always my target time plus or minus a few hours.

P.S. - I do cut my jerky across the grain. I use an electric forced air OPEN COUNTRY dehydrator if that makes any difference and can only do about 5 pounds at a time unless I buy more trays.

 

[Stick-man]

I still don't understand cutting with or across the grain. I keep thinking in 3 dimensions. I use eye of the round, and slice it with a meat slicer, so there is really only one common sense way to slice it.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Muscle fibers are made of long strands all running in the same direction, we call this the Grain. Jerky is sliced with the grain or across the grain. When you slice an eye round across the grain you get round slices with the muscle fibers cut so you have millions of 1/8" thick threads bound by connective tissue. Chewing breaks these up easily and we say the meat is tender. In contrast slicing along the length of the eye round, you get 4" X 12" long sheets of long muscle fibers all running the same direction. Bite into these and you are not breaking up tiny fibers, you cutting through the long fibers like trying to bite trough a bungy cord. Tough stuff!
In general, Commercial jerky processors cut with the grain, long sheets, because for a given weight, there are fewer pieces to handle. The Dry sheets are cut into the long extra chewy strips you see in jars at the counter of the gas station. If the processor cut across the grain there would be billions of little rounds to process. Too much handling and not cost effective.
As weekend warriors, we are only making jerky from a few pounds of meat. We can cut across the eye round, little circles of meat, because we are not making a lot. This jerky cut across the grain is more tender the the long strips....BUT....If marinated too long, the connective tissue is dissolved, or dry too much, becomes crumbly, you get a mouthful of Sawdust not a slightly chewy but still tender jerky. Meat cut With the grain, long strips, holds up better to long marinating or thorough drying. The long fibers don't fall apart as easily...JJ

 

[Stick-man]

Thank you, that made a lot of sense and now I understand, for eye of round, the difference between with or against the grain.

 

[Stick-man]

I don't see a link. I searched youtube for "alton brown grain of meat", no luck.

 

[gmc2003]

This may be the one Holly's referring to:



Chris