# Making Jerky using the A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker!



## phatbac (Jan 30, 2017)

Hello everyone!

I just had a birthday a couple weeks ago the love of my life (wife of 10 years) bought me an A-MAZE-N Pellet smoker. She new i hadn't used my WSM 22.5 in almost a year. So with the WSM and the AMNPS i decided to make a cold smoker setup and make jerky. (A first for me). I bought 20 lbs of London broil that was on sale at Sam's Club. I cut up the London broil into long strips and cut the roasts thickness wise first. i should have cut it thickness wise another time because i think i got the strips a little thick. I applied a teriyaki sauce from a recipe i got on here with a couple tsp of cure#1 in the marinade. and i marinaded the meat 7 days in the fridge.

then i put on the WSM as below













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__ phatbac
__ Jan 30, 2017






i had two levels of the jerky

then i put a double ring of charcoal around the bottom of the WSM for heat and the AMNPS in the middle for the smoke.













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__ phatbac
__ Jan 30, 2017






i was shocked at how well this worked! the heat was approx 145-150 degrees at grate level and the smoke was a nice gentle smoke of hickory that lasted for about 8 hours! i kept the meat on for only about 6.5 hours and because of some rain that cooled off the smoker i threw the jerky in the oven at 200 degrees for 3 more hours. the first pic below is the smoker doing its thing and then the finished product.













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__ phatbac
__ Jan 30, 2017






below is how it came out...everyone loved the flavor but i think that i should have went about half as thick and about a 3rd as long on the strips.













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__ phatbac
__ Jan 30, 2017






thanks for the look and give a comment if you have any advice. this was my first try and although it tasted good i know i need a few more jerky batches under my belt to get it really good.

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 30, 2017)

For your first, I'd say you hit it out of the park!  When I saw how you made the ring of briquettes with the tray in the middle, I thought I was going to read about how the pellets caught fire.  Looks like it worked perfectly, and I'm not sure I've seen it done like that before.

With practice comes perfection!

I'm gonna say points for this one!

Show us more!


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## tropics (Jan 30, 2017)

Looks like Jerky to me.Nice way to use your neglected WSM LOL

Richie


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## phatbac (Jan 30, 2017)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> For your first, I'd say you hit it out of the park!  When I saw how you made the ring of briquettes with the tray in the middle, I thought I was going to read about how the pellets caught fire.  Looks like it worked perfectly, and I'm not sure I've seen it done like that before.
> 
> With practice comes perfection!
> 
> ...


thank you for the kind words!

i actually had a harder time of keeping the pellets lit so i put a half lit piece of charcoal in the end of the pellet tray and that kept the pellets going for 8 hours. the charcoal ring  went out about 2/3rds of the way through because of a light rain. but a gentle pellet smoke tasted great.

I have about 15lbs of flank steak in the freezer for the next one!

thanks!~

phatbac(Aaron)


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## phatbac (Jan 30, 2017)

tropics said:


> Looks like Jerky to me.Nice way to use your neglected WSM LOL
> 
> Richie


thanks!

Bullet as its known around the house has been neglected since i got the LANG!

it was like a new way to play with an old toy. it was great!

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 30, 2017)

Jerky looks tasty!

You mention 20 pounds of meat and only 2 teaspoons of cure #1. Cure #1 should be used at a ratio of 1 teaspoon per five pounds of meat.


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## phatbac (Jan 30, 2017)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Jerky looks tasty!
> 
> You mention 20 pounds of meat and only 2 teaspoons of cure #1. Cure #1 should be used at a ratio of 1 teaspoon per five pounds of meat.


Opps! i guess its good it didn't last long! i will keep that in mind next time i make jerky! thanks!

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)


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## SmokinAl (Jan 31, 2017)

The jerky looks amazing Aaron!

I really like the WSM setup.

I always use my MES for jerky, but like you my WSM is just sitting there collecting dust!

I think I'll give your method a try next batch!

Point for a great first try!

Al


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## phatbac (Jan 31, 2017)

SmokinAl said:


> The jerky looks amazing Aaron!
> 
> I really like the WSM setup.
> 
> ...


thanks Al! yea when i first got the WSM i thought it was a high heat smoker through and through but it works as a cold smoker with a little bit of effort. just light 2-3 charcoals and get them white and put them in the end of the charcoal snake and maybe a lit one in the pellet tray and you are good for hours and hours. low heat and gentle smoke.

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)


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## gmc2003 (Jan 31, 2017)

Aaron looks like a great batch of Jerky. When I cold smoke cheese in my 22 WSM i have to take the charcoal ring out to get enough air flow. I like your idea and will have to try it. Maybe just set the pellet tray in the center and only a half a snake of coals w/o the ring. Thanks for idea.

chris


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## phatbac (Jan 31, 2017)

gmc2003 said:


> Aaron looks like a great batch of Jerky. When I cold smoke cheese in my 22 WSM i have to take the charcoal ring out to get enough air flow. I like your idea and will have to try it. Maybe just set the pellet tray in the center and only a half a snake of coals w/o the ring. Thanks for idea.
> 
> chris


you're welcome

what i did (and i may modify) is keep two and half intake valves open and the top open and my side door doesn't shut firmly to there is some airflow there for as well. as long as it doesn rain it works well. Once you get all the smoke you want 200 degrees in the oven works well too!

happy smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)


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