Preserving jerky

[walking dude]

jim.....i have made jerky for more years than i care to remember.......over 25 of em...........when i first started out...........i only had the oven......lowest heat setting, and leave the door open a crack............NO cure......but did use soy and worch and liquid smoke...........way back then........cure was summin i had never heard of............in fact...........didnt even hear of it till i joined this site.............haven't died yet.......but, like others have said.......never last long enuff to worry bout..........and i always store in a quart jar...........bout 10 years ago.....started used the dehydrator...still do at times............i have several pounds of venison to make jerky outta.........and plan on using these new recipes, you kind folks are sharing

 

[hell fire grill]

Jim Thanks for the recipe and method info.

I put the jerky on the back burner for a while. I started building a new gravity feed cooker that I can cold, medium (around 150*) and hot smoke with or hook up a small fan and use it as a dehydrator with or without cold smoke. A little more tinkering and it will work nicely. I'll post pics in the equipment section when its finished which probably wont be untill after the Columbia river gets closed again on the 4th of next month. With the springers in the river its difficult to focus on anything but that. Hopefully I'll get a chance to smoke at least one of these fish while they're fresh.

 

[navionjim]

Augggggg! Cacus!
I had no Idea, I was born in Corvallis, grew up in Newport and lived in Portland for 17 years. I used to fish buoy 10 every year! God I wish I was still there!
Jimbo

 

[charcuterie]

I personally dont use cure. While i see both sides of the argument valid, the one point that stuck out in my head is not using cure requires extra education and sanitary techniques.

I have worked in professional kitchens all my life. I have been health board certified several times. The thing to remember about food safety is a little memonic called FAT TOM

Food-starches, sugars, fats, proteins. This is what bacteria eats
Acid-acid kills most food borne illness bacteria at room teperature. Ever heard of civeche?
Temperature-between 40 and 160 is when bacteria will grow hours.
Time-it takes about 4 hours for bacteria to start to multiply
Oxygen-areobic bacteria needs oxygen to survive.
Moisture-without moisture (water) nothing can survive.

With that being said...there is plenty of food in the meat that is being jerked, removing the fat (fat is digested faster by pathogens) you eliminate a quick meal for bacteria.
Acid, vinegar, wine, or citrus juice will help to lower the PH of the meat deterring bacteria buildup.
Hot smoking is around 200. The air i sterilzed, and eventually the meat will reach 160 degrees within 4 hours.
Oxygen is depleated in a smoker making it even harder for bacteria to survive.
Salt and sugar remove moisture as well as smoking. With a nice dry crusty layer, your meat will last around a week in a dry invironment without the need for cure. Keep it in a paper bag. the paper will allow air to get at meat to help dry it and because the paper is softer, it will absorb most of the atmospheric moisture.

I also do not use soy, corn products, or liquid smoke with my jerky.

 

[hell fire grill]

That all sounds like good information. Thanks for chimeing in.