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Need help with some ground venison jerky I am making.

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    Need help with some ground venison jerky I am making.

    So - I need help with this.

    I added in all the ingredients - mixed lightly to distribute and ran it through my grinder for a second pass.

    Im worried it isn't mixed enough. Everything looks uniform but when you are messing with cure things get a bit more serious.

    Do you think lightly mixing with my hands and running through the grinder is enough to distribute?

    Just need reassurance I guess.. This isn't my first time - but the first set was under flavoured and so this one i added a bit more spice and just want to make sure im doing ok?

    #2
    I get flavor from curing in a marinating before drying longer than you would think you should, and flip it a lot.

    I've had to add binders to get that classic 'jerky' feel with ground game, and I put the strips (not tubers like Slim Jim or like making Goose jerky) between parchment paper and hammer to the thickness (or really, the thinness) I want with a standard meat-tenderizing hammer.

    So yes and no - mixing with your hands is fine and enough, but it's the curing and the prep before dehydrating that delivers what I'm looking for. I think that once the dehydration reduces the mix to jerky, you can't tell about the distribution at all, the reduction takes care of that.

    How long are you drying? I typically go 14 hours on full electric power with 'cold' mix from the fridge before I get what I want.

    Are you using a nitrite enhanced salt for preservation? I don't, and realize that my jerky is only good for < 2 weeks. I'm not sure if a curing salt changes the chemistry of the process.

    I can make my dog do anything once I have jerky, so it never has to last longer than two weeks anyway. I make ~ 3 lbs a month from varying sources.

    Comment


    • Keltonfoss
      Keltonfoss commented
      Editing a comment
      Yes- I use pink salt, im not terribly worried about preservatives and its cheap enough to not matter. The rest of my reply is below.

    #3
    so started running huge batches - 30-40 lbs worth at a time. I let the ground jerky sit with the mix in overnight to distribute the salt - then I load it up in a custom system i built for my GMG. I actually do what commercial jerky outfits do - Heat it past 140 by running my GMG at 325 - then bring the temp down to 150 and let it dry until ive got a nice mahogany color and some bend - but the fibers are dry. I used to do it in my oven this same way with 5-10lbs. Then its in 1 lb packages - vacuum sealed - and stored in the freezer. It tends to last my family about 3 months if I ration it. 1 month otherwise. Currently I use Hi-country seasonings as they are made about 60 miles from my house, but would eventually like to start making my own.

    Comment


      #4
      That's pretty awesome - big batches. I do make my own slew and rubs. I'm working on it to hit the sweet spot for my wife (that didn't come out right); she's more particular than I am regarding taste. So I would say that although I'm satisfied with the rub, it's still a work in progress and I'll eventually have to change things up for different meats.

      I use an indoor counter-top unit that's ~ 16" round with I think 7 height-adjustable shelves. I put it in almost straight from the fridge, but dried first. I'll make one shelf peppered from a grinder filled with mixed-color peppercorns for me and am careful not to toss one of those to the dog.

      3 lbs lasts 2 weeks, for two of us. 2 days if I'm fishing.

      Comment


      • JGo37
        JGo37 commented
        Editing a comment
        I get deeply affected by weather in everything I do cooking outside, especially doing things mostly year round. The BBQ's during NFL playoffs take a lot of hands-on to hold temp.

      • JGo37
        JGo37 commented
        Editing a comment
        I get deeply affected by weather in everything I do cooking outside, especially doing things mostly year round. The BBQ's during NFL playoffs take a lot of hands-on to hold temp.

      • Keltonfoss
        Keltonfoss commented
        Editing a comment
        Its a little easier to control temps as I have a GMG - but I feel the same way when im running my weber.

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