Meat Manager Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) Filled the freezer this season so I asked for some new processing toys for xmas...got a slicer and a smoker among other things so I thought i'd document my first whole muscle smoked jerky experience. Made my own brine/marinade with some salt, cider, general tzo, worcester, and some other stuff. Pulled out about 5.5 lbs of front shoulder roast cuts from 3 different deer. I butchered them in this manner for this specific purpose: Sliced partially frozen roasts about 3/16" thick and layered them in a Pyrex baking dish I have a nice lid for: Poured on the brine and then stuck in the fridge: Tomorrow it goes in here with some Alder chips for 12-16 hours...I built this insulated cover quickly today to help maintain heat as per many reviews of this smoker: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited December 30, 2013 by Meat Manager 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpstateNomad90 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Is that an electric smoker? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First-light Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 You shot so many deer this year all the members of the forum should get care packages from you! Please use 2 day delivery! lol looks great!! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Is that an electric smoker?Yes...fixed temp (they say about 160 I'll check with my IR Thermometer when I get it going). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) You shot so many deer this year all the members of the forum should get care packages from you! Please use 2 day delivery! lol looks great!! Ha! Thanks I did make 15 lbs of dehydrator/jerky gun Jerky and gave that away along with 10lbs of sausage and 5lbs of steaks to family for Xmas. I also gave over 1.5 deer to family over the course of the season. Sorry none for the members tho...If I get a couple more dmfa or in jersey before Feb 15th maybe I'll reconsider! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited December 31, 2013 by Meat Manager 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpstateNomad90 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Yes...fixed temp (they say about 160 I'll check with my IR Thermometer when I get it going). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Meat Manager, I would put it in a shed or garage, something to break the wind and help keep the temps up. It can be a little tricky trying to smoke in the winter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Meat Manager, I would put it in a shed or garage, something to break the wind and help keep the temps up. It can be a little tricky trying to smoke in the winter Thanks for confirmation! I was thinking about doing it in the same shed I hang em in. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vizslas Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I have my smoker outside and I am going to make 30lbs. of summer sausage this week. Sent from my SCH-M828C using Tapatalk 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Marinated about 20 hrs, placed on racks and let dry 1 hr: Preheated smoker w/alder for 15 minutes...put it on the back porch with sliding door sized windows. Placed racks in smoker and put on my insulated cover: 12-16 hours and another 2 pans of chips from now I should have some jerky! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 (edited) A little drier and a little saltier than I like...but still real good: Happy New Year! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited January 1, 2014 by Meat Manager Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpstateNomad90 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Don't forget our care packages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
growalot Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 looks good...how I get our son to visit more often...leave a big bag of jerky in the fridg...lol...he drops by once a week now on the way home from work Our dehydrator never seems to make it to the 160 temp....I always put the jerky on racks and dry in the oven at 170 for an hour before hitting the cabelas dryer...gets rid of moisture and temp is high enough and long enough to kill bacteria with out cooking it...I am able to cut the salt down by soaking in either hard cider...lots of alcohol or in a good bourbon/whiskey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpstateNomad90 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 looks good...how I get our son to visit more often...leave a big bag of jerky in the fridg...lol...he drops by once a week now on the way home from work Our dehydrator never seems to make it to the 160 temp....I always put the jerky on racks and dry in the oven at 170 for an hour before hitting the cabelas dryer...gets rid of moisture and temp is high enough and long enough to kill bacteria with out cooking it...I am able to cut the salt down by soaking in either hard cider...lots of alcohol or in a good bourbon/whiskey Grow, I have stopped using my dehydrater completely, due to the fact that they have a hard time keeping the food in the safe temp areas. (After I got food poisoning from chicken wings, I started paying attention more to safety and processing of foods) Not saying it can't be done safely in a dehydrater, But I stick to 165 in the oven until it is perfect texture to me (Crispy) or I will bust out the smoker. I have heard of people marinating jerky in Wood chuck hard cider before but I have yet to try it. (But I have used woodchuck on a pork roast and loved it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
growalot Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 We usually have a batch or two...us ..son ...friends and us brewing every year...some years...tad more pungent than others ..lol...it always a "sipping" brew in the end....I freeze make jerky and bring it out in managable bags...doesn't change the flavor or texture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpstateNomad90 Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Since I am waiting till spring to make venison jerky, I stopped at the store tonight and had my butcher thinly slice some top roast london for me. Dig a quick marinade and hopefully tomorrow I will be slowly making some jerky Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted April 28, 2014 Author Share Posted April 28, 2014 (edited) Started on my 5th 5lb batch of sliced/smoked jerky, I'm getting it down to a science. Sliced about twice as thick as the first time I tried: I also add less than 1/4 the salt as the first attempt and apple juice is all that comprises the brine now...smoke flavors it plenty. I'll shove it in the smoker tomorrow am and pull it out tomorrow evening. Keeping myself busy in anticipation of some spring archery hunting Thursday...maybe I'll make turkey jerky next weekend if I get lucky, haha. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited April 28, 2014 by Meat Manager 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted April 28, 2014 Author Share Posted April 28, 2014 Racked and loaded: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 Done! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizz1219 Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 How thick are you slicing it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted April 30, 2014 Author Share Posted April 30, 2014 How thick are you slicing it.... About 3/8" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKhunter Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 I tried making jersey is my propane smoker..... Came out super dry and crunchy.... I think the temp just does not get low enough. It was only in the for 6-7 hrs too. Had much better results in my dehydrator. Any suggestions? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Manager Posted April 30, 2014 Author Share Posted April 30, 2014 I tried making jersey is my propane smoker..... Came out super dry and crunchy.... I think the temp just does not get low enough. It was only in the for 6-7 hrs too. Had much better results in my dehydrator. Any suggestions?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I would say slice it thicker. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattman77 Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 How did you make the heat shield? We use the same smoker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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