# Jerky Prep?



## Allan28 (Jan 9, 2020)

Looking to make my first batch this weekend, have been reading a lot and still have a couple questions?

Will be using a cure and seasoning mix in the ground, have read with muscle cuts to marinate in fridge for 24 hours. Although with ground don't see much on this?
1. After mixing cure and seasoning to ground, go straight to the smoker, or should it sit in the fridge a while, and if so, how long?

As with temp of smoker I have read a lot where some start out low and slowly ramp up, some start high than ramp down and some set a temp and leave it? I know you want to get the internal temp to 160-165 when it's wet, so this tells me to start high not low.
2. So I was to set the smoker at 180 and once I get a internal of 165, how long must you maintain this temp?
3. Once you are satisfied with the 165, do you lower the temp to complete the process?

Just read too many variations with starting and finishing temps, Thanks






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## eddiememphis (Jan 9, 2020)

Both.
Cure needs time to work regardless of the grind. It has less to do with muscle texture than with osmotic action, fermentation and expulsion.

Heat kills the remaining pathogens.

The reason ground meat needs to be cooked to a higher internal temperature than a whole cut is pathogens grow on the surface of the meat. When a cut is ground, the surface bacteria will be mixed throughout the batch.

When it comes to smoking, smoke at a low heat. Smoke particulates stick best to cool, damp surfaces.

Finish temperature, in my opinion, depends on how long the beef will be around. Mine never lasts long and I like a bit of moisture in it so I don't go by temp, I go by feel. If you are making long term storage, 165° is good since this will remove most of the moisture and make it more viable for long lasting food, provided it is a lean cut. Fatty pieces will go rancid sooner than lean ones.


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## Allan28 (Jan 10, 2020)

I honestly didn't realize how confusing making jerky would be? I guess it's for the fact I'm wanting to make 100% SAFE jerky and there are many different techniques, and really don't want to end up cooking it, rather than drying it.

I'm just dealing with ground and cure for now and, To be honest the more I read the more confused I get?

I've read for safe ground jerky you must bring the internal temp to 165 when the meat is wet? Does this mean ramping up the smoker to get this internal temp at the start of the smoking process,  and if so how long? Then you lower the temp to dry? And I've read where some start out low temp and finish with a high temp, but this is completely opposite of a 165 recommendation when it's wet? As now the meat would be dry when you reach this temp, not wet?

Then I have read for the 165, you want to do this after your meat has seasoned, then introduce the 165 while wet, not sure how they are doing this, sounded like boiling in bags? pasturizing? then cool meat and add cure, let sit 12-24 hours then smoke?

I was thinking I could find basic steps by steps on the net for making safe ground jerky with cure? But like I said, there are just the many variations, which makes it confusing. As some sites emphasis a 165 it a must , and other site make no mention of it and say low temps because you are dehydrating not cooking?


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## Winterrider (Jan 10, 2020)

When making ground jerky, I usually season and let sit overnight. Jerky Canon onto racks. Put in preheated smoker @ 140°. Let it roll for about 1 hr, ( No smoke) then ramp up to about 160° with smoke for  couple hrs. Then raise temp to about 170° and just monitor for texture desired.
Whether this is the proper way, not sure.  But I have gotten good results and still breathing.


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## Allan28 (Jan 10, 2020)

Winterrider said:


> When making ground jerky, I usually season and let sit overnight. Jerky Canon onto racks. Put in preheated smoker @ 140°. Let it roll for about 1 hr, ( No smoke) then ramp up to about 160° with smoke for  couple hrs. Then raise temp to about 170° and just monitor for texture desired.
> Whether this is the proper way, not sure.  But I have gotten good results and still breathing.



Don't take this reply the wrong way, as I'm new to this and just learning, although I  want to make 100% safe jerky, since me and family will consume it.

With that, from what I understand, in order to have a safe jerky to consume, Internal temp must reach 165, when it's wet.  ( at the start of the process-not at the end) Then you can begin the drying and smoking process at lower temps. Whereas your starting temp of 140 would not reach this internal temp at the start of the process when it's wet. Not saying your way is wrong or unsafe, but this is where it gets confusing with so many variations. Thanks


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## Winterrider (Jan 10, 2020)

Don't know if you have researched this site or not. Lot of good info and re cipes.
https://www.jerkyholic.com/how-make-beef-jerky/ 

I'm not exactly sure how you would get an accurate internal temperature of a jerky strip that is only 1/ 4" thick.


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## Allan28 (Jan 10, 2020)

Winterrider said:


> Don't know if you have researched this site or not. Lot of good info and re cipes.
> https://www.jerkyholic.com/how-make-beef-jerky/
> 
> I'm not exactly sure how you would get an accurate internal temperature of a jerky strip that is only 1/ 4" thick.



