Meat prep for jerky

[TylerS]

Quick question:

So I've been making jerky for years (mostly goose). In the past, I've always just taken a package of breasts out of the freezer, thawed it and then when through the process of making jerky.

But I'd really like to try making fresh jerky (mostly to help save space in the freezer). My idea is to come home from a day's hunt, go straight to the grinder and begin grinding and mixing up the cure.

My wife is worried about parasites and bacteria, though. I'll admit, I hadn't considered that. Kind of puts a damper on my plans.

So does anyone ever make jerky off fresh birds, or do you freeze it first before doing it?

By the way, I've almost always done sliced jerky but will be trying more ground stuff this season (I hate how the strips get caught in my teeth...bugs the heck outta me).

[Jim Almquist]

I would not worry if you did it in slices and you are using something with a cure but not sure if there is any cure in the shooter method.

[wormdunker]

Ahh anyone else laugh and think "blow on it" when you read the title of this post!!!!

[TylerS]

As far as I know, any jerky requires a cure of some sort. That's what makes it jerky...between that and drying/smoking the meat keeps from spoilage.

[reinhard1]

a cure should always be used in jerkey. you are dealing with low temps in the drying method and open yourself up to bacteria if no cure is used. good luck.

[OnAFly]

The cure kills the bacteria. Really, the cured, wet jerky is just fine to eat.

[Jim Almquist]

a cure should always be used in jerkey. you are dealing with low temps in the drying method and open yourself up to bacteria if no cure is used. good luck.

That was why I questioned the method because some of the recipes that have floated around did not have cure. I know that High Mountain jerky kits give you both methods of making jerky and both using cure.

@ TylerS

Even if you are going to grind up the goose it will be easier to do if it is partial frozen so maybe give it a couple of days just so your wife has some piece of mind.

[reinhard1]

i didn't say it kills bacteria, but it does deter it more than if none were used. if you smoke sausage or even jerkey and you do not use a cure you create the real risk of encouraging and development of botulism for example. real nasty stuff.

this bacteria lives best in temps between 40 and 140 derees F and likes moist low oxygen conditions. in the old days salt was used as a preservative as we all know and then there is sodium nitrates [which also enhances the color of meat] as in bacon and of course good old morton's tenderquick.

one should take proper refrigeration methods or freezing also even after proccessing with a cure. good luck.

[reinhard1]

it is even more critical with poultry. bacteria grows much faster with poultry so not using a cure is not wise. fresh sausage is no problem without a cure for it is usualy used right after making and cooked in a high temp. otherwise it should be frozen immediatly. good luck.

[TylerS]

Alright. That answered my question. I guess I'll have to freeze it for a day or two just to be safe. Darn. Thought I found a loophole.

[reinhard1]

tyler, if you use a cure you should let the meat stand in the refrigerator covered for at least 24 hrs. this will set the cure and blend the flavors of the seasoning as well. then just do what you normaly do to dry the meat. after that proccess you will be fine in the refrigerator with jerky. there is no need to freeze your batch prior to the drying process.

my rule of thumb, in my house is i keep jerkey in the fridge [usualy in a tupper ware container] in an amount i know i will eat within two weeks. the rest i vacume pac and freeze and take out as needed. sure it can last more than two weeks in the fridge but that is the way i do it.

as far as freezing, that applies to smoking fish for example. you should freeze fish for at least three days before brining and smoking. just to be clear. no need to freeze the meat you are using prior to the jerkey process. if that is what you are asking. slice your meat [ or ground meat if that is what your using for the jerkey gun] mix your seasoning and cure with meat. then put it in the fridge covered for 24 hrs. and then make your jerky. good luck.

[OnAFly]

I use the same rules as RH1, never had a problem. Just make sure you let the cure rest long enough to do it's job and you'll be fine.

[TylerS]

Ooooh k. So that's where I was confused. So it's OK to use fresh-killed bird as jerky, without freezing it first to kill any parasites or bacteria/germs? I'd heart that was an important step with fish, so I naturally assumed it may be the same case with other critters...

As for the curing part, I typically like to keep it curing in the fridge a minimum of 48 hours. The longer, the better!

[hockeybc69]

I have been making jerky for nearly 20 years. Meat of all kinds.

I have used kits that contain cures and I have made with homemade brines.

I have never added cure to my homemade brines.

Out of curiousity I just did a search on jerky cures and found the following things.

Cures are absolutely necessary when temps are at or below 150 degrees are used. If internal temps of 160 can be achieved, cures are not necessary.

If the meat will not be refrigerated for a long period of time, cure is needed. A guy used the example of when he ships jerky that takes 5-10 days for delivery.

