Making Jerky on the Fly

[casterfield]

Hello people, I joined last year but didn't actually buy a dehydrator, so my smoking attempts were post-poned for quite some time. Well, a year has passed and I still cannot keep myself away from beef jerky (i'm actually a fan of most jerky) so I figured I might as well try again. However, I am in Florence, Italy and I'm not sure what I'd need to have a little jerky on the fly here. I'm in a dorm here but I figure I could simply smoke something outside perhaps but most likely not for too many hours. Any ideas?

 

[fatback joe]

You don't need a dehydrator. If you can keep the temps down under 170 -180 you are good to go, any higher and you get to where you are cooking the meat. Have it out in the smoke for an hour or two depending on your tastes and the intesity of the smoke and then move it to the oven (did I just say that

) and finish it there on 170. Total time outside would be 2 hours or less.

Good luck.

 

[meandmytwodogs]

Joe, I trusted you man! The oven. Really? I just spit up my coffee when I read your post! LOL

Dave

 

[richtee]

Joe gave some good advice there. One other thing- you should use a commercial cure spice package, or make your own including cure, as the meat will not be cooked, and will be in the "danger zone" of 40-140°F for most likely more than 4 hours total.

 

[curious aardvark]

lol -- okay if you're making beef jerky - YOU DON'T NEED CURE. lol
really you don't.
Evidence is ongoing - but it looks like pretty much only ured pork products like ham, salami bacon etc actually need the nitrites. Beef's pretty safe and is not adversely effected by lack of nitrites. Also the likely hood of botulism developoing in non-vacpacked dried salted beef is nill - or as close to as makes no difference.
Think of the commercial use of nitrites as the same mentality that prints 'May Contain Nuts' on the side of a bag of nuts.
It's down to lawsuit society not good culinary practice.



If the weather there is warm you can actually air dry the jerky over a small smoky fire.

For basic jerky you need to cut your beef in strips as thin as you can. Rub well with seasoned salt and simpy hang to dry.
That's how the indians do it :-)
Alternatively you can make a cold/warm smoker dryer with a tin can, a soldering iron and a tall cardboard box.
Look up the biltong link. Make a biltong box and instead of a lamp for heat make the modified tin can soldering iron smoker. I've made one of these (pics will be posted when I've geared myself up to the ridicule ;-). I'd recommend not using a soldering iron with plastic heat guard. They melt lol
But the idea is very sound.
I'd probably be inclined to make a hole near the base of the tin, shove the soldering iron tip through that and use it that way. That way you don't get the heat rising from the wood chips that melts the soldering iron :-)

So that would be my advice. Treat the jerky like very thin biltong and use a soldering iron/tin can electric smoker.
I'll sort out pics links etc later - in a rush at the moment :-)

 

[casterfield]

these are all good ideas. Thanks so much! I'll make it a priority to get all of the necessary items and keep you guys updated whenever I get that jerky done.

 

[fatback joe]

I know.........I can't believe it myself........I guess I just got caught up in the excitement of the moment.

I keep telling myself that it is ok.....jerky isn't BBQ.....jerky isn't BBQ.

 

[vlap]

The truth emerges!