Yes, I know, that's what I'm trying to find out. I realize this is way over the top of being cautious, but read an article that claims to be 100% safe internal temp should reach 165 when wet.  I know when I was younger my Dad ate raw ham burg when my Mom was making meatloaf, and he's still alive. But don't want to take any chances, and feed something harmful to family.

Being it would be difficult to gauge this internal temp with jerky, all I could find was a preheated oven 275, would bring it up to 165 in about 10 mins. So I'm  guessing with a Smoker preheat the smoker to 275 add jerky for 10 mins. Then rapidly drop temp to 140-150 and continue your smoking and drying process from there?

As I stated, I've read this 165 internal temp when wet, several times, although no explanation on how to go about correctly?

Here's one article https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/porta...at-preparation/jerky-and-food-safety/CT_Index


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 10, 2020)

Welcome...I am THE Authority on Food Safety for SMF.
Jerky,  Ground or Whole Meat is this simple...
1) Marinate in flavorings and the proper amount of Cure #1 for the weight of meat you have, refrigerated, overnight.
2) Layout the meat and Smoke at 180°F to an Internal Temp of 165 for Ground Jerky. 275 is faster but gives more of a Cooked flavor. For whole meat jerky strip, set your smoker temp at 165 for the first hour as Surface Bacteria is your only concern. The key is getting to 165 while the meat is still WET  as you have already learned.
3) Lower your smoker temp to 140+/- and dry the meat until your favorite texture. THIS JERKY MUST BE REFRIGERATED! 
There is NO guaranteed method to make Room Temp Safe Jerky at home without a Water Activity Tester. Lots of people dry to the Cracking Stage and gamble that it's room temp safe but SMF does not support Gambling with Food Poisoning.

That's It my friend, 3 simple and Safe Steps. If you wish greater detail and the science behind these numbers, send me a PM...JJ


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## Allan28 (Jan 10, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> Welcome...I am THE Authority on Food Safety for SMF.
> Jerky,  Ground or Whole Meat is this simple...
> 1) Marinate in flavorings and the proper amount of Cure #1 for the weight of meat you have, refrigerated, overnight.
> 2) Layout the meat and Smoke at 180°F to an Internal Temp of 165 for Ground Jerky. Or, set your smoker temp at 165 for the first hour of whole meat jerky. The key is getting to 165 while the meat is still WET  as you have already learned.
> ...



Thanks for the reply, how do you assure you are getting a internal temp of 165 with smoker set  at 180? Are you actually probing the meat with a handheld? Or are you just assuming if the smoker temp gets to 180, the internal temp of the jerky should be 165?

Would the method of preheating to 275 and then adding meat for 10 mins, then rapidly drop temp as you stated work?  This way the 165 would be reached much quicker with less checking, but wasn't sure? thanks Chef


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 10, 2020)

Typically Jerky Strips are cut or piped to 1/4". Getting to an IT of 165 is necessary but not exceptionally time critical. The salt and Cure inhibits growth of the worst pathogens, E-coli, Listeria and Salmonella. So whether it takes10 minutes at 275 or 30 to 60 minutes at 180, it just don't matter. Yes, a quality therm probe can be used to measure in thin strips, you can be sure the strips will get there in short order. As I said above the Cure is the Insurance that buys time for temps to.be reached. The Thin meat means the 165 will be reached quickly. Keep the finished product refrigerated and you got ZERO to worry about...JJ


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## Allan28 (Jan 10, 2020)

Feel much more confident now,  going with a the safe method you pointed out and explained, just read too many different methods and wasn't sure? Thanks again


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 10, 2020)

You will be fine. You did the research, you came to the right place for answers and you asked the right question. Good luck...JJ


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## Allan28 (Jan 11, 2020)

eddiememphis said:


> Both.
> Cure needs time to work regardless of the grind.



The reason I asked about cure for ground was, I got  bag of Backwoods that came with my LEM jerky Cannon.
 And it has two sets of instructions, muscle cut jerky it has you marinating in the fridge for 12-24 hrs. Although the ground instructions have you mixing it  in the meat and make no mention of refrigerating  to cure?  It actually reads as if they are mixing and going straight to the jerry cannon with it, which I didn't understand?


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## texomakid (Jan 12, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> You will be fine. You did the research, you came to the right place for answers and you asked the right question. Good luck...JJ



JJ 
I use Morton's TenderQuick thinking it gives me a "cure" effect? Am I wrong or does this help preserve my jerky? We keep our Jerky refrigerated and my batches are typically consumed in a week to 10 days.


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 12, 2020)

Naaa Bro, TQ is fine for Jerky. Cure #1, TQ, is there for Insurance that nothing bad will grow during the long hours spent in the Danger Zone. Refrigeration keeps your jerky safe...JJ


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