Author Topic: My first jerky run!  (Read 3443 times)

SmokedGouda

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 106
My first jerky run!
« on: April 17, 2017, 09:37:26 AM »
I just completed my first jerky smoke this past weekend and I'm extremely happy with the results. After reading many of the different posts here, I decided to use most of what was contained in these 2 since they were very similar:

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=4626.0

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1561.0

I used Gregor's (Plan2Build) spreadsheet and just made a few tweaks to it. I will be using it again every time now, he did a great job on it. At first it can be intimidating if you've never done an equilibrium brine before, but it's really not that difficult. Playing around with the amounts to see how the numbers change helped make sense of it all too, so I recommend it for any other rookies like myself.

Onto the process...

I trimmed down eye of the round to 5.89 lbs and sliced it to about 1/4" thick and about 1.5"-2" wide strips. I used a slicing jig from Amazon to cut down to the thickness, it is amazing and well worth it. I tossed the meat into the freezer for about an hour and a half before slicing, this made it very easy.

The brine consisted of salt, brown sugar, cure#1, soy sauce, worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. They went into the brine Thursday night and sat there for about 36 hrs for Saturday's batch and about 59 hrs for Sunday's. The majority of the jerky fit on the #2 with 4 racks for the first batch Saturday and left about 2.5 racks worth for Sunday.

Saturday's batch got hit with 1.5 oz of hickory slivers @ approx 145 degrees for 2 hrs before adding the jerky dryer. I started checking the texture after 5 hrs of drying and it still needed some time. I started checking again every hour after that, removing pieces as they were finished, until they were all done. The last of them came out after a total of about 10 hours. This batch yielded 1lb 15oz after it was done. Very little liquid in the pan.

Sunday's batch got hit with 1.25 oz of hickory slivers @ about 145 degrees again. 2 hours before the dryer went on. Since the first batch took about 7 hrs of drying before the first pieces were ready, I decided to wait till the 6 hr mark to check these. I should have checked earlier... I guess since there were much less in the smoker, they got done quicker. This batch was a little overdone and too brittle. But still edible. This batch yielded about 10 oz after it was done. Somehow there  was more liquid in the pan and I thought I patted these drier than I did on Saturday's batch, plus there were less in the smoker.

Total weight after process: 2lbs 9oz - About 60% weight loss

My wife and I are very happy with the results and are looking forward to experimenting with different flavors.
Phil from NJ
Beginner.
Model 2. Cold smoke plate. Jerky dryer.
Maverick ET-732

Tman

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 28
Re: My first jerky run!
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2017, 06:29:06 PM »
What kind of feedback did you find on curing beef jerky? I am finding some recipes that do not even mention it so I am a little confused on that part.
Tate B.
Model 1, 2, now 4D.
Dallas, Texas

SmokedGouda

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 106
Re: My first jerky run!
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2017, 08:35:01 PM »
I've seen some stuff from DM and a few others that are heavily in favor of using cure. I'm all for it if it makes it safer. Can't hurt to cure it, but can hurt not to.
Phil from NJ
Beginner.
Model 2. Cold smoke plate. Jerky dryer.
Maverick ET-732

Tman

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 28
Re: My first jerky run!
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2017, 09:35:54 PM »
Okay, thanks! I am all about safer. I just go the jerky dryer and starting the research to do my first batch. Can I use your spreadsheet that you attached?
Tate B.
Model 1, 2, now 4D.
Dallas, Texas

SmokedGouda

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 106
Re: My first jerky run!
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2017, 06:35:53 AM »
The first link in my post will take you to the original post where I got the file from Plan2Build. I think it's about halfway down the page.
Phil from NJ
Beginner.
Model 2. Cold smoke plate. Jerky dryer.
Maverick ET-732