Beef Jerky

[Timmy]

I have done whole muscle eye of round jerky for years until I decided to try twice-ground eye of round with my jerky cannon. Flavor is much better because you add seasoning before second grind. Texture is better than I expected and an easier chew. Never going back to whole muscle.

So do you use a dry seasoning?

 

[Timmy]

Man, now I need to re-think my jerky future. I feel that fresh ground meat with seasonings added would be great. The strips would be uniform, with a tender chew.

I may just return my just purchased slicer and get a grinder attachment for our Kitchen Aid, and a shooter instead.

Hmmm

Since I've only ever made jerky once. I plan on doing both, for awhile anyway. I already have a LEM grinder. So I just need to a shooter.

 

[AlbinRVA]

So do you use a dry seasoning?

My method is:
Day before
Course grind 5lbs of eye of round
Mix dry seasonings into 1 cup liquid
Hand mix liquid/seasonings into meat then chill a few hours
Fine grind meat mixture, place in tub and refrigerate over night
Smoke day
roll meat mixture into logs that will fit cannon
Lay down strips from cannon onto sheets (takes a little practice to get right)
smoke at 165 until desired dryness is reached (requires a bunch of sampling starting around 3 hours)
cool and eat
my seasoning mix attached

 

[AlbinRVA]

Man, now I need to re-think my jerky future. I feel that fresh ground meat with seasonings added would be great. The strips would be uniform, with a tender chew.

I may just return my just purchased slicer and get a grinder attachment for our Kitchen Aid, and a shooter instead.

Hmmm

or keep the slicer for bacon

I use LEM grinder, jerky cannon and smoke sheet material.

 

[Slimpicker]

or keep the slicer for bacon

For me, the slicer is also a gem for corned beef and even brisket

 

[Slimpicker]

my seasoning mix attached

► 5 lb Lean ground beef (eye of round)
Seasoning
► ½ cup pineapple juice
► ½ cup worcestershire sauce
► 4 tsp kosher salt
► 5 tsp ground black pepper
► 5 tsp ground lemon pepper
► 5 tsp ginger powder
► 5 tsp garlic powder
► 5 tsp onion powder
► 1 tsp coriander
► 1 1/4 tsp curing salt (optional)
► 5 tsp brown sugar (optional)
► 2 tbsp red pepper flakes

THANKS Albin
I'm gonna add: if you don't know what you're doing with curing salt then don't try without reading and learning, adding more smoke will take the place of curing salt in most cases

 

[Tommy]

I can't get over the fact you got a guy to slice them for you... That makes me wonder if my Deer processor would do the same for some of my loin and roast?? That would make my year!!!

(or buy myself a slicer and hide it from the wife)

I researched, ad nauseum, slicers. Anything less than $300 seems to be suspect quality and endurance. Settled on a Cabela's 8.7" Commercial Slicer for $299. Has a built in sharpener and a non-serrated blade. So far, so good. I hate buying something twice because I was too cheap to buy quality the first time. Hence, experience leading up to my Traeger purchase.

 

[Tommy]

Probably just fine, my grill is indicating 163-168F. Fireboard is around +7F (averaging 173F)

Just check periodically and pull when it's to your liking.View attachment 3082
I'm about to pull mine now, I shuffled the shelves a couple of hours ago.

Question: Why are you cooking your jerky? I always thought that the idea behind jerky was that it was dried or cold smoked in the process of drying, not hot smoked.

 

[RustyJake]

I researched, ad nauseum, slicers. Anything less than $300 seems to be suspect quality and endurance. Settled on a Cabela's 8.7" Commercial Slicer for $299. Has a built in sharpener and a non-serrated blade. So far, so good. I hate buying something twice because I was too cheap to buy quality the first time. Hence, experience leading up to my Traeger purchase.

I have a 10" Cabela's slicer that is a few years old. It has the blade and slide table in a more upright position than the new ones. I call mine 'Dexter'. It throws meat off of the blade, so I wind up taping up plastic to keep it easier to clean.
Hopefully their new models are better.

 

[Tommy]

I have a 10" Cabela's slicer that is a few years old. It has the blade and slide table in a more upright position than the new ones. I call mine 'Dexter'. It throws meat off of the blade, so I wind up taping up plastic to keep it easier to clean.
Hopefully their new models are better.

I love it! Dexter...... I can hear the music now. Mine is new. It, so far, has not done any splattering of blood or meat.

 

[RemE]

Question: Why are you cooking your jerky? I always thought that the idea behind jerky was that it was dried or cold smoked in the process of drying, not hot smoked.

All the recipes I've read are low heat smoked.

 

[Tommy]

All the recipes I've read are low heat smoked.

Yes, dryers use low heat, but not in the 170 range. I have an old plastic food dryer, for fruit too. It is probably and antique now, but I would buy cheaper cuts of meat in Argentina, marinate after slicing thin (using liquid smoke). It took several days to dry it out. Once I even tried beef tenderloin (in Argentina @ $1.50/lb), it was a disaster....too tender. It has been years since I made jerky. Sounds like I need to re-educate myself.

 

[Holden]

I have done whole muscle eye of round jerky for years until I decided to try twice-ground eye of round with my jerky cannon. Flavor is much better because you add seasoning before second grind. Texture is better than I expected and an easier chew. Never going back to whole muscle.

I did the same with whole muscle jerky in a dehydrator. It was all pretty good, but once I tried my favorite jerky recipe on 96/4 ground beef, I had a hard time arguing against it. Seems to really load the meat with flavor and is so consistent and much easier to chew.

I'm planning on trying the old way again on the new traeger, as soon as I get around to firing her up.

 

[miguelb]

View attachment 4866
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Yep.. I bought one after cutting mine with a knife the 2nd time. SO MUCH EASIER!!!!

Where do you hide these equipments? My wife is starting to see all of this BBQ equipment and she knows they didn't 'come' with the grill now.

 

[RemE]

Where do you hide these equipments? My wife is starting to see all of this BBQ equipment and she knows they didn't 'come' with the grill now.

A question for the ages.....