# Jerky on the Weber



## Rings Я Us (Apr 28, 2018)

I have been experimenting with different recipes and smoking methods to make my jerky.
 Here is one method to increase product smoking area to over 1000 sq inches   without hanging jerky , on a modified Weber kettle smoker.
Very simple mod if you have an old Weber and an electric El Cheapo Masterbuilt.  ECM.. I also have used a charcoal ECB . El Cheapo Brinkmann.
 Here you won't see that under the bottom rack is my probe for watching the temp. It is resting on the charcoal grate below inside the kettle.
No need for sealing the body to kettle. There are almost no gaps at all. No smoke leakage.




































So yo see the 2 extra 20" pizza grates I'm using. These big pizza grates I bought at a restaurant supply place.
I put some oil on all the grates before loading. The bottom grate has 2 wire loops I added for easy removal.
The top 20" grate rests on the handles of the Weber grate. Pretty goo gap between the racks. No worries there.
The ECM  on full blast has been maintaining at 165°-180° with no food in the kettle. Those temps just as I have been tending to the jerky loading inside .


40° outside now and after 1 hour and the jerky in smoking , ....the temp is about 135° and climbing steady just below the bottom rack... 
Seems to be a good pace so far as the jerky dries and gets smoke.
AMNPS is smoking with Lumber Jack blend pellets.. hickory and maple, cherry.
I will use smoke for 3 of the approximately 6 hours total cook time.

  The inside of the smoker has a pan in the center of the heating element. The pan is used for chips. It is about 2 inches above the elements and I sat a small aluminum foil covered rack on top of the empty pan. The AMNPS sits on that covered rack. So far no problems with flare ups or air flow inside the smoker.
The kettle I have has 3 Weber intake vents on the bottom. These 3 vents allow good smoke flow and heat rises adequately for the jerky temps I like.







This set up is good for about 6 lbs of jerky lying flat on grates.
I am doing 5.4 lbs now.
The recipe I use to make jerky is basic.
 Per  2.5 - 3 lbs of 1/4" sliced eye of round:
1/2 C Worcestershire
1/2 C soy sauce
3  LG. cloves fine minced or crushed garlic
1 TBS onion powder
1/4 C real maple syrup
1 Tbs cracked black pepper
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp pink cure #1
Brown sugar sprinkling before it goes in the smoker is a good addition.  Just a little goes a long way.
This all gets whisked in a bowl for a
couple minutes and sets for a few... Then I whisk it again before pouring onto the jerky strips. I use Rubbermaid containers that hold 1 gallon.. bags are good.. I like to go in and physically mix the strips in the containers however. 4 times I think I mix it up over a 1.5 - 2 day period. Using cure I like to let the jerky go 2 days before drying and smoking.

 At 2 hours in  Here is the kettle  temp below the bottom rack and temp between lower and middle rack.
Bit higher than I want.





Ideal temp of smoker should give you a rack or grate temp of 150-160
You don't want to cook the jerky.
I will run this lower now.
The smokers that are analog have no temp setting. You need to keep lowering the temp dial  manually as the gear and food heat up over time.


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## SmokinAl (Apr 28, 2018)

That's pretty impressive in that rig!
I usually run my smoker at 145 for jerky, but I'm sure a few degrees difference won't make much difference in the final product.
Can't wait to see how it turns out, but knowing you, I'm sure it will be something special!
I just love the way you rig stuff up & make food as good or better than these guys with the $5000 rigs!
Al


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 28, 2018)

Here we are.. good jerky temps. Smoker below the meat temp and then the center rack temp.


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 28, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> That's pretty impressive in that rig!
> I usually run my smoker at 145 for jerky, but I'm sure a few degrees difference won't make much difference in the final product.
> Can't wait to see how it turns out, but knowing you, I'm sure it will be something special!
> I just love the way you rig stuff up & make food as good or better than these guys with the $5000 rigs!
> Al




I'm  running 150s usually.. but you just need to never go above 170 for more than a few minutes. Then your cooking the jerky and you won't get the inside done  before it gets crunchy on the outside haha..  it's fun to get it right after a couple fails.

