Salt % in Jerky

[nawlinsborn73]

Do you have a tried and true salt percentage when making whole-meat jerky? Is it similar to sausage, where one would typically use between 1.5% to 2% salt?

I want to create a recipe that is repeatable regardless of how much meat I'm using.

 

[zwiller]

Do not recall seeing any weight based formulas for jerky here but there ought to be! Lots of guys into the soy/SS style. Not me. I do not run jerky often but when I do I use Owens BBQ mixes. FANTASTIC stuff. That said, yeah I think it's like sausage like you say. Might get a little more complicated if using other ingredients that contain salt/sodium like soy or WS sauce.

 

[Hockeydudde]

I do the very imprecise, 1/2 tsp per lb of meat myself. But it's always edible.

 

[nawlinsborn73]

Do not recall seeing any weight based formulas for jerky here but there ought to be! Lots of guys into the soy/SS style. Not me. I do not run jerky often but when I do I use Owens BBQ mixes. FANTASTIC stuff. That said, yeah I think it's like sausage like you say. Might get a little more complicated if using other ingredients that contain salt/sodium like soy or WS sauce.

I love soy sauce, but I don't like to use it in jerky. I usually do a dry cure/brine when I make jerky. Maybe I'll try 2% and go from there

 

[nawlinsborn73]

I do the very imprecise, 1/2 tsp per lb of meat myself. But it's always edible.

Do you like your jerky on the saltier side or less salty?

 

[zwiller]

I love soy sauce, but I don't like to use it in jerky. I usually do a dry cure/brine when I make jerky. Maybe I'll try 2% and go from there

Same here. My Dad made jerky a long time and did the soy/WS. Most all of it was too salty. A few times he nailed it but was always hit or miss. 2% is what I'd do. Then bunch of black pepper and garlic LOL.

 

[uncle eddie]

I had my own recipe for years...soy based. It was good. Then, I won a contest on SMF and got some Owens BBQ jerky flavor packets. A few weeks later I gave them a try. They were VERY GOOD. I have not made my old tried-and-true recipe since. I do highly recommend www.OwensBBQ.com

 

[Hockeydudde]

Do you like your jerky on the saltier side or less salty?

If say medium. My mom says it's salty, my wife would prefer it more salty.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Just remember that with jerky you are drying the product, so if you apply 2% salt by weight, that will increase my the amount of weight loss. This means jerky meat marinated in a 2% salt solution will end up in the 2.5-3% range. All depends on how much drying but salt concentration increases with water weight loss.

 

[nawlinsborn73]

Just remember that with jerky you are drying the product, so if you apply 2% salt by weight, that will increase my the amount of weight loss. This means jerky meat marinated in a 2% salt solution will end up in the 2.5-3% range. All depends on how much drying but salt concentration increases with water weight loss.

That makes sense. Now I'm rethinking this

 

[NewBuilder]

FatMiewChef blog has a great sodium-to-salt calculator. I like soy/ws but struggled with consistency. His calculator ensures repeatability regardless of the meat weight.

Sodium : Salt% Tool

Sodium to Salt Calculator, for equilibrium brines and marinades, or to properly season recipes or foods which are under seasoned.

fatmiewchef.blogspot.com