Jrebel's oven jerky

[jrebel]

This topic was brought up in another thread and there were many questions.  I have been really successful with my oven jerky so I thought I would share a step by step process.  I will start from the raw meat and finish with a vaccum sealed bag of some of the best jerky I have ever had.  I will include pictures in my step by step process for those who can not read...LOL. 

First:  Raw meat

I use deer, elk and beef.   It is important to use lean meat that has all fat, tendon, or connective tissue trimmed off.  If the fat is left on it will leave a film in your mouth and make the finished product not near as good.  Tendon and connective tissue will make your jerky really difficult to chew / eat. 

I use a jerky slicer to cut my meat.  With the jerky slicer I will cut my raw meat into slabs 1 to 1 1/4" thick by 4" wide and as long as possible.  If you are not using a jerky slicer then you need to cut your meat approximately 1/8 to 1/4" thick.  usually slab jerky is thinner and strips of jerky is thicker.  If I were going to error, I would error on thinner slices rather than thicker.  If you plan on making lots of jerky....buy a jerky slicer, it will save you tons of time. 

When you are slicing your jerky it is way easier if the meat is really cold, almost frozen.  Take your raw meat and place it in the freezer for 2-4 hours before slicing.  It will allow for more consistant cuts, which in turn will allow all the jerky to cook more evenly. 

Attached to this post is my Raw meat after I took it out of the freezer, my jerky slicer and the meat as it is being sliced. 

[jrebel]

Now that your meat is cut it is time to move on to the seasoning / marinade / brine (call it what you want, I call it seasoning). 

I use a product by Hi Mountain Seasoning.  They make some of the best jerky and sausage flavors ever.  My two favorite jerky seasoning are;  1.  Sweet and spicy 2.  Smokey BBQ.  They also make a powder smoke that I will be using for the first time on this batch of jerky.  It gets great reviews and smells wonderful (update on taste to come in a few days). 

You can use whatever you want to season your meat.  It can be prepackaged like Hi Mountains or you can use what you have in the cupboard.  I like the pre packaged because the flavors have been perfected and it is consistant.   Once you find one you like you can replicate the recipe every time. 

Now, just a suggestion for any prepackaged seasoning....use less meat that they say the package will season.  For instance.  I will use the entire package of seasoning (Hi Mountain Seasoning) on 10 lbs of meat.  It says it will season 15 lbs of meat but I find that is not the case for my liking.  This has held true for Cabela's seasonings as well.   

I buy my seasoning locally in Wenatchee at two different retailers.  You can also order it on line. 

So; your meat is cut and the seasoning is picked out.   Mix the seasoning with your meat and stir (I use my hands) until you cannot stir anymore.  Make sure you get all the meat covered by the seasoning.  Cover with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator.  It is a must to let this meat sit and soak in all that goodness for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.  During this time I will stir the meat a couple more times to ensure complete coverage. 

[jrebel]

Next post will be Tuesday morning when I put it in the oven.  I will show my rack system, temperature settings and cook times.  I will show you how to tell when the jerky is done and I will show you the finished product vacuum sealed. 

Feel free to ask question before then....

Thanks

Johnny

[Kc_Kracker]

  very nice, i love that machine, omg Im gonna dream about it 

[deerhunter_98520]

Just let me know when your ready for my address so you can send me some 

[Cap.Silver]

I shouldn't have read this post  :bash:I got all excited and hungry and wanting some jerky ,but the stuff I made last year isn't edible  so keep going and let us know the end of this .I'm PM the address where you have to send your jerky to be entered into the judging contest -all of it ,we have a lot of judges 

[carpsniperg2]

Looks like you will have some good eats.

[huntingfool7]

I want to see the rack

[jrebel]

Today is the day to cook the jerky!!

I use a commercial wrack system that I bought at Cabelas.  It comes with three levels and for an additional fee you can buy a set of two more.  Three seems to fit in my oven well so I will just stay with that.  These racks have a non stick coating so it is not necessary to use Pam, oil, etc.  Just lay the meat on the wracks and leave a little bit of room between each piece so they dry evenly. 

I set my oven at 170 (lowest it will go).  I would not go less than 150 (I think most ovens will not go below 150 anyways. 

Place the jerky in the oven and leave it alone.  I will check my jerky at the 4 hour mark (knowing it is not going to be done), so I can judge when to check it next.  Usually I will check it every hour from then on till it is done.  The next post will be the jerky as I check it and test for doneness.   

[kckrawler]

Man, thanks for this writeup  I've got 2 deer that I'm going to try making into jerky this year.

One question, does it make a difference to cut the jerky with or against the grain?

[jrebel]

Man, thanks for this writeup  I've got 2 deer that I'm going to try making into jerky this year.

One question, does it make a difference to cut the jerky with or against the grain?

For the most part I don't think it matters.  Beings that I use the manual jerky slicer I cut my meat whatever way will give me the longest slices of meat (just makes everything easier).  I have cut it both ways and both are easy to eat and turn out great.  I also take into account how to utilize each chunk of meat so that I have very little waist. 

[jrebel]

Oh Yeah!!!  I forgot to tell the the second best part to making jerky (best part is definitely eating it  )...it makes your house smell wonderful!! 

For some reason I can't controll my salivary glands and have already wet down two shirts with uncontrolled drool.   Guess I am going to have to put a bib 

[iRem]

I'm salivating just reading and looking at the pics!

[deerhunter_98520]

Im gonna have to get me one of them racks

[jrebel]

Well this batch took exactly 8 hours.  Kinda interesting how some will take 8 hours and some will take 6 hours....very, very seldom will they ever need more than 8 hours (at least that is my experience).  If I were to error on the side of over done vs underdone, I would error on the side of underdone.  I personally don't care for jerky that is too dry. 

As you look at the pictures pay close attention to the fracture point when the jerky is bent.  If it does not fracture it is underdone, if it breaks completely in half it is overdone If it fractures without breaking in half it is perfect.  When you do the fracture test you should be using room temperature jerky (take a piece out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before doing the fracture test). 

Note:  Each piece of jerky will have thinner and thicker parts.  Pick a medium piece to try the fracture test. 

 
Picture #1 is of the jerky at the 4 hour mark.  Note the color, it is still pink / red on the underbelly and it bends very easily.  Definitely not done. 

Picture #2 is of the perfect fracture.  Note it did not flex to a 90 degree without fracture and it also did not break in half...perfect!!

Picture #3 illustrates that is is perfectly OK to eat the jerky while it is cooking.  When you take a piece out of the oven to fracture test it....I highly rec comend you do not place back in the oven if underdone.  Instead just eat it and test for flavor...Ymmmm!!

Picture #4 is the pile of final product.  notice the dark brown to blackish color the jerky has.  This is good and red / pink is bad.