Question on pressed Jerky and results

[mrad]

Last weekend I bought 40 lbs of 80/20 ground beef to make sticks with. I ended up with 10lbs left over. I am thinking about making the last 10lb into pressed Jerky.
Here's the plan for tonight:

Mix seasoning, high temp cheese and tenderquick into meat.
Refrigerate overnight. Tomorrow, roll out, cut into strips 25-30 inches long and put into smoker at 170 degrees. Put out when done and slice into 5-6" pieces.

Any other suggestions or alterations I should make to my plan?
Should I press tonight if I have fridge space to let it set up?

 

[ironhorse07]

Your plan will work, however, with ground beef and especially 80/20 you will render out quite a bit so will want to blot them off with a paper towel when you take them out of the smoker. These will also need to be refrigerated as the fat does not really make them shelf stable.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Smoke, cook your meat after rolling out. Then cut into strips. Lots easier that way.

 

[tallbm]

Your plan will work, however, with ground beef and especially 80/20 you will render out quite a bit so will want to blot them off with a paper towel when you take them out of the smoker. These will also need to be refrigerated as the fat does not really make them shelf stable.

I was going to say this same thing lol.

I have never done as DS suggests but I have wanted to. I figured I would roll out into a giant flat sheet, smoke, and then cut after. The edges of each slice wouldn't have the same texture but oh well, making life easy would probably be worth it lol.

Let us know what you decide and be sure to show pics :)

 

[mrad]

I knew 80/20 wasnt ideal, but figured since it was used in beef sticks it should work. I planned on vacuum sealing and freezing/refrigerating.

If I roll it out tonight, do I put any non stick spray on teh wax paper? Guessing 10lbs will require multiple layers.

 

[tallbm]

I knew 80/20 wasnt ideal, but figured since it was used in beef sticks it should work. I planned on vacuum sealing and freezing/refrigerating.

If I roll it out tonight, do I put any non stick spray on teh wax paper? Guessing 10lbs will require multiple layers.

If using wax paper don't bother with the non-stick spray. No need to add oil to something that is going to sweat out more oil/fat as it smokes. Also having a smoking mat helps so that your sheets don't sag or even fall through the smoker grate bars.

 

[mrad]

Starting products

Mixing the meat and spices

Pepperjack added

Pressed and placed in the fridge. Me concerned there may be a butt chewing tonight if this leaks off the paper and onto the shelves of the new fridge.
Not sure if I will use a jerky cannon tonight or slice into long strips and place on racks. I don't have grill mats so I will have to make due.

 

[tallbm]

With no jerky mats you might have problems on a rack with bars.

You could slice on the paper (not cutting through paper). Then put the paper on the racks with the sliced jerky on it.
Since smoking jerky should be low temp you run a much lower risk of igniting the paper.
After a little while of smoking you can then come and pull the paper out from underneath the cooking slices and they will likely hold better on the wire racks.

I've never done this so it would be a complete experiment. Best of luck :)

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Leave them whole one big slab , then smoke, slice.

Especially if you don’t have Q-mats.

Ughhh

 

[GaryHibbert]

Just go to the hardware store and pick up some fiberglass window screen Cut it to the size of your racks, lay it on the racks and put your sliced jerky meat on top to hold it in place. Works like a charm. They don't make a smoker that will get hot enough to melt the screening. That's what I used before I got some Frog Mats.
Gary

 

[bahfotl]

I think I'd use parchment paper rather than wax. It's made to cook on and will not transfer any undesirable flavor/wax to your meat.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I think I'd use parchment paper rather than wax. It's made to cook on and will not transfer any undesirable flavor/wax to your meat.

That is correct. And I still wouldn’t slice until cooked. So much easier.

 

[mrad]

Well I got to reading the replies about using variations of mats after the meat was on the smoker. however I was able to get it on with most of the meat in pretty good shape

Then started the amps

Set the grid iron to 160

And headed to my daughter's basketball game at 5:30. Hoping to be home at 9:30

 

[mrad]

We got home around 9:45

Temp varies from around 128-142
Moved some of the pieces around. It's now 10:30 so I'm about to check temps again and probably bump up to 170. It has some kick to it. May have put too much Cayanne in