Pork Loin Jerky (Step by Step with Pics)

[Bearcarver]

Great! Thanks so much for your help. We love your recipes.
I have 8.5# of beef roasts curing now to make your Dried Beef recipe. I’ve done it with venison roasts a lot, but this will be the first time making it with beef. Lookin forward to it! Thanks again!

That's Great !!
Beats the Heck out of paying $3 per ounce at the store, and theirs is too salty.
Or $16 per pound at a Butcher Shop or Meat Processor.
Glad you like it.

Bear

 

[ksprairie]

Or $16 per pound at a Butcher Shop or Meat Processor.

That’s no joke! We used to get great dried beef from our (very) small town butcher in northern MN 40+ years ago when my folks would have beef butchered and processed there. The shop is still there, but the recipe has apparently changed. It is no longer the same, and not very good. That’s actually what prompted me to search out how to cure and smoke our own, many years ago. The search finally led me to this site, your step by step recipe, and the rest is history! . It is a bit ironic that this will be the first time actually making it with beef. I have to say the venison has been phenomenal though!
Hope my Canadian Bacon and pork loin jerky turn out as good. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your experience and recipes. This is a great bunch of people here on this forum.

 

[Bearcarver]

That’s no joke! We used to get great dried beef from our (very) small town butcher in northern MN 40+ years ago when my folks would have beef butchered and processed there. The shop is still there, but the recipe has apparently changed. It is no longer the same, and not very good. That’s actually what prompted me to search out how to cure and smoke our own, many years ago. The search finally led me to this site, your step by step recipe, and the rest is history! . It is a bit ironic that this will be the first time actually making it with beef. I have to say the venison has been phenomenal though!
Hope my Canadian Bacon and pork loin jerky turn out as good. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your experience and recipes. This is a great bunch of people here on this forum.

You are Very Welcome!

Bear

 

[thebig1]

Good day John, I really look forward to making this jerky this coming weekend. A local store has pork loin for $1.59/lb for an 8-10lb average loin. I might have to pick up a few of them for jerky and Canadian Bacon.

Although I truly look forward to using your recipe for the first initial batch, my family and I love a wide variety of marinades also. My question is, if I were to add the required amount of TQ to my marinade, could I use any marinade that I choose?

For example, if I have a #4 loin and I add the required 2 TBSP (1/2 TBSP/LB of meat), can I then add some teriaky marinade, or any other marinade which I choose to use?

As always, thank you for your contributions to this site. I think that I can speak for many others as well as myself to say that we truly appreciate your efforts and expertise.

Chad

 

[Bearcarver]

Good day John, I really look forward to making this jerky this coming weekend. A local store has pork loin for $1.59/lb for an 8-10lb average loin. I might have to pick up a few of them for jerky and Canadian Bacon.

Although I truly look forward to using your recipe for the first initial batch, my family and I love a wide variety of marinades also. My question is, if I were to add the required amount of TQ to my marinade, could I use any marinade that I choose?

For example, if I have a #4 loin and I add the required 2 TBSP (1/2 TBSP/LB of meat), can I then add some teriaky marinade, or any other marinade which I choose to use?

As always, thank you for your contributions to this site. I think that I can speak for many others as well as myself to say that we truly appreciate your efforts and expertise.

Chad

Yes---As long as you use the same amount of TQ in the Marinade per pound, you can use anything else you want.
However I would avoid using a lot of Salty ingredients, like Soy Sauce. A little bit is OK, but don't dump it in.

And Thanks for the Thank You!!

Bear

 

[thebig1]

John, got my loin sliced today. I got 8lbs after trimming. Split it into 4lb batches and am trying 2 different marinades.

I have a question. I’m not trying to argue or debate you, I literally want to know the answer and understand why.

You said to rinse prior to smoking. Do you literally put the meat in the sink and wash it off with cold running water?

I’ve used the jerky packets from Nesco American Harvest before and enjoy it. I don’t know what their cure is but you just add it to ground beef and smoke/dehydrate.

I just wanted to know why when using TQ that we’re required to wash the meat and not with other cures from store bought packages?

Again, not debating, literally wanting to know an answer other than, “Try it and you’ll see why.”

As always, thank you for your expertise.

Chad

 

[Bearcarver]

Good Question, Chad:

I only do that because after 24 hours soaking in my Marinade, I figure the meat all absorbed a relatively even amount of cure & flavor. However the outside may have more on it, and maybe a little too much surface Salt, because it feels slippery (Salt feeling), so I just give it a quick rinse before I lay the pieces out to begin drying.

I don't put them directly in our sink, because it may be dirty. I leave it all in the Zip-lock bag it was marinating in, and pull one or 2 pieces out at a time for a quick rinse. It only takes a couple minutes to rinse them all.

It's not a requirement, and it may not be necessary, it's just something I do.

Bear

 

[thebig1]

Thank you Bear, that’s great information. I completely understand what you’re talking about. It’s not completely necessary but it’ll save on getting a 50/50 of good pieces versus somewhat extremely salty pieces.

