Rotating Jerky in Smoker?

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cajun smoke

Fire Starter
Original poster
Apr 26, 2011
54
12
Lake Charles, LA
Last time I did a batch of jerky, I did 10lbs of round and that was enough to take up the top rack of my MES 40 (see pic). I would like to double that next time but that will require me putting jerky lower in smoker and closer to the heat source. Should I rotate the meat (move meat on top to bottom and vice versa) half way through the process or does it not matter?

302ecfce_photo.jpg
 
I don't have an MES but if I were doing two levels of jerky in my Master Forge, I would switch them around about half way through the drying/smoking cycle.  I would also switch the jerky sticks around as to from front to back.  I know for a fact my Master Forge maps at different temps from top to bottom.  If you have 2 temp probes, you can easily map your MES and find out if you have a temperature variance from top to bottom.

-Salt
 
I don't in my smoke shack but I have even heat throughout the whole smoker. I would take the word of the MES guys. If there are is a little temp difference between your top rack and the bottom rack I would rotate as well. Sounds like a little rotating about half way through would be a safe bet. It isn't going to hurt anything thats for sure.
 
I do mine in a dehydrator.  Every 1 1/2 hrs., I rotate, top to bottom and front to back.  I do it for 6 hrs and this get's a more even product.  IMHO, all smokers, etc have hot and cold spots that give a different end product.
 
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