Homemade Beef Jerky

So far I've mostly only used Bottom Round Roast for all my jerky, one time I used Top Round Roast. This week a local grocery store is selling London Broil for $2.99 a pound and also Top Round Roast for $3.99.

Should I save a little money and go for the London Broil (never used before) or just pay a little extra and go for Top Round Roast? I sell it at work so keeping my margins small is better, even if it's just a few bucks.

 

I haven't used London broil but my first few batches I used a skirt flank which turned out pretty well. I like bottom round too. Seems to be cheaper than most other stuff around here yoo

 

Since this thread started I've been making A LOT of jerky, so much that I have a little side business at work selling it. I'm currently at 3 dehydrators, here's the three I'm running.

$87 Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008H2OEKK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8
This was my first one I got, awesome for starting out. I have 12 trays for it.

$176 Excalibur 2900ECB Electric Food Dehydrator Machine with Adjustable Thermostat, Accurate Temperature Control and Fast Drying, 400 W, 9 Trays, Black

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NZPP6U/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8
This is the second one I picked up from Craigslist. I do Like the Presto one a bit more than this (less rotating trays) but I like the extra capacity it can hold.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Commercial-Food-Dehydrators/714059.uts
My latest purchase from Craigslist, I was talking to someone about the 160l one they were selling but they disappeared and I had to settle with the 80l one from a different seller. This thing is a beast!


Between the 3 dehydrators I can dehydrate about 60 pounds of meat, with a final product of around 25-27 pounds of Jerky.

 

NICE! I am making some right now, and currently in the market for a new dehydrator (my Ronco one is not cutting it, the trays are literally falling apart). I didn't even think to check CL!

 

Craigslist is pretty hit or miss. Some weeks there is nothing on there at all, other weeks there a bunch on there. haha

 

Yeah, found a Cabella's 160l for $250...Trying to convince myself that I REALLY need it. Also a couple Excaliburs on there, might just go that route.

 

You need that Cabella's 160l, at $250 it's a good price. The lady I was talking to about the 160l for $250 disappeared on me, and instead I had to buy the 80l for $235

 

I cook my jerky in the oven, not on a dehydrator. I'd love to pick one up eventually to use, but the oven works for now so I'm not in any hurry.

Use london broil and just lay it across the racks.

My go to marinade:
1 large bottle Worcestershire sauce
1 large bottle of soy sauce
a couple splashes of liquid smoke
garlic powder
onion powder
cracked pepper
some crushed red peppers, with the seeds

marinate for 3 days, sometimes 4 depending on my workload that week.

 

Nice! I've tried marinating for 1 day before (even 2 days) and I feel like anything less than 3 days just doesn't turn out as flavorful

 

I have used London Broil more than a few times. I think it is very good for jerky.

 

sounds like my recipe I posted on here a while back only you left out the hot sauce and brown sugar

 

Next time I make some (had just made some on Friday), I'm going to try to use reduced sodium soy sauce and see how it affects it.

Want to find a good teriyaki recipe too.

 

I thought about that too, wondering if it effects the curing/preservation process. I always use low sodium soy sauce for everything else and don't taste a difference. Let us know how it turns out.

 

Hey! A jerky thread! Me likes some good Jerky.

I have an old Masterbuilt MES30, the old analog one, my first smoker. I run my jerky in it at about 100f with a pellet tube smoker (seen in the pic at the bottom, Owens BBQ) for 4 hours then move it indoors to the round dehydrator that many of you folks have I'm sure, it's about 100f also as it drys. I always use Cure#1 (Prague powder #1) if I make my own blend, or sometimes a store bought mix. You should dry it at low temps and use cure for better texture. I go with Choice top round, have it sliced/trimmed at the butcher at a bit under 1/4". About #24 on their slicer. Low temps with the right cure, even TQ makes it perfect. Gotta use cure at low temps, salt ain't 'nuff to prevent nasties. Nasties can put your friends in a foul mood.

Check out my hanging method. Since this old dog is only used for cold smoking I added a chimney on top and a 92 mm PC fan on the lower back with speed control to get the moisture out. The 4 hours of cherry and hickory really makes it the bomb. Then inside to finish and able to check each bit every hour.

I have about 5 lbs of meat to start and end up with about 2.5ish lbs. Better tasting and much cheaper than store bought.

 

Like to add to this great bit of info. Some pieces aren't as dry as others. What I do is put all the pieces in a bowl to equalize overnight in the fridge once I'm happy with all of the bits. That think is a dryer. Very low humidity. That's usually about 10-12 hours after I started. Not a quick thing for sure.. The dry bits stay the same, the more wet bits loose some moisture and it's slow drying in the fridge. Another trick is to move the pieces around on the dehydrator and pull as they are done ever hour or so. Just toss dried bits into a bowl and check again in an hour to see what bits are done.

 

Its better if you make it in the oven or an electric smoker...unless your dehydrator goes up past the 160 degree mark...I use my electric smoker with great success...for the oven just set it at 200 with the door cracked open enough to let the humidity out and cook for 2-3hours...like others said dont OVER cook it or you have dog treats

 

lots of variables but just make sure the meat temp gets over 160. But typically in the electric smoker or oven I go 1.5-2hours minimum.

 

It's better when you use the right amount of cure and you don't go over 110f. Then it's real jerky. Real jerky isn't cooked. It's dried.

 

Preferences I guess...the stuff I make is ground venison/elk, I like it tender not like shoe leather

 

Stick jerky is pretty good stuff also! I never made it, no grinder yet....