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[Rydes84]

Good Morning,

I am looking for a simple beef jerky recipe. I have never attempted making it on my own before and wanted to see what the group had for tips and thoughts. I have the stock recipe book that came with my Traeger but figured this is a much better source of information!

Thanks in advance,

[Kristin Meredith]

In the recipe section under beef are 5 beef jerky recipes.  Have you looked at those?

[Rydes84]

Hi Kristin,

I have looked at those recipes but all seem to have just be ingredients and "more details to come." I should fix my question to "how do I" I'm looking more for not only ingredients but process cut, marinade, best cooking practices etc.

If i'm missing that in the recipes I apologize.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Hi Kristin,

I have looked at those recipes but all seem to have just be ingredients and "more details to come." To expand my question im looking more for not only ingredients but process cut, marinade, best cooking practices etc.

If i'm missing that in the recipes I apologize.

I have used beef knuckle, london broil, top round, bottom round, and eye of round.  You want to trim all of that fat off of the exterior if possible.  The fat is what ends up creating mold quicker on the jerky after it is finished.

Cut meat across the grain if you want more tender jerky.  Cut into 1/4"-3/8" thick pieces.  I have made them as wide as the roast or as narrow as an inch or so.

If you are just starting out, I would recommend using Cabela's or Hi Mountain pre-made spice and cure packets to make your marinade.  It is usually best to marinade overnight.

I smoked them at 160°-180° on the pellet grill for 3-4 hours.  You could use a dehydrator at 160°.  Or you could try your oven at 160°-180°.

If you are going to eat it all in a few days, then a cure is not such a big need.  If you intend to keep it for longer than that, I would use a cure and refrigerate and/or freeze (ideally in cryovac).

Google "jerkyholic" and you will find further information on that website.

What other information would be useful for you?

[Kristin Meredith]

Bar-B-Lew, you have so much expertise in jerky. We need to get you to do a tutorial on jerky under the "Here's How I Cook..." section.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Bar-B-Lew, you have so much expertise in jerky. We need to get you to do a tutorial on jerky under the "Here's How I Cook..." section.

Haha...I have 5 batches of jerky making under my belt, but it was probably over 100 pounds.  Lotta folks on here with more experience than me that should step up and share their work more often.  I will do what I can the next time I make it in the Spring.

[Rydes84]

Hi Kristin,

I have looked at those recipes but all seem to have just be ingredients and "more details to come." To expand my question im looking more for not only ingredients but process cut, marinade, best cooking practices etc.

If i'm missing that in the recipes I apologize.

I have used beef knuckle, london broil, top round, bottom round, and eye of round.  You want to trim all of that fat off of the exterior if possible.  The fat is what ends up creating mold quicker on the jerky after it is finished.

Cut meat across the grain if you want more tender jerky.  Cut into 1/4"-3/8" thick pieces.  I have made them as wide as the roast or as narrow as an inch or so.

If you are just starting out, I would recommend using Cabela's or Hi Mountain pre-made spice and cure packets to make your marinade.  It is usually best to marinade overnight.

I smoked them at 160°-180° on the pellet grill for 3-4 hours.  You could use a dehydrator at 160°.  Or you could try your oven at 160°-180°.

If you are going to eat it all in a few days, then a cure is not such a big need.  If you intend to keep it for longer than that, I would use a cure and refrigerate and/or freeze (ideally in cryovac).

Google "jerkyholic" and you will find further information on that website.

What other information would be useful for you?

Thanks Bar-B-Lew this is exactly what I am looking for. I want to start making my own with the plan of vac sealing and freezing batches for future eating. I will check out the website and the cure. Thank you!

[Free Mr. Tony]

One simple one I've done alot lately is:

10 oz veri veri teriyaki
1/2 an onion chopped
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pound meat (I typically double the recipe)

Buzz all the marinade ingredients in a blender. Pour over thinly sliced meat. Deli slicer works best. Cut thin and even otherwise. Let it marinate for a day or so, then smoke or dry it. Jerky typically will bend and crack when done, but shouldn't snap in half.

