Thread: Badly need help

I make a lot of posts on here, the majority of which are just bullshit but I have a serious plea this time that I need help with!!!

I'm an avid jerky lover and recently maker; and we have just begun talks of a jerky contest at work which I am hell bent on winning!
My jerky always has a nice flavour (says the critics) but I just can't seem to get it as "juicy" as the stuff that you buy from a shop.
I know the first thing that would come to mind would be "don't dry it for so long" but it doesn't seem to be that as it looks about the same level of "cooked" as mine. Just can't figure it out. I use a dehydrator too if that helps generally set on around 70 degrees.

My American Steakhouse blend seems to be my crowd-pleaser and I reckon it could be the one to get me over the line, although I have 4 new flavours I have bought from a jerky shop that could rival it (especially the one called hunters blend). So far I have only done it on beef and once I do venison (which thanks to a successful weekend with the lads) later this week I'm worried it'll be even drier.

Any ideas or suggestions?

At the moment I make:

Terriyaki,
Soy, honey and chilli,
as well as my American steak house blend

but later this week I'm expecting my shipment of:
Hunters Blend,
Pepperoni,
Inferno,
pepper, and
Sweet and spicy.

Any other flavours ideas?


If you can't tell at my work the men all take cooking and eating very serious so it is quite the prestigious honour to be crowned jerky champion!!! haha

Cheers in advance,

BH

All the best BH. We can be your critics, send some over

What cut are you using to make it? Also perhaps too much salt? Usually it's one of the two when it comes out overdried.
I like mine with a bit of a bourbon kick and plenty of smokeyness, liquid smoke is a godsend for such a venture.

If you're not already try using flank steak, it's pretty much ideal for jerky.

Good luck mate!

BH - there was a whole thread on jerky here only a wee while ago

Originally Posted by Angus_A

What cut are you using to make it? Also perhaps too much salt? Usually it's one of the two when it comes out overdried.
I like mine with a bit of a bourbon kick and plenty of smokeyness, liquid smoke is a godsend for such a venture.

If you're not already try using flank steak, it's pretty much ideal for jerky.

Good luck mate!

Was praying to the jerky gods you would come to the rescue haha

Been using round, which I thought would've been pretty good but I'll give anything a go.
Might go a bit lighter on the salt for the next one.
I've got a bottle of Jack at home so I might whack a bit of that in and see how it goes! I've seen the liquid smoke and almost bought some the other day just wasn't sure which stuff was good/bad/better/worse.

Cheers,

BH

You can get it off trademe in pouches for about 10 bucks, lasts forever.

Originally Posted by Angus_A

You can get it off trademe in pouches for about 10 bucks, lasts forever.

I was looking at mistygully.com.au they have a few different sorts and I was just going to find out which of them were worth a shot. Could go the old trade me but dunno how I'd go getting it here.

Tonight is going to be my first attempt at "Tennessee love" - my Jack Daniels infused jerky haha see how she goes

Happy to be a test dummy for you Jack. Send a crate of jerky my way and I will post an opinion

In my limited experience slightly thicker slices gives a moist soft center(for the first few days at least) and to help make those thicker bits still tender, instead of cutting straight with the grain cut slightly on an angle to shorten the fibers but not straight across like steak or it will fall to bits.

Typically they are made with hickory or applewood, the ones on trademe are almost always hickory. Avoid oak.

Woops! forgot you're in aus :p sorry! Could possibly send you some from my own supply, i made a bunch with manuka and hickory.

more fat in the meat?
I had some really over cooked steak in korea that was still as juicy and soft as hell because of the intermuscular fat that was on it, compaired to NZ grass fed beef it was a complete different product.
best of luck

Originally Posted by Angus_A

Typically they are made with hickory or applewood, the ones on trademe are almost always hickory. Avoid oak.

Woops! forgot you're in aus :p sorry! Could possibly send you some from my own supply, i made a bunch with manuka and hickory.

Hmm I might try the hickory I reckon, will try get it with my next shipment I do.
haha don't worry mate just don't hold it against me! How do you make your own liquid smoke?

Bill - You can't put fat in jerky as it makes it go rancid very quick; that marbling does make cracking meat though!


Actually Angus while I have you here I do have a far related question, I know it's bad but is there a tolerable amount?
I took this pic last night while working on it (for money reasons I grabbed round again last night but pay comes in today ), I took off most visible meat but was left with this sort of thing. I took to it with scissors but is it really necessary or am I going over the top?



My comp shit itself and deleted the other image but you get the idea!

It's all good stuff bro, there's some good marbling in that. If it's usable, use it

To make liquid smoke i use a terracotta outdoor fireplace with a chimney that i got at a hardware store, i put a bundt pan on top of the chimney with a bowl on top of it facing down to trap all the smoke, i add some well soaked woodchips to the fireplace, being heated with a crappy electric fry pan and just leave it. You get about a cups worth after a few hours and a few loads.