# first attempt at homemade jerky?



## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

Planning on taking a swing a homemade jerky this weekend. Wanted to share the planned technique to see if everything sounds kosher to people, and see if anyone has any tips and tricks to share.

Was an awesome sale on petite sirloin cut - thought it would be good to start with something cheap before splurging on something like a eye round which I understand is a preferred cut for homemade jerky.

I plan to trim it of fat, slice it as thin as I can, and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and brown sugar...don't want to overdue the seasoning w/ Worcestershire, liquid smoke and/or soy - just want a relatively natural flavor.

Don't have a dehydrator, so I am going to do it in the oven: was told about 120 is best, but 150 is the lowest my oven will go, so I am going to prop the door open a crack. I am going to place the rack on the top position, and suspend the meat from toothpicks from the rack like they do with smoked fish from hooks, rather than lay them across the grates, so I don't have to clean the rack afterward, and I'll place a foil drip pan on the bottom

From what I have researched, could take between 2-5 hours, until meat no longer has any detectable moisture to the touch, and fibers begin to pull apart when it is bent in half.

thoughts?


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I'd check to see what the temp of your oven is with just the oven light on. I made some jerky for Christmas presents and it wasn't quite dry enough when I had to leave for the holiday, so I finished it up in the oven at the weekend place using just the oven light. I'd be afraid that leaving the door propped would keep the oven running trying to get to 150. 

I used a dehydrator (my best used purchase ever!!!) set at 140. It was a lot longer than 5 hours, but I used a marinade that it soaked in for a couple days. 

Best stuff ever!

I also found that I can buy almost-expired meat in the meat department early in the morning when the store opens for HUGE discounts. It usually expires that day or the next, but it is fine. I freeze it for a couple hours...just until frosty but not frozen through, and it slices very thin much more easily. 

Good luck! I'm sure it will turn out fine. You can't mess it up too easily!


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

I have made it in the oven & dehydrator. I prefer the oven for jerky and mine only goes down to 170 ...I leave the door open. I use cooling racks on top of pans and it's great.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I think you'll find it will be a ton of work trying to hang the meat.. 

I know you said you want a neutral flavor jerky, but I think you'll find neutral flavor will kind of remind you of chewing some old leather... 

Everyone has their own idea of how to make jerky.. some grind and make a paste, others slice muscle... Some smoke, others dry in an oven or dehydrator.. Recipies are AAAaaaalllll over the web, and some are really great.. 

Also, High Mountain mixes are really good, with a lot of different flavors if you don't trust your own.. .

Myself, I slice the meat, then either mix my own seasoning mix up (I'd have to cut your tongue out if I told ya what was in it) OR, I'll use a High Mountain mix... then I put it out on the smoker, and smoke it real low and slow until it's nice and dry... Not brittle, but real tough.... 

How ever you decide to do it, I wish you a lot of fun, because it can become addictive, and you start doing a lot of experimenting.. 

OH, when you slice the meat, have it about half frozen... MUCH easier to slice... Not too hard.. but just hard enough...

Glad you brought this up... I think I'm gonna pull some deer meat out of the freezer to jerky up.... Been wanting to get to it... I was thinking Sausage, but I think I want some Jerky now instead.. I still got a little sausage left..

OH, I can tell you, two hours in an oven won't be near enough... When I smoke it, it's usually about 6 hours at the very least, and that's a fair bit hotter than a low oven.. BUT, I also don't make ultra thin jerky either... I like a little meat in a bite.. I'd say my average cut is 1/4" or just under...


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

It's jerky,no rules! Just cut it,season it and dry it. It's just like cooking an egg.There's a dozen ways to do it and they're all good.Experiment with it till you get what you like.

Wade


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

The packaged jerky cure I used indicated a temperature of 200 was necessary in order for a safe internal temp of 160 to be reached. They may be erring on the side of caution but I followed the directions using my convection pellet grill and it worked perfectly.


