Jerky gone bad...

Unknown

<p />Well, ok it didn't *go* bad, it just got *past* good...[p]Now, as a form of actual cooking, this would have been a decent dish, but as jerky, it just didn't cut it.[p]Here's the woeful tale:
Twas the day after thanksgiving, and apparently the awesome turkey wasn't enough for me. I really wanted to play around a bit more on the egg, so I tried to think of an interesting cut of beef for the jerky that I've been hankering for. Then I remembered my quad-pack of flank steaks sitting in the freezer.[p]So I pounded flat a full flank, tossed it into my super-duper vacu-sucker marinating thingy with some orange juice, soy sauce, spices, sugar, and some other things that I don't recall (I've slept since then, you see) and let er rest there overnight.[p]These where some thick slices, so I tried real hard to keep the temp low, and managed to keep it below 200 for about 6 hours or so. I let it creep up a bit after that since 6 hours is about 5.75 hours longer than my usual span of attention.[p]At the end of that first 6 hours, it was excellent! Not dried, so not jerky yet, but good flavor, smoky, just getting a bit chewy, but not jerky. I took it too far. I demanded JERKY! [p]Several hours later my efforts where rewarded with several overly tough, somewhat bitterly smoked, pieces of refuse that continue to dwell in my fridge.[p]I've had a couple of pieces, but I don't intend to have any more than that.[p]I'm not sure what I'll call that pre-jerky delight that I intend to try to replicate, but I don't think I'll be trying to make jerky from as fatty a cut of meat as flank again. Like I said: I was wanting to play around with the egg a bit...[p]BTW: My neighborhood butcher has recommended pectoral for jerky! Sounds like it would be a close neighbor of brisket, and I *know* that makes a good jerky.[p]Good cooking everybody!
bc

Nature Boy

bc,
Me thinks you cut the pieces too fat. Those look 2 or 3 times thicker than I have been cutting it. 1/4 inch thick is a plenty. Might that be the prob??[p]Great weekend atcha, and better luck next time!
NB

Mark

bc,
Have been experimenting with jerky using Hi Mountian Jerky Cure. Screwed up the first batch BIG TIME by using to much seasoning. As we speak the second batch is on, it looks good a hour into the cook. Using london broil cut into 3/16-1/4 inch strips. An update to come.
Mark