Jerky knife and board?

[BLACKJACK]

Has anyone ever tried one of those jerky knife/board combos? They sell them at big sporting good stores. Its a special cutting board that has a cutout that is meant to be for the thickness of the jerky, then you put your chunk of meat in and slice it with the sharp knife that comes with it. Has anyone ever bought one and used it? Does it work? Normally when I'm making jerky from a roast, I cut it with a knife and cutting board, but then it gets tough to make the slices even.

[J Smith]

I have'nt seen one but what I do is put the meat in the freezer until it firms up then I cut it. It only takes about 15 extra minutes and its alot easier. Hope this helps.

J.S.

[BLACKJACK]

Bump. Hasn't anybody tried one of those jerky knife/board combos?

J, I have tried the freezer trick, it works ok, but sometimes you still end up with real thin strips or thicker strips, I'm looking for some uniformity on the strips. Sometimes, if I'm buying some beef roast to make into jerky, I have the butcher cut it on their saw, that makes nice strips, then all you have to do is cut out the fat and cut it to size.

[Mike89]

Depending on how much the knife and board costs would be my thoughts. You can buy a very nice meat slicer (electric) that works very well to. then you can set the thickness and go. Plus you can use for other projects too. Mike

[BLACKJACK]

Mike, I thought about one of those meat slicers too, just never had experience with one, debating whether they'd be worth the +$100.

[husker4u9899]

Guys

Don't know about the kinife/board, but your posts sound like you may be using fresh deer meat to make your jerky. I may be wrong on this, and if corrected will appreciate that also, but I have always been told that deer meat MUST be frozen for at least 72 hours before you process for jerky or what ever. It takes that amount time to kill all the bacteria in the meat. The dehydrator won't kill the bacteria.

[Hotspotter]

Not sure about the 72 hours thing.

What I do know, is that we used a very old electric meat slicer this year when processing the meat. Once you get the right thickness down, you slice it all up, then wrap and freeze in desired amounts. Then, when you marinade, just throw the whole frozen chunk in there with marinade overnight, and mix in the morning. Come back that night and dehydrate away!

Much, much easier than slicing the frozen chunk of roast by hand with a knife. Usually you have some help if you do it with all the rest of the processing then too.

It's worked well for us so far, and nobody has gotten sick yet. My brother did it for snow-goose as well. Worked like a charm.

Joel

[Mike89]

All I know is using the slicer works. As for freezing the meat for 72 hours is a new one on me. (pork used to be) I'm only a food inspector by trade but it's one thing I've not heard before. If you have treated the deer properly ( gutting, cleaning & boning) there should be no problem. I make jerky, cured ham and all smoked products from my deer. Also burger. Mike

[Phred52]

I can't agree with Mike89 more!! I bought a slicer last July and I've probably used it 40+ times!! I use it for onions at least every other week, I make pork roasts on the grill and slice it into sandwich slices or pork steaks, or both! Carrots, celery, peppers, Brick cheese, list goes on. I buy a whole slab of bacon and slice it like I want it. The more you use it, the more uses you find for it! Can't imagine being without it now!! One tip if you decide to buy one, Get one with a metal slide (not plastic). I got mine at Fleet/Farm for just over a bill. Best $ I've spent in a good while. Phred52

[BLACKJACK]

I've been looking in the Cabelas catalog at those electric slicers. Was wondering how hard they would be to clean up? How about new blades or sharpening blades, how hard it that? They had one for $99, was wondering if that would be ok or should a person go for a more deluxe model? The metal slide advice sounds good.

I'm heading out today to pick up a beef roast for jerky, heading to Red in a couple of weeks and need to make some travel rations.

That freezing venison for 72 hours is an old wives tale. The backstraps on our deer never make it to the freezer and we haven't gotten sick yet.

[BLACKJACK]

jnelson, I like your idea about just slicing and freezing as you process your deer, just make the mess one time and then you have packages of cut jerky meat for use at your leisure.

[Phred52]

Blackjack, The ones I looked at appeared pretty simple to dismantle and clean. As far as sharpening, I haven't attempted to cut any bone, but I have cut frozen meat, Just worked slow. Haven't noticed any degradition in the cutting, so far. I checked right away, to see how available the blades are, I found I could order right off the net. Also, a little time with a stone should replace the factory edge pretty quickly, if needed. Not sure just what the deluxe model entails, IMO, If you're gonna use it ALOT, and if the deluxe model makes it more user friendly, go for it. I bought the Waring Pro model @ FF, has what I wanted (and use) so... It keeps me happy. If you're gonna be slicing raw meat, I'd suggest you de-bone it, partially freeze it (to semi-solidify it)and slice away. I've found that once you start, if you're organized, you get done really quick. Most of your time is spent with prep work. Let me know what you decide. If you have any more questions, shout back. Phred52

[bigdog]

FF had a slicer in this weeks ad for $50.00 if I remember right. No idea on its features.

[Hotspotter]

Blackjack:

Probably the best part, is that you still have all the help around and it just goes fast. I prepare roasts for cutting by squaring them up and removing as much exterior "silver" and grissle as possible, while one brother feeds/slices, and the other brother catches/packages. We plowed through about 50lbs of roasts in 1/2 hour.....for everything.

And like you said....make the mess once, then be done with it.

Joel