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## ct01r (Jan 21, 2014)

Tyler, nice thread! Hope you don't mind me jumping on. I bought a smoker a few months ago, and all the recipes I've seen say to refrigerate the jerky after you smoke it. Is that normal? They're talking about a shelf life of 2 - 3 weeks in the refrigerator. That seems kind of short for something that's supposed to be processed as preserved meat. A freind says he buys cheap meat, slices it down, then beats the dickens out of it to tenderize it. His doesn't last long enough to worry about shelf life, but I'd like to make it for Christmas presents next year if I can get the technique down. Thanks! Curt


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

Warning, if properly dried and seasoned, you won't have to worry about it staying fresh for very long. It disappears quickly.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Also, if you do want a large batch to keep for a long period of time, look for recipe's using Prague Powder... 

Another thing, if you don't use a cure, and just do regular jerky, keep it in a paper bag... It won't get moldy or turn rancid like it would in a ziplock... It will just keep getting dryer.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'd really like to create some jerky out of goat meat. I have the X-caliber dehydrator; however, am turned off by the fact the meat would be *RAW*. Can jerky be made from left over "cooked" goat meat?


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

I agree with many posters here, freeze it partially, it makes slicing so much easier.
If you like hard to chew jerky, slice it with the grain, this is the traditional way.
If you want it a little easier to chew, slice it against the grain.

I usually marinate my barely frozen strips of mean in : soy sauce, pepper, garlic, liquid smoke, an hour or so, lay them on the plastic mesh sheets or some kind of cooling rack, then let them dry in the dehydrator.

140-150 degrees F will work out fine, I do mine at 140 and leave it working over night.
I will then put it all on a pan and bake it 170 degrees F for 10-15 minutes just to be sure it is up to a safe temperature.

Store it in the refrigerator, in a locking meat drawer, it disappears fast. :thumb:


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## unregistered358895 (Jul 15, 2013)

I just got a dehydrator for Christmas and while right now I am drying fruits and veggies, jerky isn't far behind. Subbing to your thread so I can absorb some knowledge.


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## Janis R (Jun 27, 2013)

If you want chewy jerky cut with the grain if you want it more crunchy cut against the grain. I use my food saver in my jerky to help preserve it.
Motdaugrnds- never did goat meat but I have made jerky from cooked turkey so I think it would work.
I want to try this
http://www.yuppiechef.com/spatula/how-to-make-biltong/


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## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

good advice from lots of people - will try to take pictures, and let you know how it goes. going to keep the first attempt simple and adjust from there.

I read that it could last 2-3 months in an airtight container in the fridge...I'm sure it all depends on fat and water content, which can speed up spoilage.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

The refrigerator warning is really a "cya" thing from the manufacturers. If it is dried correctly, spoilage risk is extremely low. I do refrigerate it, and have kept mine in the fridge for weeks. Freezer works well, too.


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## ct01r (Jan 21, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the tips! Curt


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

This thread made me pull some Jerky out of the freezer I made back this past January. I had made like 10 pounds of it, and kind of forgot I had a couple small vac bags left... 

OH YEAH.. Just as tasty as the day I made it... Took it out, put it in a paper bag and let it thaw... mmmmm.. nice beautiful smokey smell in the kitchen. Just like a smoke house


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Use ground meat and mix the spices right in. "pat" out on cutting board and cut into strips. We use the smoker. Pepper, honey, brown sugar, sea salt and a tiny bit of red pepper flakes. Extra pepper sprinkled on the outside is good, too. Easy to eat and flavor all through. This works very well with mixed meats. Turkey, rabbit, beef, pork, elk, venison, raccoon, squirrel. Fish jerky is so good, especially salmon jerky.

We do make regular, using sliced meat also.
.
A few cheese curds and jerky make many a meal here....James


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

I do the ground meat jerky, and I wouldn't be without my "jerky gun." I can make so much more, so much quicker!


