# pork jerky anyone?



## GeorgeK

any thoughts? recipes?


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## stumpyacres

I got that thing from walmanrt and insert sausage meat and then make jerky.


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## bare

Pork jerky is about my favorite. Trim as much fat as you can or make sure to use the leanest cuts. Brine is the same for any jerky. Salt, sugar, water and any spices you care to add.


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## Mrs_stuart

I was always under the impression that pork was to fatty and because of the fat, would not turn rancid quickly...

and i guess i am wrong...wow, learn something new everyday.

Belinda


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## Tango

I can prepare pork jerky from lean pork? I'd love to do about 100 pounds worth. I'm butchering my 400 + sow on Saturday. She was sold, then given away then... still here! So she's gonna be outta here and though I'm dreading the work, I am going to make the most of it. Jerky sounds good. How long in the brine?


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## bare

Never had any go rancid, as if it could around here with all the kids! I can't remember any jerky ever going bad and we make a lot of it. You do want to use the leanest cuts, and it's surprising how lean most pork is these days. Most producers work for that lean premium.

I mentioned that pork was almost my favorite... my all time favorite is Mountain Lion. It's still legal to run them here in Idaho with dogs, so lots of folks do but only want the pelt. I'm known far and wide for skinning the hide in exchange for the carcass, most of which is either made into jerky or ground up.

As far as time in the brine, we usually try to get it in the smoker after a few days. That's with refrigerated brine. I have brined stuff, including fish for only a day, but try to leave stuff in for three days. I wouldn't worry about even a week if you don't have time to get to it.


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## Guest

mind posting a detaailed recipe? Ive never done this, but my pigs are pastured and therefore very lean, so should theoretically work well


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## bare

Detailed recipe? Hah! Unfortunately, all my endeavors are estimated and I doubt I've ever made the exact same brine more than once.

The basics are for every gallon of water, add a big fist full of pickling salt (maybe about 3/4 cup) and a smaller fist full of brown sugar (maybe 1/2 cup). Depending on what I'm smoking, I'll usually also add a couple capfulls of liquid smoke.

I always make the brine up ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator. Semi-freezing the meat prior to slicing, makes for more uniform slices then just toss in the brine and put it back in the refrigerator. I use 5 gal. plastic buckets and a refrigerator in the garage.

After it's brined, untangle and stretch everything out on racks and put in the smoker. I try to keep the temperature about 150 degrees until it's done.

I used to re-use brine for economy until I actually figured out how little it takes to make. You can get 25 lb bags of brown sugar for about 8 dollars and salt is less than that. If you plan on doing a lot of smoking buy your liquid smoke by the gallon. You'll pay through the nose for those little bottles.

I've brined everything in such a brine. Beef, pork, hams, bacon, hocks, fish, turkeys, chickens, loins.


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## JanH

GeorgeK said:


> any thoughts? recipes?


The lean/fatty thing aside. Pork has long been proven to need cooked for safety in consumption. Some here have said they've done it...but without cooking (trichinosis) I sure wouldn't touch it. Especially in bulk. Food safety is a serious issue and there's a reason raw or undercooked pork isn't recommended. :no:


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## bare

First *JanH*, who said anything about not cooking pork? I clearly stated that the pork is heated for several hours at least at 150 degrees until it reaches the desired dryness.

And second, it's my understanding that trichinosis is all but eradicated here in the U.S. Do you have any recent information to the contrary?


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## JanH

bare said:


> First *JanH*, who said anything about not cooking pork? I clearly stated that the pork is heated for several hours at least at 150 degrees until it reaches the desired dryness.QUOTE]
> 
> Well excuse me. Most jerky recipes (not the one you listed - but most found) *dry*, not *cook* jerky. Trichiniosis is only one thing...there's other bacteria. As for recent info...yes:
> http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/pork.htm
> "Pork must be adequately cooked to eliminate disease-causing parasites and bacteria that may be present. Humans may contract trichinosis (caused by the parasite, Trichinella spiralis) by eating undercooked pork. Much progress has been made in reducing trichinosis in grain-fed hogs and human cases have greatly declined since 1950. Today's pork can be enjoyed when cooked to a medium internal temperature of 160 Â°F or a well-done internal temperature of 170 Â°F.
> Some other foodborne micro-organisms that can be found in pork, as well as other meats and poultry, are Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. They are all destroyed by proper handling and thorough cooking to an internal temperature of 160 Â°F.
> Never brown or partially cook pork, then refrigerate and finish cooking later, because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed. It is safe to partially pre-cook or microwave pork immediately before transferring it to the hot grill to finish cooking....For safety, the USDA recommends cooking ground pork patties and ground pork mixtures such as meat loaf to 160 Â°F. Whole muscle meats such as chops and roasts should be cooked to 160 Â°F (medium), or 170 Â°F (well done)...For approximate cooking times for use in meal planning, see the attached chart compiled from various resources. Times are based on pork at refrigerator temperature (40 Â°F). Remember that appliances and outdoor grills can vary in heat. Use a meat thermometer to check for safe cooking and doneness of pork."
> 
> Others specific to jerky:
> http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/yf/foods/fn580w.htm
> 
> To trichinosis: http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/files/fscurrent/20030724204103.txt
> "The source of infection was known or suspected for 57 (79%) patients. Pork
> products were associated with 22 (39%) cases: 12 with commercial pork, nine
> with home-raised or direct-from-farm swine, and one with a wild boar. Of the
> 12 cases associated with commercial pork, eight were linked to U.S.
> commercial pork, and four were linked to pork obtained in Egypt, Vietnam,
> and Yugoslavia. Nonpork products were associated with 30 (53%) cases: 29
> with bear meat and one with cougar meat."
> 
> http://www.foodreference.com/html/artporktrich.html
> "* Ordinary curing and smoking does not kill Trichinella. (Trichinella also occurs in some wild game - this is what caused the problem with the cougar jerky mentioned above)
> 
> * All cases of Trichinosis must be reported to the CDC. In 1998 there were 19 incidents of Trichinosis reported in the U.S. Most recent cases are among Asian immigrants (trichinosis is almost unknown in Asia - so eating rare or even raw pork is of no concern) and many other cases are from wild game (as the cougar jerky).
> 
> * Trichinosis is not common in the US anymore, mostly due to changes in the methods of feeding of pigs over the last 30 years. (They don't feed them the raw intestines from slaughtered hogs ground up with their feed like they used to do - this was the main avenue of contamination on hog farms)."
> 
> *I* would not do it...if anyone else wants to play roullette with their health and life that's their business. But to me homesteading is about making informed choices - decisions based on information considering all aspects of it. Maybe making jerky with undercooked pork you'll never have to be concerned with food contamination. But maybe not. *I* would not take the chance....and cannot recommend others do based on what my research shows. If someone else looks at the same sources (and more) and decides to do it anyway so be it.


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## Guest

Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes are all killed at 140F Trichinosis takes a higher temp but if you have organically raised grain fed homestead pork and there has never been a case of trichinosis on your farm, you should theoretically not be at risk


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## Guest

one of those sites recommends boiling the meat strips for 1-2 minutes prior to drying. Has anyone tried this? It sounds like it would definitely cook it, how is the flavor?


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## Tango

Yummy! Ours turned out excellent  Our recipe was equal parts worcestershire sauce and soy sauce, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, and curry to taste. We also use sodium nitrite to cure. I let it marinade in the fridge for 20 hours and turned several times. This morning I dried it on paper towels and put it into the dehydrator. the first of it is just now done and it is the best tasting jerky I've ever had. We used very, very lean loin steaks cut to about an 1/8 of an inch. This was from the sow we butchered on Saturday. I think this will be our jerky of choice from now on. Thanks for the ideas everyone!  And btw, we dried/cooked at 155 over several hours. I have eaten raw pork, yes raw, most of my adult life. I season it and eat little bits not whole plates full. I also love raw fish. Have at me if ya'll want. :haha: Perhaps it is Russian roulette, we must all die of something. I don't go near supermarket meats and fast foods. My great-grandmother did the same  and lived into her 80's


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## bare

Tango said:


> Have at me if ya'll want. :haha: Perhaps it is Russian roulette, we must all die of something. I don't go near supermarket meats and fast foods. My great-grandmother did the same  and lived into her 80's


Yup, I'd rather die eating a piece of homemade jerky than a lot of other ways I know! MMm, pretty dang early here, but I'm gonna go get some out of the freezer. (assuming the kids haven't already discovered it) I've found it's best to not label the packages since they figured out how to read.


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