- Aug 16, 2016
- 34
- 11
Forgive me if there is a Search or Search This Forum link somewhere ... I'm not seeing it, but would've used it since I expect this question has been asked already...
I've been using the original Beef/Game Jerky recipe from my Big Chief Smoker recipe book (the one that uses salt/sugar/soy sauce/wine etc ... I think it's the only one containing wine?). In any case, I cut meat strips 1/4" thick across the grain etc and try to remove it from the smoker just as soon as it appears to have dried 'enough' (no squishy raw-feeling portions on the thicker pieces). The jerky seems to continue to dry, but whether fresh out of the smoker or after a few days in the fridge ... it's tough stuff! Short of using ground meat and a big syringe thing to squeeze out ground jerky strips, is there any way to make the jerky turn out more tender? Protein enzymes or tenderizer additives added to the brine? Alter the sugar/salt ratio for more sugar and less salt? A friend pounds the dinner out of his with a meat tenderizing mallet and says that helps, but I find it didn't make much difference .... so, how do you make jerky tender? Anyone?
I've been using the original Beef/Game Jerky recipe from my Big Chief Smoker recipe book (the one that uses salt/sugar/soy sauce/wine etc ... I think it's the only one containing wine?). In any case, I cut meat strips 1/4" thick across the grain etc and try to remove it from the smoker just as soon as it appears to have dried 'enough' (no squishy raw-feeling portions on the thicker pieces). The jerky seems to continue to dry, but whether fresh out of the smoker or after a few days in the fridge ... it's tough stuff! Short of using ground meat and a big syringe thing to squeeze out ground jerky strips, is there any way to make the jerky turn out more tender? Protein enzymes or tenderizer additives added to the brine? Alter the sugar/salt ratio for more sugar and less salt? A friend pounds the dinner out of his with a meat tenderizing mallet and says that helps, but I find it didn't make much difference .... so, how do you make jerky tender? Anyone?