3 hours.. I will flip flop the bottom and top racks in a few.


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 28, 2018)

Switched bottom and top rack.
Looks good 3.5 hours in.
Can see the clumps of dark brown sugar and how the meat has shrank up.


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## SonnyE (Apr 28, 2018)

Particularly interesting to me Johnny.
Yesterday I retro'd my Brinkman back to charcoal.
I removed the Bradley Smoke Generator, covered the hole with aluminum sheet metal, and removed the electric optional element.
I've been thinking about using it for charcoal and chunks, or chips, just to tried some fire again. (Since I have it...)
My BIL up North is going to get a Traeger for his Outdoor kitchen, and cast off his kettles.
A kettle on the Brinkman can appears very interestink!
Cool idea using the 20" pizza screens.

I'm playing today with my back-step Brinkman. Fired up a few handfuls of ancient charcoals I had in a bucket (After burning off the cobwebs, No chit!.)
And I have a spicy Italian Sausage on the grill as my "sacrificial lamb".
Smoke-On! Weiner, TBS










148 PT, 129 IT


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 28, 2018)

Haha.. good stuff! Love my little ECB! 
Here is a pic of my finished jerky today.. 

I have half away to my friends in the last hour.. haha


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## SmokinAl (Apr 29, 2018)

Your jerky looks fantastic Johnny!
Course, I knew it would!
Great job!
Al


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## Steve H (Apr 29, 2018)

Good looking jerky. And I like how you frankensteined that smoker!


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## tropics (Apr 29, 2018)

Johnny Nice job on the Jerky LIKES
Richie


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 29, 2018)

SonnyE said:


> Particularly interesting to me Johnny.
> Yesterday I retro'd my Brinkman back to charcoal.
> I removed the Bradley Smoke Generator, covered the hole with aluminum sheet metal, and removed the electric optional element.
> I've been thinking about using it for charcoal and chunks, or chips, just to tried some fire again. (Since I have it...)
> ...





SmokinAl said:


> Your jerky looks fantastic Johnny!
> Course, I knew it would!
> Great job!
> Al





Steve H said:


> Good looking jerky. And I like how you frankensteined that smoker!





tropics said:


> Johnny Nice job on the Jerky LIKES
> Richie




I was thinking if I could show this method that a few people might have the stuff to do it also.. thanks all!

:cool:


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## SonnyE (Apr 29, 2018)

Rings Я Us said:


> I was thinking if I could show this method that a few people might have the stuff to do it also.. thanks all!
> 
> :cool:



I think it's a *great* idea for the volume you need to run.
I like ideas that spark the mind, good for new guys/gals, and old cob-webs like me. 

My spicy Italian Sausage was sure good. I little under-cooked, but a great smokey taste. Worth more tinkering.


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## motocrash (Apr 29, 2018)

Rings Я Us said:


> Here is one method to increase product smoking area to over 1000 sq inches without hanging jerky , on a modified Weber kettle smoker.


Now that's Yankee ingenuity!
Great looking jerky as usual.
Congratulations on the Carousel!


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 29, 2018)

SonnyE said:


> I think it's a *great* idea for the volume you need to run.
> I like ideas that spark the mind, good for new guys/gals, and old cob-webs like me.
> 
> My spicy Italian Sausage was sure good. I little under-cooked, but a great smokey taste. Worth more tinkering.


I buy Italian spicy sausage for making stuff mixed with burger meat. 
 Did you do a thread about spicy Italian?


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## motocrash (Apr 29, 2018)

Also...that is a REAL pellet smoker.Dig it! :)


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## cornman (Apr 29, 2018)

Very impressed with your setup...the jerky looks great!


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## ksblazer (Apr 29, 2018)

I like the ingredients that you used on it as well. Sounds like it turned out great too.

I need to make another batch of Jerky soon. Have 5lbs of top loin in the freezer that's planned for this.


