Newbie from Oregon

[kaustin13]

The hubbs and I just recently purchased a Green Mountain Grills pellet smoker. Absolutely in love!!!! I am getting ready to make my first batch of beef jerky, found the prepackaged curing salt as I could not find a homemade recipe, I understand you have to have the salt unless you are going to refrigerate and eat with in a short period, I doubt it'll last long anyways. I usually marinate my meat in something and wanting to do a teriyaki and a honey based sweet and spicy version of jerky. Package directions call for mixing with water and letting it soak. Any reasons I can't use my general go to marinades in place of the water? So mix the curing salt with my marinades instead of water? It seems as tho this should be fine but figured I'd ask here before I try it. Was also going to do a few small batches first to figure out what flavors we all like best. Between the hubbs and the kids and I we can plow thru jerky like there's no tomorrow and although it's been awhile I know the homemade stuff goes even faster since it's so much better.

 

[jasper7]

Hello welcome to the site, congrats on the new smoker.  Good luck on the jerky, haven't made any myself, so I can't help you there.  Keep on smokin'.

 

[kaustin13]

Well I guess I'll have to try it out and let y'all know how it goes [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Howdy from Central Oregon!

Yes you can use any liquid to mix the cure into. Are you using cure #1? The safest method for adding cure is to weigh everything. Trim and slice your meat, then weigh it and add the proper amount of cure to your marinade. A general rule of thumb for cure #1 is 1 teaspoon cure for 5 pounds of meat.

Here's a very simple very good base recipe for jerky. I can't keep it in the house and have many requests from friends for it. The recipe is for 1 pound but can be multiplied according depending on how many pounds you are making. Yes I add cure #1 to all the jerky I make. Keep in mind even with the cure it will not be shelf stable. It still needs to be in the fridge or if storing longer than a week in the freezer.

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

 

[gary s]

  Good afternoon and welcome to the forum, from a 95º day here in East Texas, and the best site on the web. Lots of great people with tons of information on just about  everything.

Gary

 

[chad e]

Howdy! Welcome to the forum. I grew up in North Bend and now all my family is in the Portland suburbs. Anyway...smoke on!

 

[kaustin13]

Thanks y'all. I actually was having a hard time finding the cure so I just grabbed a couple packets from bi mart, Scott's and Clem's Oregon trail seasoning cure, figure I'll follow the directions on the packets as for how much cure per pound of meat. Got a decent sized 9lb eye of round hunk of meat with not much trimming to do. Mostly just needs to be sliced and soaked then smoked! A 3lb bag of store bought stuff lasts about a day and a half if I can keep the kids out of it so not super worried about needing to store it for long. Thinking this will be my weekend project. Wasn't going to do the whole thing tho maybe do it in thirds. But I'll still have to hide some from the kiddos [emoji]128516[/emoji]

 

[SmokinAl]

  to SMF!

Glad to have you with us!

Al

 

[kaustin13]

So random question, where can I buy or order the pink cure #1??? I'm in Eugene Oregon, down in the valley. Cabela's maybe??

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Online, Amazon. Cheaper than Cabelas, but you should be able to get it there too. Or BiMart, or Sportsmans...

 

[kaustin13]

Ok thanks!!! The bi mart I went to I didn't see it there so I ended up with some other seasoned cures. First one I used today definitely changed the smell of the marinade so I only did half a batch in case it made it too salty or gross in general. Most of the jerky came out pretty good but there were a handful of pieces that just charred within the first hour or so. For some reason it seems as tho my smoker gets hotter on one end and corner but I also didn't dry my jerky out before putting it in. Figured I try it with a little marinade still on, not much I shook the off before putting them in but I like a lot of flavor not just in but on my meat as well. Pretty sure that wasn't the best idea. Oh well live and learn. Got the second half soaking over night so we will see how it goes but the cure #1 seems a lot easier and better than what I got.

 

[chad e]

Thanks for the memories. Haven't heard about a BiMart in forever!