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