Beef Jerky: Ten Pounds, Two Types (with Pics)

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Just marinated and bagged 6 lbs of your terriyaki recipe.  Can't wait to see how it turns out.  My first jerky!
Good luck! What type of equipment are you using to make your jerky? Either way though I'm sure you'll love it.

I need to get my act together and make some more while I still have teeth! 
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Good luck! What type of equipment are you using to make your jerky? Either way though I'm sure you'll love it.

I need to get my act together and make some more while I still have teeth! 
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MES30 with AMPTS filled with hickory.  Bought 6 lbs of top round today and the butcher sliced it for me.  Mixed up the marinade tonight, stopped by Bass Pro Shops tonight for some cure #1, and bagged it an hour or so ago.  Can't wait.  My son and I love jerky.  Got a feeling this will be memorable.

MG
 
 
MES30 with AMPTS filled with hickory.  Bought 6 lbs of top round today and the butcher sliced it for me.  Mixed up the marinade tonight, stopped by Bass Pro Shops tonight for some cure #1, and bagged it an hour or so ago.  Can't wait.  My son and I love jerky.  Got a feeling this will be memorable.

MG
 I'm sure it will be memorable. I love jerky too but have been buying it for the last year or so. Home made is always better if done right. You guys enjoy!
 
 
 I'm sure it will be memorable. I love jerky too but have been buying it for the last year or so. Home made is always better if done right. You guys enjoy!
No doubts.  Thanks, brother.  Just bought the MES about 3 weeks ago and have tried brisket, fish, nuts, salmon (cold), scallops (cold), fatties, and now jerky.  What an awesome resource this is.

MG
 
 
No doubts.  Thanks, brother.  Just bought the MES about 3 weeks ago and have tried brisket, fish, nuts, salmon (cold), scallops (cold), fatties, and now jerky.  What an awesome resource this is.

MG
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 Holy smokes batman!

You're definitely not a procrastinator, unlike someone I know 
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I used to "smoke" on a gas grill.  After the divorce and the move, no more grill.  Got the MES, loving life and the delicious food I'm making.

MG
 
 
I used to "smoke" on a gas grill.  After the divorce and the move, no more grill.  Got the MES, loving life and the delicious food I'm making.

MG
Good for you man! 

This smoking business is pretty tasty 
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 I'm sure it will be memorable. I love jerky too but have been buying it for the last year or so. Home made is always better if done right. You guys enjoy!
It was "memorable", but mostly in a "lesson learned" or at least need-to-learn way.  

The jerky came out, shall we say, not good (luckily, the butt and the sweet/hot nuts I also smoked this weekend have earned me places in the cooking hall of fame of my friends and family).  

I put the jerky on, straight from the marinade, using the toothpick method.  150F for an hour with no smoke, then same temp with hickory.  The butcher cut the top round a little thick; said that was the best he could do (meh).  Thickest slices were approx. 1/4" thick, maybe just a slight bit more.  Smoked and smoked and smoked and smoked.  Still VERY pliable, almost limp. (an embarrassing word for men my age).    Finally pulled them after approx. 11-12 hours on the smoker.  Next morning, still didn't look or taste like jerky.

Put in the oven at 160F for hours, maybe 5.  Came out dark, right consistency, with a burned / creosote taste.  Not entirely pleasant. No soy, garlic, anything nice taste in them.

Any guesses on what I did wrong?  Too long a list to type?  I have my suspicions, but want to check with my gurus first.

thanks,

MG
 
 
It was "memorable", but mostly in a "lesson learned" or at least need-to-learn way.  

The jerky came out, shall we say, not good (luckily, the butt and the sweet/hot nuts I also smoked this weekend have earned me places in the cooking hall of fame of my friends and family).  

I put the jerky on, straight from the marinade, using the toothpick method.  150F for an hour with no smoke, then same temp with hickory.  The butcher cut the top round a little thick; said that was the best he could do (meh).  Thickest slices were approx. 1/4" thick, maybe just a slight bit more.  Smoked and smoked and smoked and smoked.  Still VERY pliable, almost limp. (an embarrassing word for men my age).    Finally pulled them after approx. 11-12 hours on the smoker.  Next morning, still didn't look or taste like jerky.

