Beef Jerky

MeTed

I am going to make jerky out of flank steak. I have got temp and time figured out. My question is should I score the steak in a diamond pattern before I slice it with the grain, and if the answer is yes, why?

Mross

I don't see where that would help. Jerky is sliced thin to start with

KenfromMI

Can you get your egg to stay at low enough temperature to actually dehydrate and not cook the meat?  If so I'd like to hear your technique. I can't get mine close to hold Jerky temperature.

MeTed

@KenfromMI the way I do mine is I use a piece of heating  duct not galvanized about the size of a small coffee can. I mix smaller pieces of lump with wood chips in a bowl, put that mixture in the tube, light with 1 paper towel & oil, let the flames burn out, close the lid, and adjust vents to 125 dome temp. 

I then put my beef pieces on a BGE 3 tier rack put the rack on the Egg and let it cook for 8 hours. I have had great response from everyone that has tried it.

BuckeyeBob

Here was my cook from the spring. I used my DigiQ and did it at 185 with no issues.

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1162311/beef-jerky#latest

MeTed

@BuckeyeBob nice cook. I use flank steak or London broil.

KenfromMI

BuckeyeBob, that looked great. What temperature? Sorry if you said and I missed it. I don't care for any of the High Mountain stuff. Way too salty, Ken

BuckeyeBob

Thanks. I did 185 on mine and it worked well. I did rotate the racks during the cook. I agree with the comments on the hi-mountain. It was easy for my first try.

GK59

Who has uses an Amaze-n- Smoker(sp. Sorry i'm drinking.) 

What is your process?

Really need to make some soon.

bettysnephew

I have used a home built clone of the AS.  It works well for cheeses or jerky.  Since I live where it is hot in the summer and cold in the winter I only do cold smokes when the temperature is not so high and it has done everything I wanted it to do.  Since last spring, I gave it to a friend and have built a stainless clone of the Smoke Daddy but have not tried it as of this time.  When the weather is cooler I will give it a whirl.  I generally cold smoke in my old Weber kettle as I feel it better dissipates the heat and so doesn't melt the cheese so easily.  I did smoke a couple of times in the BGE and had issues with it getting warmer than I wanted and the cheese oozing around the grid.  That was early on in my Egging adventure and I might be better able to keep the temp down now but I am having good success with the way I have been doing it.