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## Lilith (Dec 29, 2012)

I remember my mother's first attempt at making jerkey ..... It was horrible! she soaked strips of venison in a tenderquick broth and dried them over the wood stove. Even the Dog wouldn't touch it! 30 years later (give or take half a decade) she makes the best jerkey ever! I think she still has some of that first batch just as a reminder to never give up. I really hope she doesn't plan on eating it in the event of zombies - even they would choke on it! The point is, even if your first batch bombs - keep working at it till you get it right.


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## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

UPDATE:

I ended up cutting the meat into 1x2 inch strips, then pounding them out flat...ended up being way easier than trying to slice it down thin.

didn't have brown sugar - used garlic powder, salt, pepper and pepper flakes.

hung from toothpicks from the on rack on the top position...wasn't much effort - maybe 5 extra minutes of time to stick them through the top and place between the rack wires.

I cooked at 150 degrees with the door wedged open with a wooden spoon over night - still needed a couple more hours to get rid of excess moisture.

Wasn't impressed with the flavor - definitely needed the sugar. But I would label the technique successful. It was a simple solution for people without lots of equipment (e.g., apartment dwellers w/o smokers, or dehydrators like me). 20 minutes of prep time to get about 1.5 pounds (raw weight) processed and in the oven


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## TriumphTriple (Jan 12, 2015)

Oh I love making jerky. I use a Nesco Square dehydrator and added 4 extra racks. I usually make about 3 pounds every 3-4 months. 

I cut it up into 1/8" strips or slightly thicker. I let it marinate 24-48 hours. My recipe varies slightly. Soy sauce, garlic powder, little bit of brown sugar, molasses, bit of worcestershire, pepper and pepper flakes, maybe some cayenne powder and add some water, if needed. I usually add some orange marmalade or finely chopped onions to the marinade. 

I don't shoot for super dry jerky, it doesn't last a week or 2 in my house. Depending on my recipe, it is sometimes it looks glazed, but it is sooo good. 

I have also made some rabbit jerky. Yummy.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Rabbit, turkey, bear, raccoon, beef, venison, elk, Salmon, steelhead trout and sturgeon jerky. If I don't smoke it I will add liquid smoke to the soak. Brown sugar, salt, pepper, honey, garlic, maple syrup, teriyaki, soy and Worchester sauces are all used, depending on flavoring wanted and meat used....James


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## Wyobuckaroo (Dec 30, 2011)

It has been quite a long while now... But the only homemade product I have made is Bratwurst size sausages made out of hamburger... Hamburger, seasoning, wrap in tin foil and bake on low for a seeming long time... Recipes and directions are easy enough to find.... 

Like Possum said, the first batch will be gone instantly... The second batch you make will be 3-4 times the size of the first batch... And will go much faster than you expected.... 

Everybody that tastes it will think you are a genius.... :thumb:

Good luck...
Enjoy


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## hickerbillywife (Feb 28, 2014)

The question I have is has anyone ever make jerky out of sausage. I know you can use hamburger with a jerky gun but how about sausage. We have a lot in the freezer and it is very lean and spicy. We got half HOT.I am just wanting to use it up before we get another hog butchered. I am making a small batch of deer and thought I might give it a try while the mess is out.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I was wondering about sausage too; yet I'm thinking there is too much fat in it for proper drying.


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## crazydave (Feb 14, 2015)

For a marinade for jerky, I start with a bottle of Italian salad dressing, add some liquid smoke and whatever else I may decide. Put in zip lock bag with meat overnight. The marinade also tenderizes the meat before drying. Now I'm hungry !!!


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## Werforpsu (Aug 8, 2013)

DW said:


> I have made it in the oven & dehydrator. I prefer the oven for jerky and mine only goes down to 170 ...I leave the door open. I use cooling racks on top of pans and it's great.



we also use cooling racks. a craft store like michael's or hobby lobby sells big ones in their cake baking and decorating isle. I used 40% off coupons and bought three for jerky making after my husband loved my cooking rack so much to make jerky.

We also use an oven, with the door held open. We use a piece of wood to crack it.

we primarily make venison jerky and we use ground meat and a jerky gun to do it.


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