Jerky Dryer System

[HaroldMB]

Did a search and came up with nothing in the forum - I was eating some beef jerky and thought to myself, surely I can do this and do it better! I smoke everything, the latest - pumpkin seeds (soaked in Jack Daniels), why not try my hand at beef jerky.
Has anyone used their Jerky Dryer System??

[admin]

Hello HaroldMB,
Many of our forum users have smoked jerky and have used our SmokinTex Jerky Dryer.
See what Top Senior Member Sodaking27 posted here.
And another great post is from Senior Member n5zbj here.
Also search just the word jerky in our search box on the top right of each forum page and there are other contributions that could help you.
Happy smoking!

[HaroldMB]

Thank you!!

[Sodaking27]

HaroldMB
The SmokinTex makes great jerky. The jerky drier is well worth the money. Only problem you'll have is that when everyone finds out how great your jerky is, you'll never seen to have enough to go around. I'm smoking up a batch this weekend. Shhh don't tell.

[DFW]

I have the dryer and it works very well. If you've ever made jerky before using other methods, a chore you inevitably run into is having to either move the pieces around to insure even drying or taking the strips out individually as they dry. I can't speak for the other models, but for my 1100 I have observed very even drying with little to no intervention required in the several batches I have made.

If you've never made jerky before, here's a few tips. Make sure you use the leanest meat possible. Fat doesn't dry at the same rate as lean meat and will go rancid if stored for very long. I generally use London broil and I am careful about carving out all of the fat I can prior to curing. Making your own cure from scratch is pretty easy, but lately I've been a big fan of the Hi-Mountain cures. They aren't all that expensive and they save a lot of time gathering all the ingredients and mixing them in the right proportions. So long as you follow the directions, you get a good cure every time and I've gotten very good responses about the flavor from everyone who has tried it.

I cut beef to 3/8" thickness which is a bit on the thick side. I use the racks rather than hanging the meat. I get about 1 lb of fresh meat per sq ft of rack space so this should give you an idea of how much you can make in a batch.

[HaroldMB]

GREAT info!! Thanks everyone for the replies - looks like it'll be my next purchase.

[DReeves]

I have the dryer and it works very well. If you've ever made jerky before using other methods, a chore you inevitably run into is having to either move the pieces around to insure even drying or taking the strips out individually as they dry. I can't speak for the other models, but for my 1100 I have observed very even drying with little to no intervention required in the several batches I have made.

If you've never made jerky before, here's a few tips. Make sure you use the leanest meat possible. Fat doesn't dry at the same rate as lean meat and will go rancid if stored for very long. I generally use London broil and I am careful about carving out all of the fat I can prior to curing. Making your own cure from scratch is pretty easy, but lately I've been a big fan of the Hi-Mountain cures. They aren't all that expensive and they save a lot of time gathering all the ingredients and mixing them in the right proportions. So long as you follow the directions, you get a good cure every time and I've gotten very good responses about the flavor from everyone who has tried it.

I cut beef to 3/8" thickness which is a bit on the thick side. I use the racks rather than hanging the meat. I get about 1 lb of fresh meat per sq ft of rack space so this should give you an idea of how much you can make in a batch.

Hey DFW,

Where do you get the Hi Mountain cures? Readily available? I have a little time on my hands and want to play around with the Smokin Tex dryer. Thanks, in advance!

[Palovik]

First off hello everyone, I am new to forum, been wanting to get a SmokinTex for a lot of years and Christmas came early this year. Excited to try something out, break in is done and thought Jerky may be a good place to start.

Going to try some Jerky this weekend in my new 1400, will let you know how it comes out, My boys want me to try making some Sriracha style, will also let you know how that turns out.

[Palovik]

Well this turned out even better than I thought it would, the Smokin Tex Jerky dryer did great, would have pictures but it did not last long enough. Would say go easy on wood, I used Hickory and feel was a little strong (2 oz) thinking of Alder - Pecan or Apple next time.

[Cajun Boy]

I like the Jerky Dryer. I use 93% Lean Ground Beef. Hi Mountain Jerky Cure & Seasoning are available at Academy.