Do you precook your jerky?

[jcam222]

I have read in a few places they recommend cooking the jerky strips to 160F prior to dehydrating. That was relative to whole muscle jerky. Do any of you do this? Noone I know does nor have I. I set my dehydrator for 160F usually and let it go until it's at my desired finish point. I do use cure #1 in my jerky marinade. It was always my understanding that alleviates the need to precook the jerky. Thoughts?

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I never have. Mix and shoot or stuff then into dehydrator

 

[mr_whipple]

Never seen that done. I do the same as you. 160 dehydrator temp and cure #1 in my marinade. As far as jerky goes, I'm a creature of habit.

 

[Steve H]

I've had one kit that recommended this. Wish I could remember which it was. I think it was high mountain. The directions were to put beef in a preheated 325 oven until the beef reached 160IT. Then lowered to 170 with the door propped out. To release the moisture.

 

[thirdeye]

I go out of my way not to stray away from tested and proven recipes and techniques.... but a 160° temp of jerky before dehydrating makes no sense to me. I do use a dry cure + seasonings. Stack and rest overnight, then into the smoker, and finish in a dehydrator (starting off at 145°, and ramping up as needed to dry and cook).

Anyways, here is the official link to the USDA practices.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/jerky

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I go out of my way not to stray away from tested and proven recipes and techniques.... but a 160° temp of jerky before dehydrating makes no sense to me. I do use a dry cure + seasonings. Stack and rest overnight, then into the smoker, and finish in a dehydrator (starting off at 145°, and ramping up as needed to dry and cook).

Anyways, here is the official link to the USDA practices.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/jerky

Copied from the link...
"The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline's current recommendation for making jerky safely is to heat meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F before the dehydrating process. This step assures that any bacteria present will be destroyed by wet heat. But most dehydrator instructions do not include this step, and a dehydrator may not reach temperatures high enough to heat meat to 160 °F or 165 °F."

I have never pre-cooked any meat before dehydrating, though, and have never heard of such...

 

[Steve H]

but a 160° temp of jerky before dehydrating makes no sense to me.

Me neither. I thought it was strange. I'm digging through my posts because I know I questioned this when I saw it.

 

[chopsaw]

It surfaced around here awhile back . I don't purposely do it , but I do mine in the oven at 170 until I like it . No idea what the internal temp is . I always use cure #1 .

 

[zwiller]

I remember this sort of stuff well as it is not really clear why they say to do it... In my mind jerky gets pasteurized and kills off the bugs at lower temps/longer times like SV.

 

[bill ace 350]

I remember this sort of stuff well as it is not really clear why they say to do it... In my mind jerky gets pasteurized and kills off the bugs at lower temps/longer times like SV.

Careful! You run the risk of verbal attacks because of this!

I posted once that some jerky recipes don't even call for cure#1 and received all sorts of nasty responses!

Personally, I use cure #1 and most often, but not always "cook" the jerky before further drying.

 

[pc farmer]

I been making 5lbs jerky a week. I use a PS seasoning that has cure in it. I put the meat in the mixture for at least over night up to 2 days then right in to the dehydrator for 7 hours

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

Heck no. Marinade then into the smoker at 165*. Here is from a Tri-tip I did a while ago.

Tri-tip Jerky

It has been a while since I made any jerky. I had a Tri-tip sitting in the fridge and decided to put it to use. I marinated it with an onion, Soy Sauce, garlic salt, Wine and Kinder's - The Blend I smoked it with hickory pellets at 165 Four hours later Good old beef jerky

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[mike243]

Probably more issues with ground vs whole muscle jerky, I stopped making whole muscle jerky after the dentures went in, dehydrator turned all the way up til the right bend/snap, I use mixes that have the cure in them, I have seen folks post recipes that had no cure, I don't/wont make any without it,

 

[slavikborisov]

i run my jerky in the smoker at 160 -185 im check internal temp by rolling a piece of meat around a temp probe. i know it not necessary but why take the chance or risk? i haven't noticed a lick of difference between running the smoker at higher temps vs lower temps as far as jerky goes... i pull it in a few hours when it bend the way i like it and tender the way i like it..... honestly at the higher temps (185F) it gets done quicker it you like a chewy/more tender jerky and you know it fully cooked.

 

[Brokenhandle]

We have been making venison jerky for over 20 years, my wife's step mom's recipe... who knows how long she's been making it. No cure in it, just use the dehydrator. Tried cure in it once, didn't like it. Sounds to me like washing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.

Ryan

 

[jcam222]

Appreciate all the replies! I'm rolling my with no precook like I always have. Rolling up my sleeves and starting prep on 40 lbs of meat today. Plan on dehydrating over the next two days.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Go big or go home... that's alot of jerky! Can't wait to see the finish on this one.

Ryan

 

[jcam222]

Go big or go home... that's alot of jerky! Can't wait to see the finish on this one.

Ryan

Closer to 35 on closer look and will lose about 17% on trimming the whole pork loins based on the first two I've done. I'll save it for sausage grind. Iay run out and grab one more loin. Waiting to see how my marinade coverage is since I made it all yesterday and am out of some of the ingredients. I got a new dehydrator that I'm ready to out through it's paces