Not sure if you know, but can you tell me what most companies put in their products to use for cure? I know that it’s probably mixed across the board, I just didn’t know if you were aware.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thank you Bear, that’s great information. I completely understand what you’re talking about. It’s not completely necessary but it’ll save on getting a 50/50 of good pieces versus somewhat extremely salty pieces.

Not sure if you know, but can you tell me what most companies put in their products to use for cure? I know that it’s probably mixed across the board, I just didn’t know if you were aware.

No idea what ingredients they use, but they more than likely use Cure #1 Pink Salt for the cure.

Bear

 

[SGMan]

Sorry, Bearcarver, I wasn’t very clear. All I have done is trimmed the fat from the loin so far. I haven’t applied the TQ or brown sugar yet. I would like to use about 3# of the loin to make your pork loin jerky to give it a try.
I am just wondering if I can put the sliced loin in the jerky marinade today, keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days until weather improves and smoking is possible.
Since I was going to be starting the Canadian Bacon process today, I wanted to also start the jerky. Mess up the kitchen once and be done! Thank you!
KS

I had my meat marinating for close to a week (due to time constraints etc)

Rinsed and dried it before I smoked it, and its delicious. Not too salty at all!

*Edit*
My girlfriend took some to work and my phone was blowing up around lunchtime telling me how incredibly good it was!!

I was getting the "Coworker A gave your jerky an A+++++++ feel free to make much more! And chicken jerky, and turkey jerkey, and... and..."

and

"My boss said its the best jerkey she has had EVER!!"

And the comments kept rolling in...
Success!

Thank you again for your recipe (and insight) Bear!!

 

[GentlemanJerk]

Made a batch of this over the weekend following your recipe. Turned out amazing! After rinsing off the brine, I had too much for my smoker so I threw a couple in the oven to dry just to try it out and wow, what a flavor! I gave some to some local long-time chef friends of mine and they all wanted to know the recipe.

Another great recipe Bear!

 

[Bearcarver]

I had my meat marinating for close to a week (due to time constraints etc)

Rinsed and dried it before I smoked it, and its delicious. Not too salty at all!

*Edit*
My girlfriend took some to work and my phone was blowing up around lunchtime telling me how incredibly good it was!!

I was getting the "Coworker A gave your jerky an A+++++++ feel free to make much more! And chicken jerky, and turkey jerkey, and... and..."

and

"My boss said its the best jerkey she has had EVER!!"

And the comments kept rolling in...
Success!

Thank you again for your recipe (and insight) Bear!!

That's Great, SGM !!!
I'm so glad to hear everyone liked it!
I like that it is not only Great, it's Cheap & Easy, just like Me!! LOL
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear

 

[thesmokist]

I love pork loin jerky. It's my go to now instead of beef. Made a little but here recently! This batch was teriyaki and sweet and spicy high country seasoning.

 

[Woodzman]

I prepped a 8# pork loin and got 4# of meat for jerky . I did the 24 hour marinade and rinsed it . As I was going to start the smoker it started pouring and held out a couple hours to finally called it bust. My question is I froze the rinsed jerky....is it ready to smoke when thawed or should I marinade it again since I rinsed it.?.. thank you

 

[Bearcarver]

I prepped a 8# pork loin and got 4# of meat for jerky . I did the 24 hour marinade and rinsed it . As I was going to start the smoker it started pouring and held out a couple hours to finally called it bust. My question is I froze the rinsed jerky....is it ready to smoke when thawed or should I marinade it again since I rinsed it.?.. thank you

Personally I would try to thaw & smoke it as soon as possible.
However I would definitely "NOT CURE IT AGAIN".

Bear

 

[Woodzman]

Ok thank you. That's what I thought . Probably won't get to it til this weekend unfortunately

 

[Brethil]

I know this is old but I made this recipe and wanted to say thanks! Everyone loved it. I used boston butts since my husband loves loin too much to use on jerky. Lol. We raised ours pigs so it looked the least fattiest. I subbed pink cure because I didn't have tender quick.

 

[Bearcarver]

I know this is old but I made this recipe and wanted to say thanks! Everyone loved it. I used boston butts since my husband loves loin too much to use on jerky. Lol. We raised ours pigs so it looked the least fattiest. I subbed pink cure because I didn't have tender quick.

View attachment 519168View attachment 519169

Looks Great---Yours looks like Lean Bacon.
However, in case you didn't know there's a Big Difference between TQ and Cure #1, as far as how much you should use.

Bear

 

[Brethil]

Looks Great---Yours looks like Lean Bacon.
However, in case you didn't know there's a Big Difference between TQ and Cure #1, as far as how much you should use.

Bear

Yes, I looked up the sub for it so I used the right amount, thanks. It does look like bacon. I cut off as much fat as I could but this pig ate well.

 

[Bearcarver]

Yes, I looked up the sub for it so I used the right amount, thanks. It does look like bacon. I cut off as much fat as I could but this pig ate well.

OK Great---And Thanks for the Quick reply.
BTW: That fat is why I only used Pork Loin for Jerky, plus it used to be cheap too.

Bear