Ground vs whole meat jerky

[eyeguy 54]

From the disscusion the other day I thought I'd pop a couple pics from batches this week. Batch one is with High Mountain jerky cure Mesquite plus I add 1T pepper on a 2 pound batch. Same with whole meat. Gotta cure with gound only 4 hours but longer if you want, doesn't really change anything. Whole meat, gotta cure 24 hours so it penetrates. Ground with the jerky shooter takes about 4 to 5 hours and it's dry. 6 to 7 for the whole meat. I use the American Harvestor dehydrator. Used smoker many years ago but it's so easy and good this way I can't switch back.

[picksbigwagon]

absolutely have no idea about dehyrators, etc. but I am intrigued. any brands I should look at and stay away from? It would be a lot cheaper having the butcher grind my trim meat (I am not at the point of getting a grinder-yet_) then having them make jerky......

[eyeguy 54]

American Harvestor dehydrator. I have the round one. Snackmaster Pro. I have an old Oster grinder. Must be about 20 years now. Still works like brand new. Easy to have the butcher do but I enjoy doing it myself. Good idea tho if yer just gonna grind a few pounds for jerky. Or find a friend with one. Many have used mine over the years.

[BobT]

I prefer to use sliced meat for my jerky because I prefer my jerky to be a little tougher to chew. Lasts longer that way. I slice my meat at an angle to the grain to get the toughness I'm after. Lengthwise is the toughest and cross grain is the easiest to chew. Just my preference.

[MN Mike]

That Hi Mountain Jerky Cure is some gooooood stuff.

Last year we took 2 deer and cubed the roasts and back straps much like you see with the Jack Links stuff in the stores, 1/2 inch squares or so, cured them for almost 2 days. I bought some stackable cooling racks at Target or something like that, they had 3 layers and you could do just about 4 pounds of meat at a time in the smoker. Some we smoked and some we didn't but it all turned out pretty dog gone good.

Mike

[eyeguy 54]

I prefer the whole meat but I eat so much it doesn't really matter anymore. I am preserved! LOL

[Dark Cloud]

I like both ground and whole meat jerky. But im not a huge fan of it being too dried out or too smokey - so I use our regular oven on convection mode set at 200(plus it runs hot) degrees. Normally I'll flip the pieces every 20 minutes and they take an hour to get the texture I like.

Another thing I do after slicing the meat or before cureing is to take a meat pounder/mallet and hit each pieces to even them out and tenderize a bit.

I have tried alot of diff packaged seasoning and really like the High Mountain stuff. Sweet and spicy is my favorite. You dont see it in stores much but it's available on line.

Or I like the origional doctored up with some sweet paprika and spicy steak seasoning added...

[eyeguy 54]

Ya I used the oven many years ago but too messy so I graduated to the dehydrator. It also has air movement which is nice and it runs at 165 degrees. I havn't tried the sweet and spicy, might have to. :>). I've used, original, bourbon,cajon,pepper,hickory and mesquite. Right on on the toooo dry, crunchy is not good!!

[Dark Cloud]

Windowpane - I have some baking cooling racks that fit nicely in large trays that the jerky goes on, no mess. And the convection setting is basically a fan going in the oven. I like that its not an all day process, 1 to 1.5 hours and shes done.

Jerky is an interesting case study, if you can call it that. So many people make it and thiers is always the best, lol. But I have tried more that were horrible or barely decent than I have tried that were good/really good. I close friend of mine makes a ton of the stuff and the best way to describe it is - a 40 year old roof shingle baked for a few months flavored with smoke, ketchup, soy, and garlic. The problem though is that if you do anything with him around the hunting season, he give you a big bag of the stuff and you have to hear about how good it is.

[BobT]

Quote:

a 40 year old roof shingle baked for a few months flavored with smoke, ketchup, soy, and garlic.

Yeah? So what's your point?

[eyeguy 54]

lol, I hear ya DC. Being married was another reason I quit using the stove. I wanted to stay married. lol. The best compliment I get is guys asking me to make them jerky. Lotta great jerky out there that's for sure but of course mine is the world,s best. lol wink wink, say no more, wink wink

[reinhard1]

after 35 years as a meat cutter i have never made jerky. my buddies would give it to me on a regular basis. i'm into making sausage but after reading these posts it would be interesting to try it out. thank you and good luck.

[harvey lee]

I prefer to use sliced meat for my jerky because I prefer my jerky to be a little tougher to chew. Lasts longer that way. I slice my meat at an angle to the grain to get the toughness I'm after. Lengthwise is the toughest and cross grain is the easiest to chew. Just my preference.

Ditto. I have had some pretty good the other way but I will take sliced meat.

[rowdyf]

I too use the American Harvest dehydrator and use their (Nesco) original seasoning. I have a grinder attachment for our Kitchen aid mixer and it works great! I usually run mine through the grinder twice to insure it is ground well enough.

[BLACKJACK]

I too use the American Harvest dehydrator and use their (Nesco) original seasoning. I have a grinder attachment for our Kitchen aid mixer and it works great! I usually run mine through the grinder twice to insure it is ground well enough.

I also have the American Harvest dehydrator, have had it for years, it works great. I bought some extra trays for it and can do 10 trays at a time. I also like their original Nesco original seasoning, especially when making burger jerky.

I do both burger and whole meat jerky and like both - any time I take a road trip I go to the freezer and dig out a bag, lots better than the hard, 'plastic' jerky that they sell in the stores. The burger jerky is a good way to use up venison burger and its quicker and easier to make, just mix it in a bowl, let it sit overnight, then use the jerky gun to spit it out. I highly recommend the jerky gun too, it makes for nice uniform slices and is easy to use.

Just talking about it makes me want to make some jerky this weekend, too bad I'm out of venison!!

[DonBo]

I use the American Harvestor Dehydrator too. I've made jerky both ways and will never grind it again. The whole meat is the only way to go IMHO. It's extra work while butchering, but well worth it.

I use the High Mountain mix and let it marinade for way longer than they recommend, like three days. Nothin' better! Think I'll get a batch started tonight before the fresh venison starts rolling in.

[Rick Reisewitz]

I like the whole but i use ground most of the time because of price. I prefer to use a recipe verus store bought packets of marinade. Anyone else use there own recipe? I found a few on the internet and have one that i have been adding to everytime i make it should be about right next time.