Jerky

MAC

I have done jerky every way including a lot of wrong ways. I perfer the harder cure before smoking like a Hhi Mountain. I have tried marinades like those with Tender Quick but the texture is not that of a salted meat. And there is not the flavor that I would expect. My question is has anyone marinated jerky and then salted it with flavor like brown sugar or some sort of heat? And suggestions would be GRRR...ATELY appreciated.
MAC

Stogie

MAC,[p]I been making jerky for over 20 years and have made it every way possible. Here is a link to my jerky site. These are all the tips from those 20 years. Also, several recipes.[p]One of my secrets is to dry your meat prior to marinading it. I cut it into strips and dry in the fridge for 1-2 nights. That way, when you marinade it, it will soak up the flavor.[p]Not sure what you mean by "the texture of salted meat" but marinating is the only way to get any type of flavor. You can eliminate the TQ, but be sure to cook at higher heats....above 150º...and then you will need to refrigerate after making.[p]I have tried the dry rub technique(no marinading) but was continually disappointed with the results. I now only marinade.[p]The recipe on my page is pretty much a good balance between heat and sweet. Remember, sugar and heat will cancel each other, so the perfect mixture is sometimes very hard to get just right.[p]I have 10 pounds of it cooking today...I make this much every weekend and end up selling much of it.[p]I have recently gone to a "rack system" using the disposable meat trays. This allows me to do 10 pounds per batch, which is double what I used to be able to do with toothpicks. I am having some pics developed this week and will post when ready.[p]Stogie
[ul][li]Stogie's Jerky page[/ul]

Painter

Stogie, Thanks for posting your recipes again. I printed them out almost two years ago when I got this green cooker. Valuable info and recipes. Thanks again.
Bob

Unknown

Stogie,
The directions on the Tender Quick call for a TBS per pound. Does the Kosher salt supplement the curing process? I have been applying the salts first and letting the meat rest for 24 hours before adding the liquid. Just curious if it matters?

Stogie

PMACK,[p]Thanks for the heads up on the recipe. I did not convert the 1 TBS to 5 pounds of meat! Now corrected.[p]I have never tried adding salts first and then adding liquid. It sounds like an extra step that may not be needed.[p]I always mix my spices in with my liquids. One tip, "powderize" the spices, using a burr-mill grinder or a mortar and pestle. Then, heat up some water and add the spices to it. This will dissolve most of the spices and will provide better disbursement of the flavors. Be sure to cool this down with the remaining water.....you don't want to add hot water to the meat![p]Hope this helps![p]Stogie