Whole Muscle Jerky Thickness - Brine?

[Esq]

Putting my daughter's elk in the freezer last week I found a bunch of 1.5 year old beef roasts that I forgot about. I pulled them and plan to cut up for jerky. I've made jerky a few times over the years and it has always been okay, but not great. I have a cookshack electric smoker with the jerky fan. How think should I cut the pieces and what brine to use? I like sweet, smoky, spicy jerky, on the chewy side. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Outcast2.0]

I would cut it against the grain, about 3/8 inches thick. I really like meateaters recipe. I only use about half of the recommended pepper/ red pepper. I would taste the marinade before I put it in the meat. Add more pepper/ red pepper if you desire. I just finished making a 9 pound batch that only lasted 2 weeks with the help of friends and family. I tried to attach the recipe

 

[Esq]

I would cut it against the grain, about 3/8 inches thick. I really like meateaters recipe. I only use about half of the recommended pepper/ red pepper. I would taste the marinade before I put it in the meat. Add more pepper/ red pepper if you desire. I just finished making a 9 pound batch that only lasted 2 weeks with the help of friends and family. I tried to attach the recipe

Thanks so much. I didn't think to look to meat eater. I have cooked his pounded turkey breast and done the turkey leg slow cooked and both were great. I used to dislike wild turkey, but he changed my mind completely.

 

[cnelk]

I use a jerky board to cut jerky into thickness. One side is 3/8" the other is 1/4"

Ive found that 3/8" gets to be a bit thick, especially after brining and when the meat absorbs the cure.

I recently did 5lbs of 1/4" jerky strips. Jaccard them, then brined for 24hrs and smoked for 4hrs at 180 degrees.

The jerky pieces came out just right. Not too thick, not too thin

 

[FLATHEAD]

I just did some Aoudad jerky last night for the first time.
Marinated in some Dale's, crushed red pepper and honey.
I figured that as tough as Aoudad is when cooked I thought
it would be inedible but it makes some dang fine jerky.
Whitetail jerky is tougher.
Now I need to make another Aoudad trip and jerk the whole thing.
Best jerky I've ever made.

 

[Outcast2.0]

Thanks so much. I didn't think to look to meat eater. I have cooked his pounded turkey breast and done the turkey leg slow cooked and both were great. I used to dislike wild turkey, but he changed my mind completely.

No problem. I agree 100%, I did his turkey leg/ thigh in the slow cooker and you could’ve convinced me it was pulled pork. I can’t believe all of those years I was throwing out great meals!

I think you’ll like his jerky recipe. Maybe go a bit thinner and cnelk mentioned above. It’s all personal preference, but I can tell you is that they will shrink down.

 

[Esq]

I've got everything cut up and in the brine, Meat Eater recipe. It says to brine "about 24 hours." Is there any benefit or detriment to a longer soak?

 

[Outcast2.0]

I've got everything cut up and in the brine, Meat Eater recipe. It says to brine "about 24 hours." Is there any benefit or detriment to a longer soak?

I’ve went as long as 32 hours, but that’s more or less because I made the brine at night, and didn’t want to dehydrate the following night so I let it soak till morning. To answer your question, I didn’t see any issues with letting it soak for longer. I do think meat in general can only absorb so much flavor once it’s saturated, it’s saturated. Then again, I’m not a chef, just a consumer. I hope it turns out how you would like!! please let me know your thoughts on the taste flavor once it’s done.

 

[Esq]

I’ve went as long as 32 hours, but that’s more or less because I made the brine at night, and didn’t want to dehydrate the following night so I let it soak till morning. To answer your question, I didn’t see any issues with letting it soak for longer. I do think meat in general can only absorb so much flavor once it’s saturated, it’s saturated. Then again, I’m not a chef, just a consumer. I hope it turns out how you would like!! please let me know your thoughts on the taste flavor once it’s done.

The jerky turned out great. But, in the future I'm going to double the brown sugar. For this batch I used the standard Meateater recipe that outcast sent. My batch was so big it took several days to dry all of it. So the last bat h sat in brine about 72-hours. You can't tell a difference between it and the 24-hour stuff.

 

[Outcast2.0]

The jerky turned out great. But, in the future I'm going to double the brown sugar. For this batch I used the standard Meateater recipe that outcast sent. My batch was so big it took several days to dry all of it. So the last bat h sat in brine about 72-hours. You can't tell a difference between it and the 24-hour stuff.

It’s my favorite recipe and I’ve tried a handful of others. How much meat did you have? Happy it was edible!!!

 

[Esq]

I had about 35lbs of raw meat.

 

[Outcast2.0]

I had about 35lbs of raw meat.

That’s an impressive amount of meat!!

 

[Esq]

That’s an impressive amount of meat!!

It was a bunch of roasts left over from our last cattle butcher in Oct 2020. I forgot they were in the freezer and was pleased to find them still looking good.

 

[cuerro viejo]

I make two kinds of jerky

Strip(chunky and still a little moisture inside)
Flat(dry and brittle)

I use same over night marinade/cure for both. Difference is one goes on dehydrator the other goes in a plywood cold smoke box w/fan.

If you use dehydrator. Freeze whole muscle and then slice to desired thickness with ham slicer:, then marinate

 

[hunterdrake]

My favorite marinade is using 1/2 hickory smoke allegro and 1/2 hot and spicy allegro. I do not use a cure so I keep it refrigerated until ready to eat.


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