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Beef Jerky?

bw
bw Posts: 87
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I would like to try and make some beef jerky on BGE this weekend. Does anyone have any good recipes, techniques and suggestions on doing this as I have never attempted this yet. Also what type of meat to use? Thanks for the assistance.[p]bw

Comments

  • bw,[p]I usually use top round or english cut roast (London Broil). Flank or eye of round works too. I've used this recipe and it's not bad.[p]www.dianaskitchen.com/page/appi/jerky.htm[p]What's even better is Hi Mountain Jerky seasoning and mix. The crackedpepper is excellent. [p]I cook my jerky indirect using platesetter with drip pan between. Egg dome temp I use is around 200-225 and cook meat anywhere from 5-7 hrs depending upon how big meat slices are or until done. [p]I have a stainless steel rack and skewers that I use. I put skewers through top and bottom. Helps when turning over meat for more even cooking. A pizza screen will also work. Just keep flipping strips for even cooking.[p]Good luck. If you have kids, make sure you stash some for yourself cause it won't last long.[p]Mike[p]

  • bw,[p]If you have a grocery store with meat department or butcher shop, have them slice meat for you. Sure saves time and beats having to slice it yourself.[p]Mike
  • bw
    bw Posts: 87
    MikeM,[p]
    Thanks for the recipe/suggestions. Where do you find the seasoning your speaking of, will Publix carry that or is it a specialty type season?[p]Thanks again
    bw

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    bw,
    this is an eassy first time technique and the recipe is great. comes from wiseones origional cookbook on the nakedwiz site. its also posted in the recipe section but it doesnt mention cooking the jerky in a mound. ive taken to cooking jerky hanging in a raised grid setup direct, but its much more difficult to keep temps at 145 without spikes which is needed cooking this direct. the mound technique is more forgiving[p]Gfw’s River City Jerky
    Submitted by Gfw
    Recipe not mine, but from a friend named Ken.
    Philosophy: Experiment... Measure Nothing... Season until it tastes good!
    Ingredients:
    Ÿ 3-5LB beef brisket sliced thin (1/8” or so) with the grain
    Ÿ 1 cup Soy Sauce
    Ÿ ¾ cup Brown Sugar
    Ÿ ¼ cup Dark Molasses
    Ÿ 1 tsp Onion Powder (or to taste)
    Ÿ 1 tsp Garlic Powder (or to taste - don't use fresh garlic - it will make the jerky bitter)
    Ÿ 1 tsp Black Pepper (or to taste)
    Ÿ Dried Chilies Arbol chilies are my personal choice - cayenne are OK - avoid hot sauce
    because of the vinegar
    Directions:
    Ÿ Marinade the beef (3-5 lbs sliced thin) at least 1 hour. I typically do it (12 hours) overnight.
    Ÿ Smoke over low heat (dome temperature 160 to 180 degrees) until desired texture. It may take 12
    or more hours. Turn it every couple of hours.
    Ÿ The strips of beef are placed on the grill to create the mound - the grill is preheated to 160-180
    using firebricks and drip pan - I let the mound cook for about 1¼ hours and flip the whole thing
    using a 2nd grid - then it cooks for another hour - after 2¼ hours I'll take it off the grill and start to
    separate all the pieces from the mound - as the day progresses, I'll use a pair of tongs to turn the
    jerky about every hour and make sure that all the pieces get rotated.
    A lot of work for something that doesn't last very long -- not because it won't keep, but it tastes
    so good! Try the marinade recipes on the following page as well.
    BIG GREEN EGG RECIPES
    BEEF/VENSION
    Page 40

