First jerky in the 3d

[IRGoode]

I have made jerky several times in my oven with the door cracked and it was fine but I want that smoke taste. Just ordered the jerky fan today after reading several posts here. I can't even start to tell you how helpful this forum is. So here is my plan. Please point out any problems you see.

For meat, I shot a doe the first week of bow season I thought was about 4 but after trying a steak from her backstrap she might have been 14! So venison cut against the grain about 1/4 inch thick and some top round cut the same.

For marinade, I have been using Crockett Creek for quite a while and like the taste so will marinate with that over night. I have never read the ingredients in it but I'm wondering if I need to add some instacure. Never have before but with my son, it won't last more than a week anyway.

For the smoke, I plan to use 2 oz apple wood shavings. Two hours at 140 without the fan, then 5 hours more with the fan. Temp still at 140. Question is do I need to rotate the racks every couple hours?

I plan to cover the racks with some disposable aluminum grill mats I found at Home Depot.

Please look over this plan and let me know if you see any problems. Thanks in advance for all help!

 

[DivotMaker]

Bob, if you plan to smoke at 140, please add Instacure #1!  A teaspoon, in your brine, will be fine.  Low-temp jerky must be cured, or you are asking for trouble!  Personally, I believe ALL jerky must be cured, no matter how long it lasts!  The power of curing salt, in combating botulism, cannot be overlooked! 

No need to rotate the racks.  And, hopefully your disposable grill mats will provide smoke to all sides (mesh?).  I haven't seen these.  I use Q-Matz, from Amazen, and they're great.  At low temp, though, no need to rotate.

 

[IRGoode]

Thanks Tony, I have the Q-MATZ and instacure#1 on the way. Do you know how many pounds of meat sliced 1/4 inch thick will fit on 5 shelves in my #3?

 

[NDKoze]

If you are using a pre-mixed Jerky cure, it is possible that there is cure in the mix already. So, no need to add Cure #1 if there is already cure in the mix. But, if there isn't, you would definitely want to. I would not recommend that anyone EVER make jerky without the cure in the mix be it from the manufacturer or added after the fact.

I did a quick look at the Crockett Creek website and do not see any mention of using cure in their jerky spices or marinades. If they do not say anything on the bottle/package, I would probably check with the company. But, without any definitive evidence that they add a cure to their marinade/seasoning, I would assume that they don't unless the packages or the company tells you otherwise.

 

[IRGoode]

Thanks Gregg. The marinade showed up today and I don't see any cure in the ingredients so I will wait for the cure I ordered to get here before starting. I plan to add one teaspoon like Tony suggested.
I wouldn't be able to start yet anyway, I'm still waiting on the jerky fan to show up. I think it was your post on snack sticks without the fan that caused me to order it before I tried jerky.
One other question, I normally put my wood in an aluminum foil boat when I smoke anything else but with the lower temp should I eliminate the foil? I'm wondering if it would prevent the wood from smoking at the lower temp.

 

[SuperDave]

Bob, got time to put a piece of wood or chips in at low temp to test it? That's the best way to avoid surprises with a smoker full of meat. Do a naked dry run and see what happens. I would use chips at that low temp. In a 3D, the element will start pulsing long before 140.

 

[NDKoze]

Thanks Gregg. The marinade showed up today and I don't see any cure in the ingredients so I will wait for the cure I ordered to get here before starting. I plan to add one teaspoon like Tony suggested.
I wouldn't be able to start yet anyway, I'm still waiting on the jerky fan to show up. I think it was your post on snack sticks without the fan that caused me to order it before I tried jerky.
One other question, I normally put my wood in an aluminum foil boat when I smoke anything else but with the lower temp should I eliminate the foil? I'm wondering if it would prevent the wood from smoking at the lower temp.

The Jerky Fan is an absolute necessity for smoking jerky.

I agree with using chips or slivers of wood instead of chunks. The chunks won't stay smoking at the lower temps necessary for jerky. If you don't have a chip screen, just line the bottom of the smoke box with some foil with holes in it.

 

[IRGoode]

Thanks for reminding me Gregg. I do have a chip screen and I will use it. I never used it for anything else and forgot it came with the smoker. I may also try a dry run Dave. Lord knows I have time. The jerky fan showed up with the red wire broken off the connector. Now I have to go and buy a soldering iron. Glad I haven't started marinating the meat yet!

 

[IRGoode]

Ok. The meat is marinating. I borrowed a soldering iron from my neighbor and fixed the fan. Hard to believe I've been an electronics tech for the FAA for 26 years and don't have a solder iron. LOL.
I ended up with 3 lbs of meet. I split it and did 1.5 lbs with Backwoods original jerky seasoning I got from Bass Pro, while purchasing a meet slicer, and Crockett Creek marinade for the other half. The instructions on the instacure said 1/4 teaspoon per pound so I used 3/4 teaspoons total. Hope that is right Tony.
I am out of apple wood so I will go with 2 oz pecan or cherry in the morning. 140 degrees the whole time with the fan after 2 hours. I'll take some pics and let you all know how long it takes and how it turns out tomorrow. Thanks Tony and Gregg for all the help!

 

[IRGoode]

Ok well here are the results.
140 the whole time, put the fan on after 2 hours. It took 6 more hours before they were finished. The taste is great, texture is good, but they don't look translucent. I can live with that. They won't last long I'm sure. I wonder if the temperature swings took it over 160? These were London Broil and I used 1.5oz of cherry wood. Ill probably up that to 2oz next time. It stopped smoking after about 1 hour but still has a good smoke taste. Could use a little more for my taste.
I sliced that tough doe up earlier and will try smoking her at 135 just to see if there is any difference. The only reason to keep a dehydrator is for backup just in case the jerky fan were to stop on you. I'll make jerky with my #3 from now on.

 

[ibbones]

That looks awesome!

 

[DivotMaker]

Looks great, Bob!  Your marinade may be the reason for the darkness, not the temp.  You shouldn't have temp swings with the D model...that's only the analog. 

 

[IRGoode]

My mistake Tony. I didn't realize there is a 3 and a 3D. I just have the 3. Not a 3D. It does swing quite a bit at normal smoking temps. I never worried about it before because even with the swings, it still made some of the best brisket I've had. I didn't check the temp while smoking the beef jerky but I will tomorrow when I smoke the venison jerky. I plan to lower the temp as required to keep the temp swings to 150 at the highest. I may get an Auber if I don't like the results. Haven't needed it before now.

 

[DivotMaker]

Might not hurt to do that, Bob.  Low-temp smokes, where temperature is critical, is where the Auber really shines!