Trouble getting it dried out

[wnc goater]

I have a MEC 30 and just trying some venison jerky in it but having difficulty getting jerky to dry out. I keep the temp down below 140-150 degrees for 4-5,6 hours and it is still not dried. I end up taking it up to 175-180 in the MEC before it really looks like jerky should. I sort of think I'm cooking it.

Question, should I remove the little wood chip feed "plug" to increase air flow through the MEC chamber and adjust temp setting accordingly? Hoping to get it dried rather than cooking it dry after ramping up the temperature.

 

[daveomak]

You need good air flow to dry meat....

 

[dirtsailor2003]

As Dave mentioned you need good airflow. I leave all vents wide open when I make Jerky in my smoker. Drying it in the smoker does take some patience. I use a step method.

First hour I run the smoker around 120°-130° no smoke. After the first hour I add smoke and bump the temp up 10°. I continue to run smoke the rest of the time, bumping the temp up 10° every hour until the smoker hits 170°. Then I test the texture of the meat until I get what I want. Depending on the thickness and the texture I am looking for this can take anywhere from 12 hours to 18+ hours.

Nothing wrong with having your smoker at 170° when making jerky. Most dehydrators are running around 160°-165°. If you were using a Little or Big chief smoker that's what the temp would be all the time, and they make great jerky.

 

[crazymoon]

WNCG, I always air dry on racks(with newspaper underneath) in the house for an hour or more to form a good pellicle before heading to the smoker.

 

[wnc goater]

Thanks for the replies. I had better success drying by removing the chip feed and allowing increased air flow.