Ground beef jerky

[pikergolf]

I have an interest in starting to make ground beef jerky. Any web sites or youtube videos you can direct me to to learn? Thanks.

[AndrewM]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I have an interest in starting to make ground beef jerky. Any web sites or youtube videos you can direct me to to learn? Thanks.

Get a jerky cannon or something similar. Mix it up and squirt out like a caulking gun. Really simple!

[AndrewM]

You can also press between two sheets of wax paper and cut it up after. I use the jerky gun and toss in the dehydrator until the texture I like.

[curtz]

Cabelas has the jerky guns and all kinds of different spices. The cabelas brand has 5lb mixture packs, just follow instructions. I do mine in the smoker or you can dehydrate, some people dry it in the oven. It's good stuff, easy to chew, I make mine out of moose. The cracked pepper and garlic spice is awesome.

[omega50]

Ground jerky is simple enough, but issues arise unless the beef is lean. Regular Ground Beef can rain grease all over your smoker dripping fat over the lower racks.
Save some grief-use lean and pat dry on paper towels after smoking or drying

[RandyBoBandy]

Originally Posted by omega50

Ground jerky is simple enough, but issues arise unless the beef is lean. Regular Ground Beef can rain grease all over your smoker dripping fat over the lower racks.
Save some grief-use lean and pat dry on paper towels after smoking or drying

Great advice omega50 as per usual

[Jamie]

This is how I prefer my jerky. I found the "Guns" to be a waste of time.

I used the following ideas.

Shallow cookie sheets, Saran wrap, Pizza cutter

I put the saran wrap on the bottom of the pan
fill with my mixture to the edge and cover with more saran wrap
I then rolled it out to be at the level of the cookie sheet. Now you have a constant depth to your jerky.

Pop it out of the cookie sheet and then cut with a pizza cutter to your preferred width.

No need for special jerky trays in the smoker.

If you want to have some fun, when the recipe asks for water, use something else. I loved using Strawberry jam in my "Gourmet" jerky.

[AndrewM]

Make sure you add the proper amount of cure. Doesn’t need to soak near as long as strips to be cured. Follow the directions on the packages.

[troutbug]

I make it alot

Do yourself a HUGE favor and only buy EXTRA LEAN!!!!

Trust me lol

I make both styles by using a jerky gun or rolling out sheets and cutting up after

[DWS]

I have made a couple batches of 1/2 and 1/2 extra lean ground beef to ground deer,
I like the True North brand of seasoning in the original jerky flavor. I use about 3 Tbls.of season to 5 lbs of meat, I mix the spices in a couple oz. of hot water to hydrate before I mix into the meat. I then leave the meat in the refridgerator for 24 hours before i shoot the strips with caulking gun.
I prefer dehydrating in the over over smoking.
PS. I always dehydrate 1 strip before I do the rest to make sure the seasoning and flavor is good. before I dehydrate the remaining 5 lb. batch.

[AndrewM]

Pepper and garlic, peppered, and teriyaki from cabelas or teriyaki from CTR are my favoriites. Mix as per the directions and you can’t go wrong. I prefer mine in the dehydrator rather than the smoker. Cook until it bends and cracks and that’s as far as I go.

[operator john]

We buy Eye of the Round from Costco. It's nice and lean. Grind it the coarseness you desire and process as mentioned above.

[RACKER]

Originally Posted by troutbug

I make it alot

Do yourself a HUGE favor and only buy EXTRA LEAN!!!!

Trust me lol

I make both styles by using a jerky gun or rolling out sheets and cutting up after

Dam that looks goooood!Now im starved.That looks like some top quality made jerky.Now you have to send me some in the mail for me to verify how good it tastes.Thanks for posting with great photos and keep up the good work!

[troutbug]

Originally Posted by operator john

We buy Eye of the Round from Costco. It's nice and lean. Grind it the coarseness you desire and process as mentioned above.

I never grind up eye of round as it makes too good of jerky by itself.

Keep an eye out and you can get extra lean beef real cheap

[AndrewM]

Great source of prices is the Flipp app. I check it all the time when I am about to buy bulk meat to make jerky. Quick check and lean ground beef is 3.49/lb at coop. Lots of times it will get around the $3/lb mark and potentially a bit under.

[Red Bullets]

Ground turkey jerky is a nice option to beef too. Cheaper than beef too.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by AndrewM

Pepper and garlic, peppered, and teriyaki from cabelas or teriyaki from CTR are my favoriites. Mix as per the directions and you can’t go wrong. I prefer mine in the dehydrator rather than the smoker. Cook until it bends and cracks and that’s as far as I go.

Any time I make burger jerky, I use the cracked pepper (burger jerky is the only time I use the kits). As I find them a bit bland, I add extra pepper, liquid smoke, ect... and when it calls for water for the mixture, I use 50/50 soya sauce/water.
I always dehydrate burger jerky

[pikergolf]

So where or how did you guys learn to make these wonderful foodstuffs?

[frusig]

Hi,
my mother is making the best ground beef jerky but she don't want to get me the recipe!!! . So I looked up on the internet and I found excellent recipes from Jerkyholic and it taste almost the same like my mum's . So check him out!

[AndrewM]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

So where or how did you guys learn to make these wonderful foodstuffs?