Here is an excerpt from one guy:

Meat Curing

I'll try to make this brief, but for an in-depth discussion on meat curing I'd strongly recommend the book Great Sausage Making Recipes and Meat Curing, by Rytek Kutas. Basically, if you're going to dry or smoke something at or below 150° for any length of time, like sausages or jerky, CURE IT! Curing meat just involves adding "curing salts" (like Tenderquick, Instacure, or Prague Powder) to the meat, and giving the "cure" time to work. The normal curing rate is about 1/4" per 24-hours, at refrigerator temperatures. In our case, we're cutting the jerky into approx. 1/4" slices so theoretically it would be "cured" in about 12-hours after adding the cure (remember, the jerky has two sides and cures from outside-in). The "curing salt" consists of a mix of something like 99% salt and sugar, and 1% or less of sodium nitrite and/or sodium nitrate. The main purpose of the cure is to protect against bad bacteria like botulism, which thrives in the barbecueing environment (low cooking temps, no oxygen, warm meat). The cure also has the added effect of changing the color and texture of the meat. Prime examples of cured meats are Ham and Pastrami/Corned Beef. Their normal forms are much different in taste and texture than their pink-shaded cousins.

[eyeguy 54]

I have used Hi Mountain on wild turkey and goose. The directions say at least 4 hours for ground meat and 12 hours per 1/4 inch for sliced. I do ground stuff more than whole and have always done 4 hours minimum but usually overnight so I can start drying in the a.m. Mesquite goose or turkey jerk is dandy.

[reinhard1]

there are some "mythical cures" written about in old and some new books that are not recommended or are dangerous to use when making sausage.

some recipes recommend ascorbic acid, and others use only table salt as the curing agent. these "cures" will not add any protection in preserving the meat or preventing bacterial growth in sausage. the only thing that salt will do is help remove moisture.

saltpeter is an extremely dangerous and deadly poison. if you find a sausage recipe that calls for saltpeter, discard it. saltpeter has no place in making sausage at home. its chemical name is potassium nitrate, and it is no longer allowed in the curing of smoked meats, cooked meats, or sausages, except that trace amounts are still allowed in the making of selected commercial products under close supervision.

i am confident when i make sausage that it was done in sanitary conditions, proper seasonings were used, cures used when needed [and required], and refrigeration of the products are taken care of as quickly as possible.

there are many people here on HSO in the cooking recepie forum who have many years of experience and give excelent advice. preperation of food we probably dont mention as much as we should. maby that would be a great way to open up a new thread. sharing some tips as far as sanitation and storing of foods for example.

think i'll start one and see what happens. good luck.

[hockeybc69]

One thing to note....

This thread was about jerky.

You are referring to sausages now, and I would agree that is a bit of a different beast.

Good idea on a new thread RH. Always learn something new on here for sure.

Thanks.

[reinhard1]

yes this thread is about jerky, should have added that after the word sausage in my post. i guess we can continue this in the other thread and talk about ways others prep their jerky and other things. in between the preps we can bring up some reciepies in between. good luck.

[eyeguy 54]

better start a new thread cuz mark has a tough time multitasking!

[hockeybc69]

Be very careful on Saturday EG. You might get a special homemade brat that has no curing salts and is undercooked to perfection, just for you.

[Gissert]

You should still use a cure, IMO, even if the meat has been frozen.

I buy a lot of my supplies from Eldons Meats online. You can get bulk meat cure, and custom make your own jerky seasonings. I make jerky from fresh meat all the time, just adding the required about of cure to my marinade.

Even if a cure is not called for, I still use it. Botulisim can ruin your day.

[LightningBG]

hmmm. I've never used cure before. Guess I should probably start. I do have a bunch that my buddy gave me from his meat market. Any idea how much to use?

[hockeybc69]

I am stumped as to why to use cure if you cook the meat thoroughly?

You dont use cure on steaks and people eat those plenty red(rare).

I make my jerky, vacuum seal it and freeze it. I am failing to see the need for cure. Especially when you do some research that its pretty clear that if you cook it to 160, you should be fine.

Is adding cure going to hurt anything? Obviously not. But why use it if its not really necessary.

I must be missing something here. I am one lucky dude for making it for 20 years and passing the stuff around like candy to everyone. Nobody I am aware of has ever been hospitalized. LOL

Interesting topic for sure.

[LightningBG]

I am stumped as to why to use cure if you cook the meat thoroughly?

You dont use cure on steaks and people eat those plenty red(rare).

I'm guessing because the steak goes straight from fridge to grill to belly and doesn't have time for bacteria to form, whereas jerky often sits at room temp for days or weeks (unless you eat it right after it thaws from the freezer).

[reinhard1]

i will answere this question in the FOOD PREPERATION AND MORE thread.good luck.