[LowSlowJoe]

My typical jerky marinade is something like... 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup hot pepper water, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce, maybe a tablespoon of red wine, or possibly balsamic vinegar... possibly some black pepper in the mix too...  How much jerky this covers... well, probably a gallon sized zip-lock bag full, which might be 4 pounds?? I don't like to use any more liquid then I have to.

 Hot pepper water is made by boiling hot peppers in water, letting it cool...  How hot it is, depends on how many peppers you put in, or what kind...  and of course how hot you want it , is up to you.  Be careful when making hot pepper water, it can... really fill your house full of hot pepper fumes... and if you happen to inhale a whole bunch of those fumes up close,  you might regret it.

  I don't usually use cure in my jerky mix... but I'm thinking about starting to do it again. ( I used to do it all the time , years ago ).   I don't think there's very much risk from a food safety perspective, as long as you keep your smoking temperature up to about 160F minimum.  I personally won't really worry even if my temperature were to stay as low as 140F for a hour or two in the beginning, but eventually I would like it up to around 160F... if it goes up to 180F I'd be trying to find a way to get the temperature to drop a little, cause I don't really want to cook my jerky too much.

   I generally do 3/8" to 1/2" thick , because I can make more jerky with less effort when it's thicker...  As far as I know, there's little need to marinate for more than 24 hours, but 48 hours wouldn't hurt anything... even 12 hours would be enough, if it was on the thinner side.

[Rydes84]

My typical jerky marinade is something like... 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup hot pepper water, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce, maybe a tablespoon of red wine, or possibly balsamic vinegar... possibly some black pepper in the mix too...  How much jerky this covers... well, probably a gallon sized zip-lock bag full, which might be 4 pounds?? I don't like to use any more liquid then I have to.

 Hot pepper water is made by boiling hot peppers in water, letting it cool...  How hot it is, depends on how many peppers you put in, or what kind...  and of course how hot you want it , is up to you.  Be careful when making hot pepper water, it can... really fill your house full of hot pepper fumes... and if you happen to inhale a whole bunch of those fumes up close,  you might regret it.

  I don't usually use cure in my jerky mix... but I'm thinking about starting to do it again. ( I used to do it all the time , years ago ).   I don't think there's very much risk from a food safety perspective, as long as you keep your smoking temperature up to about 160F minimum.  I personally won't really worry even if my temperature were to stay as low as 140F for a hour or two in the beginning, but eventually I would like it up to around 160F... if it goes up to 180F I'd be trying to find a way to get the temperature to drop a little, cause I don't really want to cook my jerky too much.

   I generally do 3/8" to 1/2" thick , because I can make more jerky with less effort when it's thicker...  As far as I know, there's little need to marinate for more than 24 hours, but 48 hours wouldn't hurt anything... even 12 hours would be enough, if it was on the thinner side.

If the temp fluctuates as you smoke is there a to hot "no return temp" or if it stays 160-190 for the entire time your good?

[LowSlowJoe]

If the temp fluctuates as you smoke is there a to hot "no return temp" or if it stays 160-190 for the entire time your good?

I'd personally rather see 150F to 170F, but in general fluctuations aren't a big issue... I just don't like ot see them go above 180F, however I know that can be hard to do on many pellet grills . I would say as long as it doesn't stay above 180F for too long, that would be fine.

[Bar-B-Lew]

It will certainly take less time the higher the temp.  And, from what I have seen in my limited experience, 10° makes a big difference so going from 170° to 180° or 180° to 190° will cut the time pretty dramatically.

[LowSlowJoe]

Yup... for sure time will be reduced the higher the temperature is...  especially if the cuts are thin.

[Ssteppe]

(Measurements below are for about 2.5-3.5 lbs of meat...I've used either the top or bottom round roasts and sliced fairly thin):
(flank steak if on sale)

2 cups teriyaki marinade
2 Tbl brown sugar
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp paprika (smoked or sweet)
1 Tbl Tabasco or hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes 

Mix well, add meat and keep it in the fridge at least 10-12 hours (overnight is fine).

I smoke at the lowest my grill will go, 180 F for about 2-4 hours, usually with Hickory. I pull off as they dry and stiffen to my liking, not necessarily all at the same time.

[Brushpopper]

I've been wanting to make some too and this answers many questions.  Gotta love this website!!