I am new to this, but we get no traffic on this Section so I may have to go to
general to get responses. I thought I would try here first. The flavor mixes and cure packages at Wal Mart do drive the cost up. I was wondering if anyone does jerky making in a dehydrator and uses their own cure recipt and seasoning recipe?

I used the packages that came with the unit yesterday, and it was OK but not as good as some I have tasted. I got a package of the stuff that is in the sporting goods section at Wally world in original and tryacki. I have not tried them yet.

My first try did not have drippings on them. My burger is very lean and I used the strip shooter thing, it looks like a grease gun, and it worked well.

This cure is regular salt and salt peter, I guess, and is suppose to stabilize the meat so it does not go rancid. Has anyone had thiers go bad in the field and could you eat it if you wanted to or is it impossible to eat it. I have always heard that you can't get bad meat to your mouth much less chew and swallow it.

The stuff doesnt last long enough around here to go bad. I like to add habenero to the store bought stuff. Figure any bacteria that servive that have earned the right to live.
Cheezywan

I use the same stuff from Wal-Mart but I add some Cajun seasoning to the mix. Like Cheezy said, it don't last long enough to go bad. Thats just with me and my 3 year old eating it. The wife won't eat deer meat. :rolleyes:

Chief,
I make quite a bit of jerky at a time so I bag it up in heavy zip-lock bags and throw it in the freezer and keep one bag in the fridge for "jerky-anonymous" moments. It lasts a long time in the freezer and "freezer burn" is a lot less detectable on jerky. On the rare occasion that a bag lasts more than a few weeks in the fridge, it can start to mold if there was a lot of moisture left in the jerky. Then it's dog treats, and farting dogs.

I have my own homemade liquid recipe, but it's for chunks/strips of meat and I'm not sure your burger shooter strips would hold together for that. I posted the recipe here, but it was a few months back and it's life probably expired because I can't see it. I'll repost it here if you think it might work for you.

Shaun, is this it?
http://www.shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=23435

If you look down at the bottom of the list of threads in a forum, you'll see a line that starts with "Showing threads 1 to 25 of 52, sorted by". The box on the right side is probably set to the default 100 days. Change it to a Year or The Beginning.

Bye
Jack

Thanks guys. I want to send some to my boy in Iraq so it will need to be presearved well. It may not be as tasty but it will keep some while he is on patrol. They stay out for about 12 days at a time I think. I am sure they get resupplied while out but I don't think they will go by his rack to pick up jerky for him.

I will try some strips next time and use the liquid cure. Thanks.

Shaun, is this it?
http://www.shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=23435

If you look down at the bottom of the list of threads in a forum, you'll see a line that starts with "Showing threads 1 to 25 of 52, sorted by". The box on the right side is probably set to the default 100 days. Change it to a Year or The Beginning.

Bye
Jack

Yup, that's the one; thx Jack. I'm still learning navigation on this board, but it sure has some nice features.

Here are the recipes that I use in my dehydrator.
Enjoy!

rt


Cajun Jerky

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
2 Teaspoons (or more) Spice Hunter Cajun Seasoning
1½ Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Mix liquid ingredients into ground beef one at a time. Then mix dry ingredients into ground beef one at a time. Put into refrigerator overnight. Stuff jerky into jerky shooter, and shoot onto jerky trays. Put trays into dehydrator and dehydrate until done (about three hours).


Jamaican Jerky

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Blue Mountain Jamaican Style Jerk Sauce
1 Tablespoon Spice Islands Jamaican Jerk Spice
1½ Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Mix liquid ingredients into ground beef one at a time. Then mix dry ingredients into ground beef one at a time. Put into refrigerator overnight. Stuff jerky into jerky shooter, and shoot onto jerky trays. Put trays into dehydrator and dehydrate until done (about three hours).


Teriyaki Jerky

Two Pounds Flank or Other Lean Steak
One Cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
One Teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Cut steak into small chunks or strips. Place into marinade dish. Pour teriyaki sauce over steak. Sprinkle with pepper. Marinate overnight. Place steak onto dehydrator trays and dehydrate.

Thanks guys. I want to send some to my boy in Iraq so it will need to be presearved well. It may not be as tasty but it will keep some while he is on patrol. They stay out for about 12 days at a time I think. I am sure they get resupplied while out but I don't think they will go by his rack to pick up jerky for him.

I will try some strips next time and use the liquid cure. Thanks.

Chief,
For that purpose, I would definitely get that jerky fairly dry before you send it off. Good luck.

Here is the receipe I use for strips of meat,


4 tablespoons of soy sauce
4 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of ketchup
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of onion salt
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon of pepper (add more for hotter jerky)

Marinate the meat (1pound) for at least an hour (the longer the better). Drain off the marinate and place on trays. Follow the drying instructions from your dehydrator.

This will end up tasting almost exactly like "Wild Bill's" beef jerkey. I will even go buy round steak and make this from beef when the other meat runs out.


I too use the wally world stuff for burger jerkey.....

[QUOTE=Chief RID]Thanks guys. I want to send some to my boy in Iraq so it will need to be presearved well.

Chief RID,

I've been thinking of getting a jerkey dehydrator.

More importantly, best of luck to your boy in Iraq. I respect and appreciate that he is there. If you PM his address to me I will send him a treat or two.

Good luck to you also,

hey rifleman. Too late. The boy is on the way home. He is all but in the states right now. Semper Fi

I wouldnt use hamburger ,I did it once and wont do it again .I go to the local meat market and buy jerky meat ,its not sliced yet but its thin ,so it works real good and taste alot better then plain old burger.

I agree on the store bought burger. I have tried several recepts now and the seasoning packages with the cure package and my ground venison, which is gone now, has been a big hit. I ordered a mixed flavor pac from Nesco and a 10 pac of the original and tried them all. They are all good but the original is the favorite, hands down.

Now, the new season needs to roll around and a little fork horn walk out on a hot August weekend and I will have more meat for the deydrator. I love S.C.