# rinse or not rinse the meat?



## cdndeerhunter

Hello all,

I need some advice.

I have been building jerky for awhile now in the smoker using hi mountain seasoning with good results. However, I have been finding that its almost too salty and granular for my liking. My wife suggested that I rinse the meat after the 24hr curing process which I am willing to try. After trying some jerky from the local processor in town and it is perfect, not too salty and there is no granular residual spices left on the meat after the smoking process. I would like to try to replicate his recipe. I would ask him for it but... he seems to not to be offering his help or advice to anyone. Any thoughts on rinsing the meat after the curing process before smoking?


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## forluvofsmoke

You can rinse if salt is becoming an issue. I haven't (that I can remember, at least) rinsed my own cured jerky meat when I use my recipes with Morton's Tender Quick for the curing agents, but it certainly won't hurt anything. You can soak it in cold water to remove some salt as well. With thin sliced meats, about 15-20 minutes will remove quite a bit of the salt.

Just remember, the salt is part of what helps preserve the meat (along with the actual cure agent) during the low temp smoking and drying process. Keeping the moisture content low after it's dried is what keeps the nasties at bay during storage until it's eaten.

I do like the idea of a good rinse, now that you mentioned it, and even a brief soak, as it would be a healthier and tastier preparation.

Eric


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## brican

cdndeerhunter said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I need some advice.
> 
> I have been building jerky for awhile now in the smoker using hi mountain seasoning with good results. However, I have been finding that its almost too salty and granular for my liking. My wife suggested that I rinse the meat after the 24hr curing process which I am willing to try.   The question that comes to my mind is the 24 hour curing, I know I am a lot different than you fellows but I only cure overnight (12 hours). I do about 15 - 20 kg a week    After trying some jerky from the local processor in town and it is perfect, not too salty and there is no granular residual spices left on the meat after the smoking process. I would like to try to replicate his recipe. I would ask him for it but... he seems to not to be offering his help or advice to anyone. Any thoughts on rinsing the meat after the curing process before smoking?


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## roller

I see no problem with rinseing the meat after you maraniate it if it is to salty. What I would do if I were you is mix my own maraniate to my taste and use  it..Sometimes I let mine stay in the maraniate for 4 or 5 days before drying it never to salty....


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## forluvofsmoke

Brican said:


> cdndeerhunter said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> I need some advice.
> 
> I have been building jerky for awhile now in the smoker using hi mountain seasoning with good results. However, I have been finding that its almost too salty and granular for my liking. My wife suggested that I rinse the meat after the 24hr curing process which I am willing to try.   The question that comes to my mind is the 24 hour curing, I know I am a lot different than you fellows but I only cure overnight (12 hours). I do about 15 - 20 kg a week    After trying some jerky from the local processor in town and it is perfect, not too salty and there is no granular residual spices left on the meat after the smoking process. I would like to try to replicate his recipe. I would ask him for it but... he seems to not to be offering his help or advice to anyone. Any thoughts on rinsing the meat after the curing process before smoking?
Click to expand...

Brican, if you're comfortable with an overnight cure, and you get consistent results with signs of fully cured meats throughout your batches, then, whatever you're doing is working.

I generally cure my sliced jerky meats for 24-36 hours if thin sliced @ 3/16" or less in thickness, while I opt for at least 2 full days (sometimes 3) for my beefsteak jerky, which is sliced @ 3/8" and bit over. I probably go for longer cure time than I need to, simply because I do work my cure bags a few times each day to keep full coverage and even coating on the meat, but I'd rather start my cures earlier than I need to, and then, on smoking day, I have no worries of whether it's cured or not...a little extra time for a lot of added insurance...just me.
 

BTW, nice lookin' thin sliced jerky!

Eric


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## dougmays

As stated before...if your marinade is to salty...rinse. i personally dont like to rinse because i like to keep as much flavor on the meat as possible


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## eman

Alot of commercial jerky makers use a vacum marinader . they marinade under negative pressure for 6-8 hours then smoke and /or dehydrate.


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## alelover

I rinse mine before smoking.


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## mcguyver

I'm new so bear with me, when you say cure do you mean just letting the meat sit in curing salts/seasoning for 24  hours or are you using heat like an oven or dehydrator?

I've been making jerky for years using a dehydrator and a soy sauce/Worcestershire sauce based recipe.  I use several seasonings but I make sure to use very finely ground seasonings such as white pepper and so on.  I always mix my marinade a few hours in advance so that the flavor of the seasonings has time to combine (for lack of a better word) into the marinade.  Then I marinade overnight (at least) and dehydrate.  I always leave the marinade on the meat to get as much of the flavor as possible.  The only obvious seasoning you see on the outside of the jerky is the crushed red pepper and the course ground black pepper.  Around here that's a good thing.

I have used the Hi Mountain seasoning before but it was with ground meat.  I don't use nearly all of the cure they provide because I fear it would have been too salty.  We always store our jerky in the frig so it isn't quite as important to have that much cure.  Besides that, jerky doesn't last long around here.  I have a wife and three girls and turn in to carnivores as soon as the batch is done.  Actually I've come home plenty of times to see the three of them standing around the dehydrator picking out the most done pieces. The other day I came home and asked my youngest what she had for dinner. Her reply "Beef Jerky".

My other question is how do you smoke your meat and how long do you smoke it for?  I'm just starting to try smoking beef jerky and haven't had good luck.  My first batch was rough, the smoke flavor was over powering.


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## daveomak

McG, morning.... Cure is a chemical compound that reduces the risk of getting sick or dying from eating meat that is "tainted".

The explanation should best be read from the experts to avoid and confusion.... Below is a section on curing.... mouse over other headers on that page to expand your search to different areas... I'm definitely trying to pass the buck here... there is no way I can explain it all..... Come back with specific questions and start them in a new thread so others can benefit from your queries....  Under the "forums" heading are many sub groups to ask your questions....  Safety when curing IS OUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN.... it is safe when understood....   Dave

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-making/curing


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