It is really simple to make.
1. Mix hamburger, cure and seasoning together.
2. Toss in fridge overnight to let the cure work.
3. Squeeze out into strips with a jerky gun or use the pan method mentioned earlier. Keep a small amount of space between each strip to aid with air flow. Most of the pieces I make are around 0.5cm thick. Don't stress about the thickness.
4. Preheat your dehydrator, smoker or oven to 160-170. (I don't preheat my dehydrator)
5. Put trays into the cooking method of choice.
6. Cook until when you bend the piece of jerky it cracks. If you like drier go a bit further.
7. I pat my down with paper towel to dissolve any of the wet fat.
8. Let it cool down before you package it.

[waldedw]

moose jerky.jpg

I only make jerky out of ground meat, way easier to chew IMO, my dehydrator churns out a batch almost every week, I have 6 grandkids that eat it faster than I can make it, buy extra lean beef on sale at superstore around the $3 / lb range and mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with ground moose 6 to 7 lbs at a time.
I use the cabelas jerky seasoning mix, teriyaki and hickory seem to be the kids favorite but I like the cracked black pepper and garlic, I dissolve a package of cure and mix in a cup of hot water then mix it into the meat good, find it mixes better, shoot it through the jerky gun and away you go, 5 1/2 hrs at 160 degrees in the dehydrator and out she comes. sometimes I use the round nozzle and sometimes the flat one, a couple of the grandkids really love the little rounds.

[Deb]

Sold! I am now convinced that I absolutely have to make some, but need a jerky gun and am getting confused. Amazon's got some, Cabela's has one and Canadian Tire has one that looks like it includes a very interesting attachment *lol*

Which one is best?

Thanks!

[AndrewM]

Originally Posted by Deb

Sold! I am now convinced that I absolutely have to make some, but need a jerky gun and am getting confused. Amazon's got some, Cabela's has one and Canadian Tire has one that looks like it includes a very interesting attachment *lol*

Which one is best?

Thanks!

I like the 15" double jerky blaster from cabelas. They come on sale for around $40-$50. Weston also makes a good one from what I read. More meat you can fit in the better as it means less filling.

[waldedw]

Salmon Jerky.jpg

I also do salmon jerky, knock your socks off but pricey so its just as a treat, cut the salmon length wise into thin strips ( find it best if its partially frozen and the skin is still on ) for the mix I use:

1/2 cup soya sauce
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 - Tbls brown sugar
1 - Tsp liquid hickory smoke
1 - Tsp ground black pepper

Marinade the salmon and mix overnight in a large zip lock bag and then into the dehydrator at 160 degrees for about 5 - 6 hrs.

Make sure that you wear rubber gloves when handling otherwise your hands will smell like liquid smoke for days, voice of experience talking here.

And Deb if your going to buy a jerky gun stay away from the plastic ones, I have a LEM , all stainless steel cleans up easy and works great, got it at Peavy Mart under $50

[troutbug]

Originally Posted by Deb

Sold! I am now convinced that I absolutely have to make some, but need a jerky gun and am getting confused. Amazon's got some, Cabela's has one and Canadian Tire has one that looks like it includes a very interesting attachment *lol*

Which one is best?

Thanks!

Main thing is do not get the plastic ones. Get the metal tube jerky gun

[Kenmore]

I have an LEM jerky cannon with double nozzle. It also came with an attachment for filling pepperoni sticks. Can make 10lbs in no time in a 10 rack cabelas dehydrator. All money well spent....and healthier to chew on a few sticks at night rather than snack on chips!! i cut my strips in thirds after and they fit perfect in small sandwich ziploc bags.

[Deb]

Thanks for the info - will wait and see if the dehydrators go on sale at Cabela's. Maybe the jerky gun, too - the reviews aren't bad and if on sale...

Looked on Amazon for dehydrators - unless I want to spring $$$ for an Excalibur, seems like the Cabela's brand are the best, fans are higher wattage and there's some place to return them if something goes wrong (although there are some bad reviews on return policies).

Oh, some of the jerky seasoning recommended is sold out at Cabela's, but you can buy a three pack (original, teryaki and garlic/pepper) on Amazon for $39.99, cheaper than Cabela's.

Guess I could always dry it in the oven, I have a convection feature - but the dehydrators seem so much more convenient (and I'd have to buy racks).

So much jerky-thinking....I should probably just buy some and save the money

[timsesink]

Well, I know what I am making tonight. Need to thaw some moose meat. :-)

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by Deb

Thanks for the info - will wait and see if the dehydrators go on sale at Cabela's. Maybe the jerky gun, too - the reviews aren't bad and if on sale...

Looked on Amazon for dehydrators - unless I want to spring $$$ for an Excalibur, seems like the Cabela's brand are the best, fans are higher wattage and there's some place to return them if something goes wrong (although there are some bad reviews on return policies).

Oh, some of the jerky seasoning recommended is sold out at Cabela's, but you can buy a three pack (original, teryaki and garlic/pepper) on Amazon for $39.99, cheaper than Cabela's.

Guess I could always dry it in the oven, I have a convection feature - but the dehydrators seem so much more convenient (and I'd have to buy racks).

So much jerky-thinking....I should probably just buy some and save the money

No need to buy any equipment. Follow Jamie's instructions, no need for a gun. Dry on a cookie sheet with parchment, in the oven (set the temp for 180 and leave the door open a crack, I use an oven mitt to keep the door open).

Try it. If you like it you can decide if buying the other stuff makes sense.

ARG

[pikergolf]

So I bought a Lem jerky cannon and pan and racks off of Amazon. The cannon comes with a package of spice. Any recommendations for spice? I like mildly hot with a hint of sweet, just love the stuff the co op makes.