Healthy Methods for making Jerky?

[IN2-H2O]

I'm putting this in the health section because it's about diet and health. Mods pls move it if you feel it belongs in Off topic.

Like many others on here, I am very concerned with what i put into my body. I am looking to make my own Jerky, (so i can control the ingredients), to take on ride days/weekends and was wondering what smokers, dryers or dehydraters others may be using. I have never been a big fan of dried or dehydrated fruits so i don't think i need that as a future consideration.

Anyway, if you have any suggestions for devices or good recipes please let me know.

Thanks

[GDFL]

I used to make a ton of deer jerky in the oven. I always just used Dale's marinade and lots of pepper for flavoring, although the Dales is probably a regional thing and it's very high in sodium. Very tasty though.
For the oven: if it's a small batch, just lay it on the oven racks or on some cooling racks. Fold a pot holder in half and put it in the oven door where the light switch is. Turn the oven on WARM and it'll usually take overnight to do it's thing. For a larger batch I've put one oven rack in the highest position and hung the jerky meat from toothpicks placed through one end of the strip of meat. You can lay foil on the lower rack to catch the moisture if you'd like. Dehydrators are nice, but they can be a pain to clean. The oven method always worked for me and it only costs you toothpicks and doesn't take any room to store. Go with a simple steak type marinade and make sure you use lots of black pepper and whatever you do will turn out nice.

[IN2-H2O]

Growing up my Father used this method with great success but when I discussed this with my g/f I was met with great resistence to doing any such thing in her "spotless" oven. :biggrin:
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[ger87410]

If you can't do it in the oven, get a dehydrator. They're cheap.

Other then that, there's nothing to it. Get a recipe off the net and marinade overnight. Cut the meat thin for fastest cooking.

[GDFL]

Growing up my Father used this method with great success but when I discussed this with my g/f I was met with great resistence to doing any such thing in her "spotless" oven. :biggrin:
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then do it like I said with hanging from the top rack with foil over the bottom rack. Nothing touches and nothing gets dirty. Very cost effective and easy.

[ger87410]

then do it like I said with hanging from the top rack with foil over the bottom rack. Nothing touches and nothing gets dirty. Very cost effective and easy.

x2
Always cook stuff in the oven over aluminum foil.

[Idok]

Growing up my Father used this method with great success but when I discussed this with my g/f I was met with great resistence to doing any such thing in her "spotless" oven. :biggrin:
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with THAT attitude she will never become a wife!




whats she gonig to say when you want to bake a 61x cylinder to remove the sleeves!?!?!?

[IN2-H2O]

Haha, She keeps a clean home and I am okay with that. I am allowed to do whatever I want in the garage, shed or the back yard and she never says a word. Trust me, she's wife material!
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[ger87410]

Haha, She keeps a clean home and I am okay with that. I am allowed to do whatever I want in the garage, shed or the back yard and she never says a word. Trust me, she's wife material!

Let us be the judge of that. Post a pic. :bump:

[IN2-H2O]

Let us be the judge of that. Post a pic. :bump:

Did I mention she rides too? :biggrin:

[Moondance]

Hope this generates some good ideas. I too like jerky, but am very careful about what I buy due to the sodium AND sugar content. It's the hidden ingredients that make it so dang good though!! Garrett, your method sounds better than a dehydrator due to the fact that it probably doesn't dry out & get tough as easily.

Any suggestions on a good cut of meat?

[GDFL]

it still gets tough and chewy, but you can control that. I was watching a show about jerky and they recommend getting your butcher to thin slice (about 3/16") the meat for you and then you can turn those into strips. The important thing to reduce chewiness would be to get it cut across the grain. It'll be more brittle, but also more tender. I think rump roast or any cheaper crock pot type cut will work well. That's what some of the bagged jerky companies do and it seems to work.

[ger87410]

I read pounding the meat helps the toughness.

[yankeeboy]

We also make our deer jerky in the oven, hanging from tooth picks just like GDFL instructed. You can make more, faster, in the oven. Marinated overnight in a family steak recipe. Yummy.

[ger87410]

1 more thing: better cuts of meat usually makes better quality jerky.

Try a steak. :bigok:

[WildBill69]

If she want let you use the oven in the house,get you a oven for the garage.....problem solved!!!!!

[smoofers]

Chuck Norris only has to look at his meat and it turns to jerky.....

[Idok]

next time you bring the jerky, jerky!

[IN2-H2O]

next time you bring the jerky, jerky!

Teriyaki, honey garlic or Original?

[jetmaniac]

spicy jerky

[madscientist]

london broil is supposed to work great for jerky

[Big Kahuna]

Hey Garrett, try Moores instead of Dales. A whole lot less sodium!!!!!!!!

[madscientist]

or dales low sodium?

[SUPERJET-113]

When I lived in Nebraska I would shoot my own deer and make lots of jerky over winter and save it for summer at the lake for quick protein and not to mention it goes great with beer! :beerchug:
. MMMM good.
Dont do much huniting here around havasu, but my Dad goes north a couple hundred miles by the Grand Canyson area and gets huge 700 lb. Elk and gives me a bunch... Love making Jerky out of that too.
Elk and Venison is awesome and puts mucho lead in your pencil!!
You cant go wrong. I like a good dehydrator. the new ones work pretty fast.

[Big Kahuna]

I read pounding the meat helps the toughness.

Chuck Norris only has to look at his meat and it turns to jerky.....

