Let's talk jerky, jerks

[Defence21]

So who here makes their own beef or deer jerky? What methods do you use (smoker, grill, oven, dehydrator)? Homemade seasoning/marinade or a store-bought cure kit?

I made a batch of beef jerky just after Thanksgiving and am just a few pieces away from finishing it off. With my time off for Christmas, I'm going to make another batch or two, but I might change up my store-bought cure. I've been using Con-Yeager's jerky curing mix, which is extremely tasty, but also extremely salty, even with the salt cure cut down to 1/4 the amount called for. I love the taste, though, so I'm hesitant to switch to anything else -- even my own mix.

Typically, I use my bottom-of-the-line Brinkman bullet charcoal smoker with some modifications for the entire process, but I've had significant trouble controlling the temperature in it, so the last time I smoked it with charcoal and hickory chips for an hour and a half, then moved it to the oven to dry for another 9-10 hours. The smoker was still a bit too hot, though, and I cooked the meat too much, leaving it a little crispier than I would have liked. I'm contemplating switching to my Weber kettle, which I have much more heat control over -- but using an off-set/indirect heat method, I'm afraid I won't have the space for the amount of jerky I make, plus I typically hang the meat to allow fat to drip off, which I can't do in my more shallow kettle.

Like anything else, making jerky is a trial and error process, which has significantly increased my product, but I also have a long way to go. I would love to hear what some others here do when making jerkey.

[Pavel Bure]

Wild Bill's

[FreeCandy44]

Bardines jerkey is amazing.

[BuckintheLou]

I've used a dehydrator and the oven both. My particular dehydrator isn't worth the cardboard box it came in.
So, I use the oven. Lowest setting, door open at the top. Usually 8-10 hours but depends on thickness of cuts.
Trim all the fat off your venison.
Cutting with the grain requires more chewing.
I only use Morton's Season All and coarse ground black pepper. That's it.

[mac5155]

I make my own. Various ways. I've used dehydrators, smoker, oven. I found the oven actually worked the best. drape the meat over the oven racks, put it on 200 and stick a pencil in the oven door to keep it somewhat open. About 4 hours and it was done. I used a marinade of soy, Worcestershire, garlic, and red pepper flakes with some curing salt. The soy had a good bit of the salt in it though. I've found doing slices, as opposed to thin wide 'sheets' works better as well.

[JS©]

[JS©]

I use a dehydrator and use a mix of salt, garlic, pepper, and liquid smoke.

[dodint]

Bardines jerkey is amazing.

My MIL used to send me this when I was in Afghanistan. Great stuff, we swing through there every time we're in PA and bring a bunch of fun stuff back. It's a meat toy store.

[ulf]

Bardines is good. There's another place around Latrobe-ish, maybe Greensburg, that my uncles go to. They brought some down to camp and it was the best I've ever had. I save a hind quarter from my deer to take down there for jerky over Christmas. Can't wait to get that back

[shmenguin]

Speaking of such things ...

http://www.nicks-sticks.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All natural slim Jim's on steroids. I eat these every day

[Digitalgypsy66]

Yeah, I'm going to have to start making my own. The $9 bag for 6.2 ozs. isn't a great value.

How would make turkey or pork jerky? Same deal as beef, but cut a different way? Oven seems to be the overall consensus winner in this thread.

[FreeCandy44]

Bardines is good. There's another place around Latrobe-ish, maybe Greensburg, that my uncles go to. They brought some down to camp and it was the best I've ever had. I save a hind quarter from my deer to take down there for jerky over Christmas. Can't wait to get that back

Are you talking about Nasers in Pleasant Unity? Very good jerkey as well.

[Eismann]

Speaking of such things ...

http://www.nicks-sticks.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All natural slim Jim's on steroids. I eat these every day

Those look pretty nice. Can you get them around the 'Burgh?

Also: "Oh <bleep>! What's up, jerks?!"

[blackjack68]

Speaking of such things ...

http://www.nicks-sticks.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All natural slim Jim's on steroids. I eat these every day

Those look pretty nice. Can you get them around the 'Burgh?

Also: "Oh <bleep>! What's up, jerks?!"

I just invoked your name of the Friday Night Video Fights thread.

[Eismann]

Speaking of such things ...

http://www.nicks-sticks.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All natural slim Jim's on steroids. I eat these every day

Those look pretty nice. Can you get them around the 'Burgh?

Also: "Oh <bleep>! What's up, jerks?!"

I just invoked your name of the Friday Night Video Fights thread.

[Froggy]

If I remember my Good Eats, I believe Alton got some cheap air filters, put the seasoned meat in there, and strapped that to a box fan for a couple days to make jerky

[dodint]

Bardines is good. There's another place around Latrobe-ish, maybe Greensburg, that my uncles go to. They brought some down to camp and it was the best I've ever had. I save a hind quarter from my deer to take down there for jerky over Christmas. Can't wait to get that back

Are you talking about Nasers in Pleasant Unity? Very good jerkey as well.

Nasers is a store that lives in my consciousness as a place that exists wholly independent of the internet. I've been going there for Ham Salad since before the parking lot had lines. To see it mentioned here is amazing to me for my own personal quirkiness. I think you brought it up one other time, too.

[FreeCandy44]

Yeppers

[shmenguin]

Speaking of such things ...

http://www.nicks-sticks.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All natural slim Jim's on steroids. I eat these every day

Those look pretty nice. Can you get them around the 'Burgh?

Also: "Oh <bleep>! What's up, jerks?!"

Order them online

[ulf]

My grandparents got their Christmas ham from Nasers. So good. Also got pierogies from an old gas station in Latrobe, forget the name. Best ones yet.

And the jerky place I mentioned before is Bundys. Can't wait to get that back, it's tremendous

[FreeCandy44]

Bundys is on RT 22 right by New Alexandria right? Going to have to try it...

[ulf]

Bundys is on RT 22 right by New Alexandria right? Going to have to try it...

No idea, my uncles are dropping off a hind quarter of my deer for me there.. My family is from there but I live an hour north of Pittsburgh. I know some of the area but not a ton

[knives of ice]

I haven't had any better than from Herb Brittner's smokehouse in Evans City/Cranberry