New Member Looking For Soft Tender Beef Jerky Recipe

[localjerkyman]

Hello all! I've been reading threads in this forum for quite some time but have never really seen a recipe that matches what I've been trying to produce or replicate in my dehydrator. I've come across a couple really good jerky brands that have the "soft and tender" label on their bag designs. Some have brisket beef labeled while others I'm guessing is just using another normal cut like top round or eye of round. But the resulting product tastes similar with a very soft tender chew. I've been using cuts of eye of round as my choice for making homemade beef jerky in my Nesco dehydrator. But I have never been able to replicate this texture. I'll tell you the names of the brands I'm referring to, each with various flavors that have this same soft and tender texture and chew. They are Jeff's Famous Jerky and Arizona Jack's Jerky. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong or not doing? And anyone know of a recipe that can result in a soft and tender texture beef jerky? Here are my main steps, or process for my base marinade: 1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce for every 1 LB of beef (eye of round), cut against the grain, marinated for 8-12 hours, with the meat being tenderized with a spiked mallet. Other ingredients I add in will depend on the flavor profile I'm making for that particular batch. I started adding in honey to my base marinade because I have read it softens the meat. Below are some photos showing the type of texture I'm looking to achieve in my recipes. Please note these are not my jerky in the photos, but just for illustration purposes for what I want to make for my recipes.

brisket soft jerky 2.jpg

• localjerkyman
• Jan 23, 2017

brisket soft jerky.jpg

• localjerkyman
• Jan 23, 2017

Has anyone here tried those two brands I mentioned, Jeff's Famous Jerky and Arizona Jack's Jerky? If you have, or tried anything similar to that soft, tender texture beef jerky, that is what I'm trying to make. That type of beef jerky. Please chime in and advise. Thanks in advanced for any replies and advise. Cheers!

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Couple things make sure you cut across the grain. Thicker cuts can work better for the texture you want. Lower temp drying for longer periods of time. A longer marinating time can also help. 48-72 hours.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Hit send to soon!

When I do a softer texture I cut my jerky 3/8"-1/2". Certain cuts like eye round can be more tender too.

 

[localjerkyman]

Hit send to soon!

When I do a softer texture I cut my jerky 3/8"-1/2". Certain cuts like eye round can be more tender too.

lol Appreciate the feedback. Why would a thicker cut make for a more tender result? I've been using a meat slicer and making the thickness to between 1/4 and 1/8" at the recommended setting of 165 on the Nesco for about 6 hours. I don't use any pre-packaged cures or Morton's tenderizer solutions, rather I use the salt content in the soy sauce to cure the meat for me as it marinates. I don't use nitrates.

 

[ab canuck]

  When we do our jerky, we use venison rounds, eye of rounds, and sirloins for jerky. We cut ours at 1/4" thickness on a meat slicer. Then we get everything ready for spices, Whether they are the spice kits you can buy or our own homemade creations. I put aprox 2 lbs in a large Ziplock bag with the cure and spice mix. I then add liquids and water, seal them with little to no air, and basically marinate them for 5-10 days in the fridge, Sometimes we will pull them out and massage them. Then pull out the racks spray them lay it all out and fill the smoker, I invert a second set of racks and do the same so a double rack and 4 levels (bradleys). I watch them continuously and I do rotate the jerky. When I get them to where I like I will pull off what is ready and replace what is not. About 2 hrs a batch. Sounds like a lot but its not, And a couple beers helps the time go and tastes good with the jerky.  my 2 cents 

 

[localjerkyman]

 
  When we do our jerky, we use venison rounds, eye of rounds, and sirloins for jerky. We cut ours at 1/4" thickness on a meat slicer. Then we get everything ready for spices, Whether they are the spice kits you can buy or our own homemade creations. I put aprox 2 lbs in a large Ziplock bag with the cure and spice mix. I then add liquids and water, seal them with little to no air, and basically marinate them for 5-10 days in the fridge, Sometimes we will pull them out and massage them. Then pull out the racks spray them lay it all out and fill the smoker, I invert a second set of racks and do the same so a double rack and 4 levels (bradleys). I watch them continuously and I do rotate the jerky. When I get them to where I like I will pull off what is ready and replace what is not. About 2 hrs a batch. Sounds like a lot but its not, And a couple beers helps the time go and tastes good with the jerky.  my 2 cents 

Thank you for your feedback. Does your results end up soft and tender? And does it look similar to the photos? When you marinate for that long of a duration, is that to make sure your meats get probably marinated? Or to tender it up?

 

[SmokinAl]

Why not try ground beef jerky, it's much more tender!

Al

 

[ab canuck]

It works for the tenderness, Also as we watch and rotate it stays moist or you can dry it more with the smoker heat. I don't smoke it the whole time. usually an hour out of the 2 hrs it takes. you can do it to different levels as well. It's taken us a couple yrs to get it that way. Not sure if it's the best or correct way but it works for us. 

 

[cmayna]

 
  When we do our jerky, we use venison rounds, eye of rounds, and sirloins for jerky. We cut ours at 1/4" thickness on a meat slicer. Then we get everything ready for spices, Whether they are the spice kits you can buy or our own homemade creations. I put aprox 2 lbs in a large Ziplock bag with the cure and spice mix. I then add liquids and water, seal them with little to no air, and basically marinate them for 5-10 days in the fridge, Sometimes we will pull them out and massage them. Then pull out the racks spray them lay it all out and fill the smoker, I invert a second set of racks and do the same so a double rack and 4 levels (bradleys). I watch them continuously and I do rotate the jerky. When I get them to where I like I will pull off what is ready and replace what is not. About 2 hrs a batch. Sounds like a lot but its not, And a couple beers helps the time go and tastes good with the jerky.  my 2 cents 

You are smoking / cooking your jerky for only 2 hours?   I guess marinating the meat for 5-10 days must somewhat precook it?     I gotta try this while I expand my jerky experience.  Thanks for the ideas.

 

[ab canuck]

 Yep but I use a bradley and it's on med high heat at the same time. Otherwise the family doesn't like the black look and taste of the jerky if we smoke longer on lower heat.

 

[cmayna]

What kind of temps do you run it at?

 

[ab canuck]

I usually run it around 225-250. Most of our jerky is done during winter and spring due to time avaliability for us.

 

[localjerkyman]

 
Why not try ground beef jerky, it's much more tender!

Al

Thank you. I have yet to try ground beef. I heard it is more tender due to the meat being grounded up. But I still want to be able to use the whole slice as jerky and make that more tender.

 

[aceg]

I'm in the same boat..Lookin for a tender whole muscle I really didnt want to do the whole ground meat thing