Meat cuts for jerky

[shtrdave]

I have used all the cuts the bottom round will give you bigger pieces, cut across the grain for a more tender jerky and with for a chewier jerky.  Also try whole boneless pork loin, get as much of the fat as you can off, a little won't hurt anything if you cure it well, trust me you will be fighting over the pieces with the fat streaks in them.  Turkey breast makes great jerky also, have made from chicken breast but it is a lot of tedious cutting for me, thinking of trying chicken tenders.

I Like the cabela's, high mountain and shore lunch, (bought this one at Dunhams) I will usually cut up the meat and mix everything and put it in the bottom of the fridge for 3-4 days longer if the meat is thicker than say 3/8" mix it twice a day. dry in a cabela's 80L dehydrator. usually takes 6-8 hours to dry, will sit in a plastic Lock N Lock container on the counter or vac pac I usually do 18 or 20 pound at a time.

 

[downstatesmoker]

I used a top round (http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/82388/top-round-jerky-w-qview) and also just did venison (which was labeled venison steaks by whoever butchered the deer my friend caught). Not sure what cut it was. can tell you it was not the loin but beyond that not sure where that came off the deer.

 

[sqwib]

My meat of choice of meat is bottom round.Or what ever is on sale in bulk. LOL. just trim as much fat off as you can. Save fat for sausage

. (thats anouther thread I'm sure. I'm new here.) Just a short note the fat that is left on your jerky will go rancid if you leave it sit out for a long period of time. But my jerky don't make it that long. I did have some mold on me though. OK it does happen, A freind kept some jerky of mine saved back for a fishing trip it was moldy. Just wipe the mold off, it will be fine.

Wipe it off with vinegar, might even add a whole new dimension to the flavor of the jerky

 

[papa g]

you can use any cut of meat that you want to use - the cheaper the better. some folks even press ground beef into thin strips for jerky. no worries - the jerky police aren't going to come after you!

as for cutting - against the grain for a chewy jerky and with the grain for something a little more tooth-friendly. try both and decide what your preference is.

It's actually not bad, a buddy at work did this and the texture and flavor was pretty good.

 

[bigfoot21075]

Funny, most are saying it has to be super lean. The BEST jerky I have ever had was made from Prime Sirloin (from Costco, not cheap but not crazy $$ either when compared to store bought junk). Being prime it had nice marbling, that added with the occasional fat streak - HOLY COW it was terrific. Keep in mind though, I ALWAYS use cure when making Jerky, I would be afraid fat could go rancid if you don't.

That said, I have had great luck with London Broil as well.....

 

[alblancher]

Bigfoot  

fat in jerky is very flavorful  but I am still concerned about leaving fatty jerky off refrigeration.   Even if properly cured the oils in the fat will turn rancid fairly quickly.   I have done jekry without triming several times and it was delicious but I had to eat if pretty quickly.  If you want to store jerky for long term use,especially in warm weather  then you should remove as much fat as possible.  If you are planning on keeping it refrigerated and eating in a reasonable time frame then the extra fat is ok and does add a good deal of flavor.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[tasunkawitko]

>>>as for cutting - against the grain for a chewy jerky and with the grain for something a little more tooth-friendly. try both and decide what your preference is.<<<

whoops! i had that backwards - i've edited it to reflect the way it should be. sorry about that!

 

[bigfoot21075]

Bigfoot  

fat in jerky is very flavorful  but I am still concerned about leaving fatty jerky off refrigeration.   Even if properly cured the oils in the fat will turn rancid fairly quickly.   I have done jekry without triming several times and it was delicious but I had to eat if pretty quickly.  If you want to store jerky for long term use,especially in warm weather  then you should remove as much fat as possible.  If you are planning on keeping it refrigerated and eating in a reasonable time frame then the extra fat is ok and does add a good deal of flavor.

Just my 2 cents.

What is this long term storage of jerky of which you speak?

 

[alblancher]

I don't have a problem keeping properly cured and dried jerky in a sealed ziplock bag without refrigeration for months at a time.   I don't remember the USDA recommendations and I do not suggest you take my experience as safe but it is my experience.   I noticed that jerky with visible fat gets kind of slimy after a week or two.

When I was traveling a great deal for work I would leave home made jerky in my glove box.  Break off a piece or two and suck on it instead of a cigarette! 

 

[tasunkawitko]

this is just me, but i have always gotten rid of all fat for my jerky. as for storage, i have always stored jerky in a container such as a jar with a couple of holes poked in the lid. never any mold, never any spoilage. for "long-term" storage of jerky that is not well-dried or jerky that might contain fat, i would recommend freezing and, possibly, vacuum sealing.

 

[toad94]

I have used bottom round roasts (cheap) and have lately used whole eye of round.  There is a store here that has a "user friendly meat sale" twice a year.  It is large chunks of meat.  6 lb eye of round makes a good batch of jerky.  I use a recipe I found on the net that is soy sauce, worchestershire, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and some brown sugar.  I have added bbq sauce and spicy things to vary it a bit.  I marinate overnite or for 24 hours and hang the pieces between the grates with wooden shish ka bob skewers.Try to keep the temp at 200 or lower and smoke with mesquite and hickory for 3 hours.  I store it in a zip bag in the fridge.  But it doesn't stay there long.  The last batch with bbq got a little hot and crunchy.   Took some to work, and it was gone in minutes with lots of compliments.   Even what seems a bad batch to me is great to other people!!!

 

[spicy jill]

London broil is all I ever use. It is perfectly lean, often on sale in my area, and the perfect texture and width when sliced against the grain for jerky. My chile-lime jerky is always perfect.