A-Maze-N Smoker just arrived. Looking for a beef jerky recipe

BoomerTheWeim

Santa just dropped of the a-maze-n smoker.  I am looking for a beef jerky recipe.  Any suggestions?

bettysnephew

Alton Brown has one on the Food Network site.  I made it and the wife thinks it is too salty...but then again she thinks just about everything is too salty.  Hard to believe from an Asian that cooks with soy sauce.

sstripes96

Here's a marinade that I found on here somewhere. I used it on a london broil and everyone raved about the flavor. I then used it on a Jerky batch and it was just as awesome. I let it marinade for 6 hours.

sstripes96

Lets try that again.

Awesome Beef Marinade
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
4.5 tbsp. honey
6 lg. garlic cloves minced
3 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tbsp. dried)
1.5 tbsp. coarse ground black pepper
1.5 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Mix all ingredients in a 1 gallon freezer bag. Burp all the air out.
Allow to marinate in your refrigerator for at least 2 hrs.

BoomerTheWeim

Thanks.   What was the smoke time?

sstripes96

Sorry, I cheated and did it in the oven (6 hours at 200). I feel so ashamed. But.....I got an Amazen Smoker for Christmas. I may do some Jerky on the Egg on Saturday.

BoomerTheWeim

I am going to try it today.  Bottom vent wide open with screen closed.   Will have my Smokeware cap open 1/2".   I plan on filling it up with hickory pellets and letting it burn out.  We'll see what happens.

shadowcaster

@boomertheweim please let us know how it turns out. I have some venison that I want to make jerky with. I also have been wanting to pick up an A-Maze-N smoker. I will be watching this thread closly 

yzzi

BoomerTheWeim said:

I am going to try it today.  Bottom vent wide open with screen closed.   Will have my Smokeware cap open 1/2".   I plan on filling it up with hickory pellets and letting it burn out.  We'll see what happens.

If you're using the amaze-n smoker you'll want to keep vents wide open. That's what was recommended to me when I had trouble with it staying lit and haven't had trouble since. I also had no daisy wheel on the top.

DMW

Also, the amaze-n smoker will not create appreciable heat. Not sure what the ambient temp in NC is today, but you might need to add another heat source. Or just use it to add smoke flavor to the jerky and then move it to an oven or dehydrator to finish it.

BoomerTheWeim

The cap is now fully opened.  It's 34 now but will get up to 50 today.

BoomerTheWeim

@DMW, what do you suggest for another what source?

DMW

BoomerTheWeim said:

@DMW, what do you suggest for another what source?

I can't speak from experience, as I have only used it for cold smoking bacon, cheese, and nuts. The bacon was cured so no concern about nasties growing. I know some have used a 100W light bulb on a trouble light to raise the temp, but not sure if it would be enough to dry jerky or not. I'm not a jerky expert at all...

BoomerTheWeim

Well if it's not dry by the time the pellets burn out, I will finish off in the oven.  I think I might need to a pick up a trouble light.

Firemanyz

I would think your best bet would be to smoke it for a few hours with the amaze-n-smoker then finish it in your oven or dehydrator. I don't think the amaze-n-smoker will produce enough heat to dry it out. Another option is run the smoker for a few hours then start a small fire in the egg and hold the temp as low as possible to finish. Either way good luck and let us know how it comes out. I have some goose breast sliced to try and make into jerky soon.

daveyray72

The Amaz_in_Smoker will not produce enough heat to "make jerky".  Think of it as a seasoning tool. You will still need air flow and/or controlled dry heat to dry out the meat to safely eat.

I use the Amaz with a Masterbuilt 30 electric smoker.  Works great. 90 minutes at 110 degrees to dry surface, put in Amaz, bump temp 10 deg every hour until smoker is at 170.  Pull meat when done.

Firemanyz

@BoomerTheWeim any update as to how it turned out?

BoomerTheWeim

Well I let it smoke for ten hours on the egg.  It's now in the oven @145 for an hour.  Almost done, I think?

BoomerTheWeim

Well I think I need to change something, a little too smokey.  I had it in the oven for three hours @ 150.  Just a tad too dry.  I think I might just borrow my mom's dehydrator next time after a light smoke.

Firemanyz

Thanks for the final update.

sstripes96

Boomer,
Did you marinate the meat before you smoked it? I just put me strips on the Egg. What was the total time that the meat in the oven?
Thanks

bettysnephew

Last time I made jerky, marinated for 2 days and then smoked for 3 hours.  Finished drying in the oven at lowest temperature available.  I recall drying took about 4 hours. 

BoomerTheWeim

I marinated overnight and it was in the oven for three hours.  It tastes better this afternoon than last night.