Making Jerky / Everything BBQ Tips Thread

[Bwana]

Any of you guys make Beef Jerky? I have made a lot of wild game jerky over the years, but I have never had an end product that was what I would call fantastic. I have used about every cut of meat you can think of to make it with as well.

I have a buddy who makes the best jerky I have ever had, I'm taking not ever close. After six years, I finally talked him out of the recipe. I'm going to fire up the smoker Saturday and make some. I'm trying to figure out the best bang for the buck cut of meat to make this with. I know I want something with as little fat as possible. What cut do you guys use when you're making jerky? I was thinking top round?

I decided to expand this thread a bit and turn it into a BBQ tips and technique thread as well so people could share their tips, recipes, BBQ techniques or whatever floats your boat in the "Q" department.

[vailpass]

Do you guys use pink salt (Prague powder #1) in your jerky? I make small batches, 2 pounds, so it doesn’t sit around long. Am I running a risk by not using the curing salt?

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

This was mine. It's very tasty with a kind of subtle heat. If you want spicy, sub Cayenne for the ancho.

3lb flank, cut with the grain
2c worchestershire sauce
1c soy sauce
1c water
2t garlic powder
2t onion powder
2t ancho powder
2t crushed red pepper
2t coarse black pepper
1.5t salt
1/2c honey

Smoked at 180 for about 4.5 hours.

Thanks FMB, I’ll try that one next. I see you cut with the grain. You like a more chewy jerky?

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Thanks FMB, I’ll try that one next. I see you cut with the grain. You like a more chewy jerky?

with flank steak, yes.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Do you guys use pink salt (Prague powder #1) in your jerky? I make small batches, 2 pounds, so it doesn’t sit around long. Am I running a risk by not using the curing salt?

I thought about it, and may next time. I've heard it makes for a more tender, more like store bought jerky.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I thought about it, and may next time. I've heard it makes for a more tender, more like store bought jerky.

Let us know if you try it will ya’?
In reading on it there seems to be some danger in using too much but I don’t know enough to say.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by vailpass

I just started making beef jerky using the dehydrator function on my air fryer. Made 3 batches of teriyaki so far. Pretty good. I’ve been using eye of round, having the butcher cut it thin and against the grain.

My boys want something spicier so I’m trying a Dr. Pepper jalapeño recipe this weekend.

If anyone has any spicy jerky recipes they want to share that’d be nice.

Marinate with this:



Sprinkle with this when you put them on the racks:



It's simple, but the results are pretty incredible. Sometimes I add cayenne powder for a little more heat.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Fish

Marinate with this:



Sprinkle with this when you put them on the racks:



It's simple, but the results are pretty incredible. Sometimes I add cayenne powder for a little more heat.

Interesting, I’ll have to check that marinade out. Thanks Fish.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I use this pretty regularly for curing brines.


https://genuineideas.com/ArticlesInd...alculator.html

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Fish

Marinate with this:



Sprinkle with this when you put them on the racks:



It's simple, but the results are pretty incredible. Sometimes I add cayenne powder for a little more heat.

I use the Allegro too. Hell, I liked it so much we stayed at its namesake in Cozumel in March..

[Groves]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Let us know if you try it will ya’?

In reading on it there seems to be some danger in using too much but I don’t know enough to say.

Prague Powder is the same as Cure #1. Cure #1 contains 6.25% of sodium nitrite and 92.75% of salt. The nitrite breaks down to nitrates and protects against some bacteria when the temperature will remain in the danger zone for longer than is normally safe.

Cold smoking is often in this zone, so you can add cure #1 to reduce the bacterial danger. It also adds color.

What you don’t want to do is OVER use the cure.

Look up any number of online calculators to assure yourself that you’re not going over the 156 parts per million recommendation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Groves

Prague Powder is the same as Cure #1. Cure #1 contains 6.25% of sodium nitrite and 92.75% of salt. The nitrite breaks down to nitrates and protects against some bacteria when the temperature will remain in the danger zone for longer than is normally safe.

Cold smoking is often in this zone, so you can add cure #1 to reduce the bacterial danger. It also adds color.

What you don’t want to do is OVER use the cure.

Look up any number of online calculators to assure yourself that you’re not going over the 156 parts per million recommendation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[oldman]

The reason I make so much at a time is because it's a pain in the ass to drag the slicer, dehydrator, and all the other stuff out of the basement. Plus I have 6 grandchildren and oldwoman to eat it. But using a smoker would allow you to make smaller batches, so I'm intrigued. Do you use parchment paper on the grill part or some kind of a screen? It seems to me that you'd have to because the meat would probably fall off the grill as it shrinks from drying. How long do you leave it on the smoker?

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by oldman

The reason I make so much at a time is because it's a pain in the ass to drag the slicer, dehydrator, and all the other stuff out of the basement. Plus I have 6 grandchildren and oldwoman to eat it. But using a smoker would allow you to make smaller batches, so I'm intrigued. Do you use parchment paper on the grill part or some kind of a screen? It seems to me that you'd have to because the meat would probably fall off the grill as it shrinks from drying. How long do you leave it on the smoker?

A few years back (8 years..), I used a piece of aluminum screen in a side smoker. You can do the same in the kitchen oven too.

Then you can toss the screen, it's cheap..

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by oldman

The reason I make so much at a time is because it's a pain in the ass to drag the slicer, dehydrator, and all the other stuff out of the basement. Plus I have 6 grandchildren and oldwoman to eat it. But using a smoker would allow you to make smaller batches, so I'm intrigued. Do you use parchment paper on the grill part or some kind of a screen? It seems to me that you'd have to because the meat would probably fall off the grill as it shrinks from drying. How long do you leave it on the smoker?

I have resusable silicone grill screens. Got like 5 for $10 on Amazon.

I smoked for about 4.5 hours at 180F.

[scho63]

What cuts of meats do most people use for jerky?

Is the idea to use cheaper cuts because when they are marinaded and dried out you can't tell the difference?

Jerky is pretty pricey at retail level.

I like the spicy stuff myself.