what do you soak your jerky in before smoking?

[Lloyd Smale]

Just got a smoker and dont have a clue as to how to go about smoking jerky. Anyone have suggestions?

[EMC45]

I dehydrate mine. I use a soy/worchesterchire mix.

[duke76]

For your first attempt I would get a kit something like a high mountain jerky making kit, you are definetly gonna want some kind of cure in it that is why I suggest the kit, especially for your first attempt, you can buy just the cure but it is pretty easy to get it to salty until you try it a few times, that is what is nice about the kit , they have it all figured out for you, the reason you need cure is because without it botulism can grow between 90 and 140 degrees right where you are gonna be smoking at for jerky and botulism isnt very friendly from what Ive heard, what kind of smoker did you get, charcoal, electric, or propane, hope this helps some, let me know if you have any more questions, Todd

[Tazman1602]

Just got a smoker and dont have a clue as to how to go about smoking jerky. Anyone have suggestions?

I do Lloyd,

1. When making jerky if junk meat goes in, junk jerky is going to come out. I learned that the hard way.

Kinda hard to bite the bullet and use some good hind quarter meat but the quality of jerky comes out much better.

I use a mix of kosher salt, water, a *bit* of worchester sauce, garlic powder and salt and pepper. If you do not like any of the above ingredients, substitute to your liking. That was a hard one to learn too. The salt content needs to be fairly high, then the meat *may* need to be rinsed before going in the smoker depending on your tastes -- and you'll have to play with the mix to get it adjusted right too.

I've got a Bradley smoker that uses those little biscuits and it's the best Christmas present wife ever got me. Had a Big Chief for years but this one beats all except the cost of the biscuits....

Art

[dale2242]

Lloyd, I have 2 electric smokers, a Little Chief and Big Chief, Made by Luhr Jensen. I`m with Tazman, only choice meat makes choice jerky.
I have made my own brine, but I have found it easier to use commercial mixes. Smokehouse brand is my favorite. Call me lazy but I can add what ever I want to the brine and get the desired flavor.
Cut the meat in 1/4" strips across the grain. Cutting across the grain makes the jerky tender.
Soak over night in a plastic or stainless bowl. Be sure the meat is completely covered with the brine by putting a plate or saucer on top while brining.
I lay out old newspapers under my smoker racks. Put down 3/4 x 3/4 slats under the ends of each rack.
Remove the meat from the brine, pat it dry on some paper towels, and place it on the racks in a single layer. DO NOT rinse it.
I like to sprinkle it with black pepper and garlic powder while it still damp, for more flavor.
Let it set until the meat gets a shiny/glazed look and place in the smoker.
I smoke with 3 pans of chips in my smoker, pull the pan, and let it dry until it is as dry as you like.
Add whatever flavors you like to the brine and/or the meat while it is on the racks.
I place the thicker/larger pieces together on the same rack and place them on the bottom, nearer the heat.

If you don`t have game meat , LEAN London Broil makes good beef jerky.
Be sure to remove all fat from your meat.

dale

[Dale in Louisiana]

To be completely period-authentic, a salt brine.

However, we HAVE gotten past that, and I still like salt brine, then a rub with salt, black pepper and red pepper.

In south Louisiana, we do this with lean pork, then smoke it dry, and it's called "tasso", pronounced "TAH-so", and along with smoked sausage and salt port, it's one of the premier flavoring meats of traditional Cajun cooking. All were developed to keep for long periods without refrigeration.

dale in Louisiana

[David Caldwell]

This is a great companion book to go with your smoker:

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Sausage-Recipes-Meat-Curing/dp/0025668609/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286641181&sr=1-1

[Old Goat Keeper]

And it's way cheaper than buying it thru the Sausage Maker David!

Tom

[zxcvbob]

I don't use any soy sauce when I make jerky. I use 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp brown sugar and about 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper for each pound of trimmed and sliced meat. Sometimes I add a little cayenne pepper. Mix well and refrigerate overnight in a plastic bag for the salt to begin penetrating the meat. Then dry it in your smoker or dehydrator. Don't let it get too hot; at least until it is mostly dried out -- you don't want the meat to drip.

[Lloyd Smale]

thanks guys and i ordered the book. I never did get a copy of taffins 44 book and have been putting it off to long so i ordered both.
This is a great companion book to go with your smoker:

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Sausage-Recipes-Meat-Curing/dp/0025668609/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286641181&sr=1-1

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use a salt brine.
I add canning salt to water til it floats an egg.
brine meat for 24 hours (in a frigerator).
when I remove meat from brine...it's always too salty for me.
---------sidebar-----------------------------------------------------------
one way to check saltiness of the meat is quite simple, Just
cut off a bite sized piece and fry it up...then taste.
I remember when a old friend, neighbor, and mentor taught me
the many tricks to smoking red meat/birds/fish...ect.
He mentioned this little trick about saltiness testing,
I thought how simple, I should have thought of that.
I do miss him dearly. He passed away in 2002... RIP Herb "Babe" Marsh.
---------sidebar over (as I wipe away the tears)-----------------------
I rinse a couple of times, then soak in pure water for a while (about an hour).
I then add seasonings to my liking,
Brown sugar, black pepper, Cyanne pepper...and such.
I let the meat and seasonings rest at room temp while I
start a fire and get the first batch of coals to put in the smoker,
that's usually about 30 minutes or so.
I then put the meat in the smoker for about 2 hours,
my smoker can deliver LOTS of smoke and
too much smoke is just too bitter.
I then finish drying in the over, if it cold outside
or in a dehydrator if I don't want to heat up the house.
My Oven "warm" setting is about 150 to 160 degrees.
check with a oven thermometer.
you don't really want to be warmer than that.
Jon

PS this recipe is for jerky, a few things change if it's for whole fish or fowl.

[RP]

lol my post was removed but it was a good one

[waksupi]

lol my post was removed but it was a good one

Sorry, Ricky, felt I had to do it. But I DID laugh!

[Just Duke]

We just used to salt and pepper it and hang it on a cotton string.

[Gee_Wizz01]

We just used to salt and pepper it and hang it on a cotton string.

We did the same thing, but we used Grandma's clothesline. These days I do add the cure for safety, but I never got sick from the old way.

G

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

This recipe is great for both smoking and drying beef/venison.

3 lbs lean meat- sliced about 5/16" thick
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1/2 to 1 tsp Prague powder #1 (this is the cure that prevents botsulism)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fine ground black pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup worcestershire sauce
3 heaping tbsp ketchup
Marinade for 16-24 hrs, any longer doesn't seem to make any difference.
When smoking hang it as is, when drying sprinkle a little extra salt and course ground black pepper on each tray of meat.

I've tasted jerky that was as good from other recipes, but never tasted any better.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I saw a good trick on TV for marinading recently. The lady used a big zip lock Glad Bag and got most of the air out of it. The meat stays covered and the marinade doesn't sink to the bottom.

[LEADHOPPER]

I use the LEM brand marinade and cure, you can pick it up and Bass Pro or Academy. Or you can order it from them. Just search LEM Products and their website will pop up. It works great, I think next time I make jerky I will try to add some brown sugar though. And yes, make sure that you use good cuts of meat, hind quarters work the best.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Smoked chickens are pretty awesome as well