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## motocrash (Apr 30, 2018)




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## crazymoon (Apr 30, 2018)

RRU, Nice set-up and good looking jerky!


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 30, 2018)

cornman said:


> Very impressed with your setup...the jerky looks great!





ksblazer said:


> I like the ingredients that you used on it as well. Sounds like it turned out great too.
> 
> I need to make another batch of Jerky soon. Have 5lbs of top loin in the freezer that's planned for this.





motocrash said:


> View attachment 362262





crazymoon said:


> RRU, Nice set-up and good looking jerky!



Haha.. thanks all. 
Yeah I had just bought some coriander seeds for something , I forgot I toasted up a pinch of those seeds and ground them in a spice grinder.. added a pinch or 2 in each bowl of liquid. Was just a hint of the coriander in the background.


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## phatbac (Apr 30, 2018)

Well Done, Johnny, well done! LIKE all around!

Happy Smoking (jerky)!
phatbac (Aaron)


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## SonnyE (Apr 30, 2018)

Rings Я Us said:


> I buy Italian spicy sausage for making stuff mixed with burger meat.
> Did you do a thread about spicy Italian?



LOL! No, it was just a single sacrificial Spicy Italian Sausage. Hardly thread-worthy... Poor baby was a "Food Probe" holder, alone in the Brinkman.
I was burning some ancient briquettes I have stored in an old can, and dumped some partially burned Pellets on them when the charcoal got going. I was surprised the charcoal would burn...
It worked fine. But I pooped out and took a nap. :rolleyes:
When I woke up the fire was out, the sausage was at eatin temperature, and it was time to feed the dog. So he and I had some Spicy Italian Sausage hors d'oeuvre's while I was fixin his dinner.

Yesterday I got a bag of Hickory chunks. 100% Hickory wood chunks. Since it is tree wood, and not pellets, I'm reasonably assured it is Hickory. Sez you can use it in place of charcoal.
Curious George is at it again.... :D :rolleyes:


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 30, 2018)

That's different.. 
I normally use charcoal and chunks for anything 5 hours or more.


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## SonnyE (Apr 30, 2018)

Rings Я Us said:


> That's different..
> I normally use charcoal and chunks for anything 5 hours or more.



I wanted to revert the Brinkman to fire, and remove the Bradley puck pooper.
It's got me thinking about my next BBQ, if the gas burner ever burns out.
(But unlike others, mine is not fading fast at all.)
I'm thinking a combo Hybrid type...
(But people in hell want ice water, too.) :rolleyes:


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 30, 2018)

I like my double body CheapO Combo ham smoker. Haha


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## Jim Fitzgerald (Apr 30, 2018)

Rings Я Us said:


> Haha.. good stuff! Love my little ECB!
> Here is a pic of my finished jerky today..
> 
> I have half away to my friends in the last hour.. haha
> ...


Been using the heck out of my smoker, I am a Jerky fanatic, This will for sure be my next smoker adventure and will be sure to post pictures. Might try your receipt or use the one I have been using for years minus the liquid smoke seeing as I use to do it in my over for 12 hours.


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 30, 2018)

Jim Fitzgerald said:


> Been using the heck out of my smoker, I am a Jerky fanatic, This will for sure be my next smoker adventure and will be sure to post pictures. Might try your receipt or use the one I have been using for years minus the liquid smoke seeing as I use to do it in my over for 12 hours.



Oh yeah. 150 is a good temp inside a smoker for jerky.. I think I end up going 8 hours if I rotate 3 racks and take jerky off as it gets done.. sometimes I have half a tray on top and in the middle that stays on longer as a few pieces get taken off sooner.


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## Jim Fitzgerald (May 1, 2018)

Rings Я Us said:


> Oh yeah. 150 is a good temp inside a smoker for jerky.. I think I end up going 8 hours if I rotate 3 racks and take jerky off as it gets done.. sometimes I have half a tray on top and in the middle that stays on longer as a few pieces get taken off sooner.


Thanks I will keep this in mind and when I make mine I will post pictures for sure.


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