novice jerky chef
 

i just made my first batch of deer jerky yesterday and was wondering what you guys use to season the meat. This is what i did and how i seasoned the meat.

i took a pack of hind quarters which were prepared for minute steaks (cube steak) and cut them into 1'4 inch strips. I thought this meat would make a more tender jerky.

i seasoned the meat with pepper, a tiny bit of salt, and soaked it in Dales steak seasoning for about 10 minutes.

dehydrated it for exactly 5 hrs.

The jerky cook time was perfect for my taste. It was, of course, a little too "dalesy", but i love that stuff so it is good by me.

It tastes like it could be missing a little something...any suggestions on how ya'll fix up your jerky. I'd love to try something new.

RE: novice jerky chef
 

I use some stufffrom the company that made my dehydrator but if you Google that question you'll have 100's of recipes.

RE: novice jerky chef
 

Call me crazy but I use one of my deer a seasons' backstraps for jerky.
It's much tender meat.

Here's the recipe:

3lbs meat (I slice the straps into 1/4" strips)
1/3C Worcestershire Sauce
1/4C Soy Sauce
1tsp Salt
1tsp onion powder
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp black pepper
1tsp white pepper
3tsp (crushed pepper flakes) - I use the the ones from my home grown cayenne peppers (dried) I like it hot.
Chop up a couple fresh jalapenos and throw it in (seeds an all).

Marinate at the very MINIMUM 12hrs - I usually go 24hrs.
Dehydrate at 180-200 degrees 6-8hrs rotating bottom rack to top half way through.
I like lower better - just takes longer.

Turns out great every time.
You can always turn down the heat by not putting in the jalapenos and not as much crushed red pepper.

RE: novice jerky chef
 

I use Dales also but I mix half Dales and half water with a little liquid smoke. Generally I marinate over night then put pepper corn on both sides of the meat . . . .no salt as the Dales is salty aplenty.
It must be good as I send it all over the states and overseas to servicemen. If I want a stash for myself I have to hide it. LOL.

RE: novice jerky chef
 

I use 1/2 moore's mixxed with 1/4 beer and 1/4 milk. It is less salty than dale's. I soak overnight The milk pulls the edge off the gamey taste. A few dashes of tabasco, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid smoke and black pepper. I just use a high power fan up to a ss box with ss 1/4" screen 1" between racks for 10-12 hours. No heat. It is done outside when it is above freezing. It is like the packaged jerky at the store instead of the dried out stuff I have tried that people have made. The heat is what makes it hard and brittle not the drying. I cut at a 45 to the grain like you would a flank steak for the strips. Usually don't really focus on the cut of meat. I make 2 or 300 lbs a year for friends. They just have to keep me in moore's marinade and deer.

RE: novice jerky chef
 

11/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
11/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/3 cup liquid smoke
3T black pepper
3T onion powder
11/2t garlic salt
11/2t season salt

We add just enough meat so that the liquid is obsorbed. We always letit soak for three days and mix it two or three times a day to make sure all the meat is seasoned. Its the best jerky ive ever had.