OK........... If you say so.
:doh::doh:

[IN2-H2O]

Okay here's a quick update. I picked up a cheap 4 tray dehydrator from Walmart and have now done 6 different batches. I have tried a different recipe each time but so far every batch has been a success. I am using a mixture of Apple cider vinegar, low Sodium Soy Sauce, low Sodium Worchestershire sauce, a little bit of Teryaki stirfry sauce and tons of pepper. I have been playing with various amounts of raw cane sugar as well to help please my sweet tooth.

The only problem i see at this point is cost. The first batch i did cost $40, the last batch was 4lbs dry and cost $16. I keep trying different cuts looking to see what works well and costs less. The problem is of course no matter what I make or how much, it only lasts a few days unless I hide it from Jen, lol.

One of the guys from work is going to give me an entire deer in a couple weeks so that will be a nice little experiment that should net about 30 lbs of dried jerky.

IDOK: We brought a big bag down to the Spot last weekend but it didn't make the downward trip. :biggrin:

[yz250fpilot]

The absolute BEST spicy jerky I have ever had....

Crockett Creek's Blazin Cajun is great!

http://crockettcreek.com/4ozbagofblca.html

[MADMAT]

I would like to make some but I usually just order it from here.

http://www.worldkitchens.net/

That reminds me....tine for some gift jerkey ordering...

[Matt_E]

We've been using a big dehydrator

[IN2-H2O]

We've been using a big dehydrator I'm working my way up. Once I get the hang of it I plan on upgrading. A guy at work has a stainless 8 tray unit similar to yours.

Does yours have a timer?

[Matt_E]

I think so. My wife runs it. :biggrin:

It was a factory refurbished unit, I think we paid only $150 for it.
It's the biggest one you can get from that company.

[IN2-H2O]

I may upgrade in time for the deer jerky. I'm thinking of doing a 5 gallon pale filled with the meat and the marinade and a larger dehydrator so it's less batches. That's about the only way i can keep production ahead of consumption, lol.

It's fun, it's healthy, it's cheaper and it does the one thing we meant it to do; keeps us fed better when we are out playing on weekends.

[yz250fpilot]

Get your woman a new double oven setup. The last thermador oven I put in a house actually has a dehydrate setting. ----


Dehydrate dries with heat from a third element behind the back
wall of the oven. The heat is circulated throughout the oven by the
convection fan.

Use Dehydrate to dry and/or preserve foods such as fruits, vegetables and herbs.
This mode holds an optimum low temperature (100 ºF - 175 ºF) while circulating
the heated air to slowly remove moisture. The oven stays on for 48 hours before
shutting off automatically.
Tips • Dry most fruits and vegetables at 150 ºF. Dry herbs at 100 ºF (refer to the Dehydrate
Chart for examples).
• Drying times vary depending on the moisture and sugar content of the food, the
size of the pieces, the amount being dried and the humidity in the air. Check
food at the minimum drying time.
• Multiple drying racks (not included) can be used simultaneously.
• Treat fruits with antioxidants to avoid discoloration.
• Consult a food preservation book, county Cooperative Extension Office or library
for additional information.

[IN2-H2O]

Get your woman a new double oven setup. The last thermador oven I put in a house actually has a dehydrate setting.

Hmmmm, where to start with that...

1) My "Woman" doesn't use the oven we have now, much less a double oven,

2) $150 gets a pretty decent dehydrator, what's a double oven worth?

3) We don't live in no MTV cribs type house like you so it would look very out of place anyway.

4) She just had me lay all new flooring in the house so now I am siphoning all extra money off into my Matrix build fund so any and all suggestions of spending funds on the anything else, "house related", will not be heard until at least March of next year. :biggrin:

Besides Steve, My woman is too busy out riding with me to spend any time in the kichen, lol.:bigok:

[GDFL]

nice

Get your woman a new double oven setup. The last thermador oven I put in a house actually has a dehydrate setting. ----


Dehydrate dries with heat from a third element behind the back
wall of the oven. The heat is circulated throughout the oven by the
convection fan.

Use Dehydrate to dry and/or preserve foods such as fruits, vegetables and herbs.
This mode holds an optimum low temperature (100 ºF - 175 ºF) while circulating
the heated air to slowly remove moisture. The oven stays on for 48 hours before
shutting off automatically.
Tips • Dry most fruits and vegetables at 150 ºF. Dry herbs at 100 ºF (refer to the Dehydrate
Chart for examples).
• Drying times vary depending on the moisture and sugar content of the food, the
size of the pieces, the amount being dried and the humidity in the air. Check
food at the minimum drying time.
• Multiple drying racks (not included) can be used simultaneously.
• Treat fruits with antioxidants to avoid discoloration.
• Consult a food preservation book, county Cooperative Extension Office or library
for additional information.

[IN2-H2O]

I received 50lbs of Deer meat this morning perfect for Jerky but unfortunately won't have any done in time to bring to daytona. :(

[GDFL]

most of those hotel rooms have ovens. NO EXCUSES...

[IN2-H2O]

most of those hotel rooms have ovens. NO EXCUSES...

HAHA!! I'll have my hands full this weekend with my wedding but I'll see what i can do. :nana:
I did up about 10 lbs of beef for the freeride already but it just doesn't last long once the crows start circling.

My original plan was to process it all into a couple 1 gallon pails and fill each with a different marinade and let them sit for a week but it was supposed to be here a couple weeks ago.