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What fat ratio beef are you using? Can you explain you process a little further?
The meat should be mixed well enough until you can hang a ball of it upside down from your hand for a few seconds without it falling. To get this, you don't need a binder.
Just read this post, I know this is way behind. Let me tell you what I have found out, I have experimented with every kind of meat mixture you could possibly think of, from a little deer, beef, chicken, pork, turkey, from mixing all different quantities and I still couldn’t get it to stay together. I just took some off the dehydrator just plain beef, ground 2 times, 2nd time through a fine plate. The best seasoning I believe is through a company called “nesco”. I also started using a meat binder from a company called “butcher and packer”. I believe it is sodium phosphate and I add it after I mix my jerky seasoning, 1 teaspoon per 2 pounds of meat. I mix the jerky seasoning with a third cup of cold water per pound of meat, and after it is mixed I add the meat binder and mix it well with the meat. I use the $20 nesco jerky gun and I have had amazing results. Feel free to as me any questions you may have. In my opinion it makes an awesome product. Good Luck. Craig