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • bw,
    OK, so having done about 1000 lbs of jerky, I feel I'm qualified to jump in here.[p]If this is your first time, I would suggest using the Hi Mountain Jerky kits you will find in your local grocery store, or sports shop (caballas, Gander Mountain, Bass pro shop, etc) one kit is about 7 bucks and makes about 25lbs of Jerky. The reason I say this is because there is a little more science in making jerky than just adding some flavors and cooking/drying it and keeping it.[p]Personally, I use my own recipes. I use a variety of wet and dry cures and recipes. However, one thing you need to be careful of is to use a cure. 'Use the Cure, Luke!' Curing the meat will cut down on any bacteria that forms when smoking at low temps. The Hi-mountain kit has the cure in it, just follow the directions. Be sure to cure it![p]OK, off the curing soapbox for now. Flavours are up to you, but I stick with himountain hickory blend, peper blend or original. Everyone likes these, and they taste real good. Just be sure you get comfortable with making jerky and get the cooking/drying procedure the way you want it before you go to the exotic flavors, otherwise you might blame the flavor for not turning out the way you like it. [p]Jerky should be dried rather than cooked. If you smoke at too high of temps, you'll get cooked flavored beef. THe texture is not right, and it tastes cooked. (very easy to do on the BGE I might add) So, the drying environment needs to be below 170 degrees, preferably 158 degrees. This will allow a good drying and a leather like consistency. Good jerky will bend rather than break when bent against the grain. for the BGE, I would use an indirect method, and as low of a temp as you can get. use the plate setter, and a screen above it. One tip, is to let the jerky dry just a tad before applying smoke.[p]Types of meat. there are a whole bunch of different opinions here. Flank Steak is my favorite, but way too expensive. Brisket, sliced with the grain is very good too. But I usually buy standing rump roasts when they go on sale. it is about 250/lb and I can buy about 10 lbs to yield 4-5 lbs of jerky. Be sure to slice off all the fat, and you'll find that this is a nice lean piece of meat to use. I like to stick it in the freezer for 90 mins or so before slicing, makes it easier. [p]THen add the cure and seasonings, let it sit in a ziplock bag 8-24 hours (I usually prepare my jerky the day before) Why the ziplock? keeps the juices from running out and the referigerator from smelling like jerky. You can use a bowl with a lid too if you wnat, just make sure that you don't cure in a metalic bowl. The salt solution will create a batery and you have a metalic tasting jerky.[p]Now smoke it up. there is not a lot of real estate on the grill, so I suggest a step up grill, two layers is good, but if you can get more, good on ya. You'll only have room to do about a pound at a time if that. slow is the best. dry rather than cook. The slowest you can still keep the fire the best.[p]Here is a tip you can use to tell if you have the right consistency. place a cooling rack on a half sheet cake pan, and put some cured beef on that. place it in your oven at the lowest possible setting (mine is 170). It will take 6-10 hours depending on thickness and amount of meat to dry. you see it go from a red meet color to a grey color, and finally to a deep red almost translucent color, leathery and bendable and tastes good.[p]remember to cure. This will give you the consistency you are after, and prolong the shelf life, and keep you safe.

  • bw
    bw Posts: 87
    EggspertMN,[p]
    Thank you so much for in-depth eggspertsy on the subject of jerky. I look forward to making this.[p]Thank you again[p]bw

  • bw,
    I thought it best to try to maximize your results. go with the kit the first time![p]Let me know how you make out![p]M

  • bw
    bw Posts: 87
    EggspertMN,[p]I will definately let you know what happens. Going to Publix tonight and look for the kit, think they should have it?[p]bw
  • bw,
    I've seen most grocery stores have em. If not, they'll have another jerky kit, I'm sure.[p]Cheers

  • bw
    bw Posts: 87
    EggspertMN,
    Thank you so much!!![p]bw

  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    jerky.jpg
    <p />EggspertMN,
    There are ways to create real estate on the Egg. With a guru in the ramp mode, you can fool it to hold lower temps. I use the Hi Mountain stuff too. I've got 6 lbs curing in the fridge now, I'll smoke them in my electric smoker this afternoon. -RP

  • AZRP,
    You ever heard of Bull Round? Got a very thin sliced LB. thawing out now. Extremely lean.[p]Mike

  • Car Wash Mike,
    nope. not familiar with that...[p]M