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[Bar-B-Lew]

2# each of Jamaican Jerk and Mango Chipotle marinaded London Broil probably making into jerky on Thursday

[BigDave83]

are you doing small amount to find a flavor you like or is that just what you do?

[Bar-B-Lew]

are you doing small amount to find a flavor you like or is that just what you do?

I'm the kinda guy that likes to experiment.  I found these at the grocery store on sale and decided to give them a try.  I am probably making about 10-12 flavors Thursday thru Sunday.

[Ralphie]

I’ve never tasted homemade beef jerky. Can someone describe the taste, texture, etc  to store bought jerky? 

[Bar-B-Lew]

I’ve never tasted homemade beef jerky. Can someone describe the taste, texture, etc  to store bought jerky?

I'm not even sure I can answer that with specifics.  But, you can control how it is cut (length, width, thickness), more flavor options as they are unlimited to what you are willing to experiment with, to some degree you can control the texture based on how much you dry the meat, etc.

[Free Mr. Tony]

are you doing small amount to find a flavor you like or is that just what you do?

I'm the kinda guy that likes to experiment.  I found these at the grocery store on sale and decided to give them a try.  I am probably making about 10-12 flavors Thursday thru Sunday.

I like to experiment as well. What I've found frustrating with jerky is that super flavorful marinades don't always turn out good jerky. It's a time consuming process so the flops are more disappointing.

For whatever reason sometimes ill make a marinade that is amazing, and the jerky ends up like cardboard flavor. Not often, but more than with other food preparation.

[Free Mr. Tony]

I’ve never tasted homemade beef jerky. Can someone describe the taste, texture, etc  to store bought jerky?

I don't eat commerical jerky often so not a ton of experience, but I have compared before. It seems most of the packaged jerky I've bought is sliced thicker than I like, and most often with the grain of the meat. That makes for a very chewy experience. I like mine on the thinner side, and against the grain.

Packaged jerky is very rarely smoked. It may have smoke flavor, but you get a much more natural smoke flavor on the pellet grill.

Lastly, alot of packaged jerky has a strange tackiness to it. Depending on the marinade or spice mixture, homemade does not have as much of that feel.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I made some teriyaki jerky for a relative using a store bought marinade and I thought it wasn't very good.  He texted me raving about how good it was.  My buddy and I do have one recipe that we did like so that is getting made this week too.  Hopefully, we find a few more.  I would like to have about 5 good recipes we like so we can always make different flavored batches when we make jerky.  It will take us a bit to get there but that is part of the fun.

I agree with what FMT said about the store bought jerky too.  I like the added layer of flavor that real smoke adds to the jerky which is why I prefer not to use the dehydrator for 100% of the cook.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Jamaican Jerk


Mango Chipotle

[Ralphie]

Wow that looks good!  What is the shelf life for this type of homemade jerky?  Need refrigeration? 

[Bar-B-Lew]

Wow that looks good!  What is the shelf life for this type of homemade jerky?  Need refrigeration?

It depends on if you add a cure.  That supposedly gives it added life.

If I don't plan on eating it in a day or so, it definitely goes in the fridge.  If I don't plan on eating it in a week or so, it goes in the freezer.

It is primarily any pieces of fat left on the meat before drying that begins to turn to mold that then gets to the meat.

In the freezer with a cure and vac seal, I would say 6-12 months.