Put in the oven at 160F for hours, maybe 5.  Came out dark, right consistency, with a burned / creosote taste.  Not entirely pleasant. No soy, garlic, anything nice taste in them.

Any guesses on what I did wrong?  Too long a list to type?  I have my suspicions, but want to check with my gurus first.

thanks,

MG
That's a bummer!

I can't give you advice from personal experience because I make jerky in my dehydrator. Though, it sounds like you didn't have enough airflow through your smoker. I would consider getting a pellet smoke generator and use it, with the chip loader totally removed and vent 100% open. For a reference I'd apply smoke 1-2 hrs after one hour of no smoke then finish until done. Also, next time I think you'd be better off to soak up as much moister as possible from the meat, with paper towels. Make sure the temp in your smoker is what it says it is. Most MES units are off one way or the other.

I'm sure someone with experience with your approach will stop in soon to give you some tips.

I am positive that your next attempt will be much, much better.
 
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Getting back in the saddle now.  Got a small (< 1 lb) batch of "stir fry beef" jerky in the smoker along with 2 lbs of ground beef jerky pushed through my brand new jerky gun.  Fingers crossed...

MG
 
 
Getting back in the saddle now.  Got a small (< 1 lb) batch of "stir fry beef" jerky in the smoker along with 2 lbs of ground beef jerky pushed through my brand new jerky gun.  Fingers crossed...

MG
Not sure on the previous batch.  I have royally screwed up jerky before and it's usually just because it wouldn't dry out - like your problem.  Like JP61 mentioned, usually the creosote taste comes from stagnant smoke.  Although I usually get a nice convection through my smoker with just a smoke tube burning, I have had to hook a fan up to chimney to get the air moving without generating too much heat.

That's all I can think of.  I recently switched to a dehydrator and I love that thing.  I slice my meat on a setting of "25" on my slicer (about 3/16"), use the same marinade, and pull it after about 5' 20".  It's been really consistent since I started using a dehydrator.
 
I'm pretty sure I had a Murphy's Law experience.  I didn't pat the meat dry after removing from marinade.  I screwed up my AMPTS by trying to outsmart it (don't ask).  And, I had a bad/no draft in my MES.  

This weekend I bought a pound of "stir fry beef" pre-sliced, and used the exact same recipe.  Patted the meat dry in paper towels and smoked.  Turned out just fine.

I also bought 2 lbs of ground beef and an LEM Jerky Gun, along with a seasoning packet.  Turned out great!  I'm back in the jerky business!  lol

Thanks all for your help.  Now, please point me toward recipes for jerky using ground beef.  Thanks!

MG
 
Outstanding job my friend. I've been making smoked jerky for a long time and you taught me several things.  Love the toothpick hanging trick, gonna do that tomorrow with a batch of deer jerky I have going in the smoker.

I'm using a Masterforge model MFX784BDP propane vertical and can't seem to get the temp below 180*.  When I had a homemade smoker with a hotplate I was usually running at about 165* and prefer that chamber temp for my jerky and salmon.

Anywho, all that aside, great smoke and thanks for the pics and recipes 
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  POINTS !
 
This thread finally made me sign up after being a lurker! So cougar78, do you wipe down your meat after it comes out of the marinade? Seems like a waste of flavor, but several in this thread have had trouble with the moisture levels when not doing it...

Thanks!

Russ
 
 
Anybody here know?  

Hate to be impatient, but it's getting close to crunch time. My cure salt will be here today...

Russ
I'll do my best:

Whether you wipe it down to eliminate any excess surface salt, or just dry it off a bit by patting it with paper towels, you should still get the surface real dry, and get a pellicle on it, before smoking so the smoke will adhere & not just get all greasy.

Pellicle can be formed by putting it in front of a fan for a couple hours, or by putting it in a smoker for an hour or so before adding smoke.

Bear
 
 
I'll do my best:

Whether you wipe it down to eliminate any excess surface salt, or just dry it off a bit by patting it with paper towels, you should still get the surface real dry, and get a pellicle on it, before smoking so the smoke will adhere & not just get all greasy.

Pellicle can be formed by putting it in front of a fan for a couple hours, or by putting it in a smoker for an hour or so before adding smoke.

Bear
Thanks much! Hopefully I'll be ready to smoke Saturday if the salt makes it on time.

Russ
 
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