Beef Jerky Brines & Chip Suggestions?

[StinkyH]

Got a little chief for Christmas from my mom. Not having any fresh Salmon to smoke (or to make the first sacrificial batch) I went to WinCo to pick up a roast to slice and smoke/jerk. Low and behold - they had pre-sliced roasts at the counter! 1/4" thick sliced bottom roasts. I picked up a 5 pounder and brought it home.

Brine recipe was taken from the little chief manual with a few changes. From what I've heard - the recipes in there can be a bit over salted so using the '"Little Chief" Beef and Game Jerky' recipe minus 1 cup of the soy sauce and adding 2 cups of additional water along with 1/4 brown sugar for some more flavor. I left the meat slices in the brine overnight(after cutting off the excess fat). About 12 hours.

Into the smoker and 3 1/2 trays of hickory chips and 10 hours later - we got jerky! It was late last week - pretty cold out - took a while. Used the box for insulation too.

Next time I will do less smoke - think the jerky might have a touch too much smoke. Can kinda taste it's too much. I put some pepper on some of the beef after I layed them on the grills before they went in the smoker - next time - more pepper. :-) Also - did not wait for the meat to dry a bit at room temperature before going in the smoker. Would that have made a difference in the taste?

This is my first smoker - all a learning experience for me.

I do have some alder chips I can use.

What type of chips do people like to use to prepare their beef jerky? How many pans of chips? Any recipe suggestions?

StinkyH

[ 01-07-2004, 11:13 PM: Message edited by: StinkyH ]

[Mikeymoto]

I've had much better luck making jerky in a food dehydrator than my smoker. I haven't got the right brine down for the smoker as its almost always too salty.
Good luck and anybody if you have it down please post.
MM

[jr sherwood]

MM, i like hickory chips for smoke. How much time does it take in your smoker to burn a pan of chips? I like to use less salt,more brown sugar, 1 cup soy, 1 or 2 cups teriyaki, the other items listed in L-J recipe book also try different types of hot sauce or none at all. Let meat glaze at room temp.,smoke with 3 pans of chips. Enjoy! jr

[freespool]

I found a very informitive book at Powell's Books for Cooks on Hawthorne. The name of the book is Jerky by A.D. Livingston.


salmon hugger

[chummer]

My big chief does the fish, my dehydrator does the elk jerky.

[HeavyMetal BankFisherman]

I like to use a top round, london broil cut, for jerky. Put in the freezer to firm it up then slice with a sharp knife. I like to slice about 3/8 of an inch thick. I make a brine of 1 cup teriyaki, 1 cup soy sauce, 1/8 cup sea salt, 1/8 cup brown sugar, and fresh ground course black pepper, the ammount depends on your taste. This will make enough brine for several batches.

I brine overnight and smoke in the morning. I use two pans of chips in a big chief. I also use a couple briquettes in the pan. Hickory is good for jerky but I have had very good results with mesquite and cherry as well. The outside temperature plays a big factor on how long it takes. I use the box over the smoker and shield it from any wind. If you cant wait you can put it in the oven. But be careful on overdrying it. If you do overdry. Putting it in a ziplog bag in the refrigerator for a couple of days can do wonders.

[GutZ]

Here is a good one!

Warren’s Gnargly Beef Jerky
For 4 to 5 pounds (Small Chief)
Bottom Round (or whatever) cut into ¼ thick strips
1 ½ cups Red Wine
1 Cup Brown Sugar
¼ Cup Kosher (Coarse) Salt
2 Cups Soy Sauce
1 Cup Water
2 Tbsp Crushed Garlic
1 Tbsp Tabasco (to taste)
2 Tbsp Black Pepper
½ - 1 Small Sweet Onion

Combine all the above. Marinade meat 8 to 12 hours. Multiple batches OK. Sprinkle with Crushed Red Pepper or Cayenne for a little extra kick. Smoke til its done, maybe 8 hours.

[Quasimodo the fish killer]

well you got a few already but I will give you one more its real easy
1/2 cup salt
1lb brown sugar
2 tbl spoons coarse ground garlic powder
1/2 bottle mrs wrights liquid smoke
2 qts water
20 shakes of worchestersire sauce
5 shakes tabascco sauce

mix it all together in a large bowl with a tight fitting lid brine over night take out of brine drain and put on smoker racks thats it simple and easy and taste great I smoke with hickory chips and use a pan full every hour for the first 4 hours I really like that bite that the smoke gives it you can use a little less liquid smoke if you dont like a strong smoke flavor.

I also improvise with fish on that recipie here it is

1lb brown sugar
1/2 bottle of wrights liquid smoke
1/4 cup salt
2 tbl spoons of chef paul prudohhmes seafood magic
i tsp garlic coarse ground garlic powder
1/2 gallon water

I smoke fish with alder chips and use one pan per hour that the fish is smoking

once you find something thats close to what you like then by all means experiment thats how you find what is perfect for your taste. I can tell you that everyone that has had my smoked fish absolutely loves it and is always askin when I am making more.


.

[StinkyH]

Onion and garlic - that's good in most foods - gonna add that to my next batch!

Is adding liquid smoke cheating? :grin:

StinkyH

[Birdnest]

I will second the dehydrator approach. I like it simple. A little salt, pepper, and a touch of garlic powder.

I like jerky to be tough, I mean jerky you gotta work on a little bit. You can keep all of houdy toudy super soft teriaki stuff, give me a flavored hunk of leather and a cold beer.

Joe

[freespool]

SH read the ingredients on the liquid smoke. Do you really want to eat that stuff? Personally I would pass on that chemical concoction. The best way to get a smokey flavor is by using wood chips.


salmon hugger