Just curious how many folks do their own jerkey. I smoke quiet a bit but have questions concerning the curing process. Normally I just smoke it and eat within a few days. However, I've been trying to smoke enough to where I don't have to go through the process so often. Which brings me to the curing process, I've been buying my cure from High Mountain which comes with the cure and seasoning. I like my own seasonings (my beer drinking buddies have all agreed on this one) so how do I make my own cure? I've got 7lbs curing in the fridge that I'll smoke Tues and weds for the rod run .

I never got into the smokin part. My dad did a bunch of stuff like that and had some wild mixes he experimented with. I just did the taste tester part. :D

If you don`t have a dehydrator,you can use the oven at,like,150deg.Smoking sounds like another good way,I`ve never done.I get my cure supplies from the local locker plant store.The stuff they sell in catalogs always seems to have alot of chemicals I don`t care for.I`ll have to check to see exactly what`s in the stuff I buy,mostly salt I`m thinkin`.
My son just did a 2# batch on Friday.He`s getting to be "The Jerky Guy" around here.
How do you season yours?

http://www.allegromarinade.com/products.html I like the hot&spicy. Marinate overnight and cook.

I dont do my own but I sure do love it!

I use this smoker http://cookshack.radius3.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=4&=SID (they weren't quiet that pricey when I bought mine)

It looks small but I can cook two 12lbs briskets at one time with ease. I set the temp at 225 for the first two hours to make sure I get a good 180 internal temp after that it becomes a process of having the door cracked open for an hour then shut for an hour and just repeated till i'm satisfied with the results. I'd been using a dehydrator for years but so far everyone likes it smoked hands down.

For seasoning I do a couple different things - the ones that doesn't like hot I use a mixure of lemon pepper, garlic salt, tony's, and salt. For the hot I add in some dried habeneros that I grow myself. I usually season it up well and let it cure for 48 hrs - that's my preference it's ready to smoke in 24hrs.

Jim, thats some serious hardware.

Jim, thats some serious hardware.

Thanks Boraxman! Nothing better than to load it up, drink beer, and smell it a cookin'.

I`m going to go smoke a batch!I have a smoker,just never really thought about it for jerky,DOH!!

man that stuff sounds good, havent had some good jerkey in a long time

my grandpa owned a butcher shop/slaughter house for well over 30 years, and he made the BEST jerkey you have ever had. he only makes it on a small scale now, because he sold his buinsess and retired. to give you an idea how much jerkey hes made, his smoker was the size of a large garage. the racks he used to put his jerkey and pepperoni on were atleast 6'x3'x3'. since now he's only making it in a small homestyle smoker, he hasnt gotten his recipe right again yet. man i miss that stuff. my whole family is addicted to jerkey, and since he doesnt make much of it anymore, we have to resort to the dark side (buying it at the store :barf: )

I love jerky, I used a dehydrator in the past and it worked much better than a smoker. I'm on other forums where recipe swaps go on for jerky. I'm always curious to see what other people are using to make their jerky.

My aunt in Vegas makes some damned good jerky.

What site is that?I wanna share`n`learn!BYW,I`m chewing a piece of my son`s batch of teriaki(his favorite)right now.

emmm teriaki is always a favorite.

Here's one of the forums that I get a lot of good smokin' recipes from. I use tha helloutta that darn cooker. I've had meet curing in the fridge the past two days - I'll be smokin' it tonight..... :metal: :ww:


http://forum.cookshack.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=3

Great with wild meats. http://possumseasoning.com/

Here we go - it's cured for 48 hrs (only requires 24 but I think 48 gives the seasoning more time to set in). Threaded onto to skewers and onto the rack. Usually takes anywhere from 5-7 hours. Door will be open about an inch for the next 1.5 to 2 hrs to begin the drying process.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/p9f499856b72c48b668abdf6e7d74f7bd/f15a1030.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/pf7e9735fb621624d6591cb30f448ff58/f15a1028.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/pe3f0e7d0052abbabbdf0be2b735e95a6/f15a1025.jpg

Looks good Jim, I'll be there b-4 there its done! LMAO!

My wife makes jerky with my grandmothers recipie. She uses a dehydrator though, not a smoker.

It usually goes pretty fast. :o

Dehydrators do a great job as well I've used them many times. Biggest difference is flavor, with a dehydrator you're flavor depends on your seasoning alone. I'm using Mesquite wood for flavoring. Sometimes I'll use hickory or orange tree as well.

i never liked the thought of not cooking the meat such as dehydration but i have made jerky in the oven and its also cooked and taste great most all of the sporting goods stores carry a cure

i never liked the thought of not cooking the meat such as dehydration but i have made jerky in the oven and its also cooked and taste great most all of the sporting goods stores carry a cure

When you make jerky you dont need to cook it at all. The Indians used to just slice the meat into thin strips and let it sit in the sun until it dried out into jerky.

Here is a recipe from the one, the great, the only....Alton Brown of Good Eats.


1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Special Equipment: 1 box fan, 4 paper air-conditioning filters, and 2 bungee cords


Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.
Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.

Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.

Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.

When you make jerky you dont need to cook it at all. The Indians used to just slice the meat into thin strips and let it sit in the sun until it dried out into jerky.

They also use to send smoke signals instead of using a cell phone .. :lol:

There's a million ways to make jerkey, I was simply sharing my way that's all.

:b69:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/pf95e274749e62bf9e39646c69a0fb174/f1592d65.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/p2d10dc97d74bb91229fbc8c515ef5889/f1592d59.jpg

Mr. Jimbotronics,
That Jerky does look very good but I believe none of what I hear and only half of what I see . That being said , I think you should mail me some of that Jerky so that you can make a believer out of me . Just kidding , unless you were going to send some . That really is making me hungry and I just finished off the last of the left over chili . I knew I shouldnt have looked at this thread ...... Looks like you have the Jerky makin mastered ! Frank

You guys are making me hungry :hm:

[QUOTE=Jimbotronics]They also use to send smoke signals instead of using a cell phone .. :lol:

That`s not true.The only communication the Indians actually did w/smoke signals was to say,"new batch of jerkey goin`.....Be done when sun low......must come try......bring fish bone toothpick."

When you make jerky you dont need to cook it at all. The Indians used to just slice the meat into thin strips and let it sit in the sun until it dried out into jerky.

Here is a recipe from the one, the great, the only....Alton Brown of Good Eats.


1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Special Equipment: 1 box fan, 4 paper air-conditioning filters, and 2 bungee cords


Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.
Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.

Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.

Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.
there wasnt as much disease and bacteria spread around back then either just scary to think of the stuff you could get from uncooked any thingjmho

there wasnt as much disease and bacteria spread around back then either just scary to think of the stuff you could get from uncooked any thingjmho

Actually even today jerky is uncooked. Its just dried. Any heat that is used is just enough to speed up the drying process, not cook it. As long as whole cuts of meat are used I wouldnt see a problem with anything. Personally I still cringe about those kits that let you use plan old ground hamburger to make jerky. :crazy:

They also use to send smoke signals instead of using a cell phone .. :lol:

That`s not true.The only communication the Indians actually did w/smoke signals was to say,"new batch of jerkey goin`.....Be done when sun low......must come try......bring fish bone toothpick."



ROFLMAO!

I was in a customers basement repairing their phone line ( I work for Ma Bell)
and he was busy slicing up a big hunk of meat. He told me it was prociutto (sp). He then went on to say it was a piece he had been curing (hanging) in the basement for the past 2 years.

I said thank but I'll pass.

Brian ...:cool: