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Doing smoked beef jerky today

Posted on 4/6/21 at 10:37 am
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
20357 posts
Posted on 4/6/21 at 10:37 am
I bought a nice eye of round roast yesterday at Costco, cut it up in thin slices across the grain and got 57 pieces out of the roast.

Then I seasoned it with my blend and let it in the fridge overnight and got it on my homemade smoker an hour ago to finish it off.

Last time I made jerky it came out great in the smoker as opposed to the air dehydrator I've used in the past, although that is also good, just no smoke flavor to it.

Can't wait till it's all done.
Posted by BugAC
St. George
Member since Oct 2007
58274 posts
Posted on 4/6/21 at 10:41 am to
I have an old nesco food dehydrator i typically do my jerky on. However, i did smoke some one time on the Kamado Joe, using a pellet smoker tube. It was delicious. I need to do it again, just need a more basic marinade for it.
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
20357 posts
Posted on 4/6/21 at 10:51 am to
quote:

I need to do it again, just need a more basic marinade for it.



These are the ingredients I use for my marinade.

Slap Ya Mama
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Cumin
Smoked Paprika
Chili Powder
Worcestershire Sauce
Soy Sauce

I'll lay the individual pieces out on a big cutting board and season each one individually and then toss them all together in a big stainless steel bowl and mix them by hand for several more minutes to make sure they are evenly coated. Then I cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight before smoking.

I just pulled a couple thinner pieces off and it is killer.
Posted by xXLSUXx
New Orleans, LA
Member since Oct 2010
10628 posts
Posted on 4/6/21 at 11:20 am to
How low are you going on your smoker? I only have a charcoal grill and don't think I can keep it at a low enough consistent temperature, so I use my dehydrator. I've tried a few different marinades, but feel like I'm either using too much soy since it all almost tastes the same, or just getting burnt out on eye of the round. Also would help if I had a slicer. Doing it by hand right now and just prefer thinner slices than what I can manage.
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
17645 posts
Posted on 4/6/21 at 11:23 am to
quote:

I need to do it again, just need a more basic marinade for it.


When I smoke jerky I normally use basic salt and pepper. I like to taste the meat. I've tried it with a bit of curing salt with great results as well.
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
20357 posts
Posted on 4/6/21 at 11:41 am to
I'm 3 hours in and it's almost done. The thinner pieces are coming off as they get to the place I like them. I like my smoked jerky able to bend without cracking so there's a little moisture still in the meat, but totally done and loaded with smoke.

The temperature is bouncing between 120 and 150 depending on where the coals are as far as being lit good or just adding new.

My homemade smoker is pretty big and I can either hot smoke or cold smoke depending on how I set it up.

To do the jerky I have a stainless steel bowl in the bottom with about 15 charcoals in it and topped with some hickory wood chunks.

To get more consistent slices out of the meat, place it in the freezer for about 1 hour to really firm up and it is important to have a really sharp knife to slice it. The meat will cut much more consistently when it's really cold and slightly frozen.
Posted by CuyahogaTigerJr
Northeast ohio
Member since Aug 2018
2397 posts
Posted on 4/6/21 at 3:24 pm to
Thanks I had to go but some... probably not as good as yours tho.
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
20357 posts
Posted on 4/6/21 at 9:58 pm to
quote:

Thanks I had to go but some... probably not as good as yours tho.


My wife came home from work and had a few pieces and rated it "the bomb", so that's good enough for me.

Nice smoky flavor with a healthy amount of seasoning and just enough moisture in the meat to make it much easier to eat than stuff dried out so much it feels like stiff cardboard.
Posted by GeauxTigers0107
We Coming
Member since Oct 2009
11141 posts
Posted on 4/7/21 at 4:12 am to
Be really cool if you decided to post some pics
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
20357 posts
Posted on 4/7/21 at 7:28 am to
quote:

Be really cool if you decided to post some pics



I've got a flip phone and an old SLR Minolta camera. Use to have a digital camera, but it bit the dust and haven't replaced it.

Then add to that, I've never, ever attempted to post pics, videos, etc. and really don't know the process. I know it can't be all that hard, but I've never learned how.

Yeah, I'm that old and THAT guy.
Posted by Curado Roy
Member since Apr 2021
100 posts
Posted on 4/7/21 at 10:36 am to
I just did a few batches last week. I found putting the jerky on oiled/buttered wire racks and not on the grill grates itself lets it evenly cook. You can stack most wire racks.

Also, I found a cut of round called "Milanesa" which is typically used for a Mexican dish. All it is, is very thin and evenly cut top or bottom round. Perfect for jerky-ing. That way you have all the same thickness and can pull all of them off at once.
Posted by GeauxTigers0107
We Coming
Member since Oct 2009
11141 posts
Posted on 4/7/21 at 2:15 pm to
quote:

Yeah, I'm that old and THAT guy.


Posted by Chucktown_Badger
The banks of the Ashley River
Member since May 2013
37553 posts
Posted on 4/7/21 at 6:54 pm to
When I've done it it always takes longer than i expect. I think last time was close to 6 hours. Delicious though.
Posted by Curado Roy
Member since Apr 2021
100 posts
Posted on 4/8/21 at 8:01 am to
Should never take that long. What method and temp are you using?
Posted by Got Heeem
Georgia
Member since Sep 2012
3631 posts
Posted on 4/8/21 at 8:31 am to
quote:

cut of round called "Milanesa" which is typically used for a Mexican dish
This is exactly what I use. It's absolutely perfect. No cutting to thickness at all. Walmart normally stocks this for around $7.50 lb.
Posted by Curado Roy
Member since Apr 2021
100 posts
Posted on 4/8/21 at 8:46 am to
That is where I got it from too.
Posted by Got Heeem
Georgia
Member since Sep 2012
3631 posts
Posted on 4/8/21 at 4:58 pm to
Really hard to beat. If I find some on sale for $5/lb or so I'm going to buy a crapload.
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
20357 posts
Posted on 4/8/21 at 5:02 pm to
quote:

Walmart normally stocks this for around $7.50 lb.


That's pretty expensive meat to be using to make beef jerky. For that price, you can just go buy some already made since you will lost about 2/3 of the original weight when making the jerky.

I paid something like $3.75 a lb. for the eye of round that I sliced up to make my jerky. At that price I could buy twice as much meat as you will get paying that price.
Posted by Got Heeem
Georgia
Member since Sep 2012
3631 posts
Posted on 4/8/21 at 5:12 pm to
I agree with you. But I don't want sugar and other stuff in my jerky so the store options are out.

I am looking for a cheaper option, but this stuff is ridiculously convenient.

I'm on the hunt for cheap and easy!
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
20357 posts
Posted on 4/8/21 at 6:47 pm to
quote:

I am looking for a cheaper option, but this stuff is ridiculously convenient.


Like I already posted, sharp knife and stick the eye of round in the freezer for an hour or so to really firm it up.

That makes slicing it uniformly a lot easier to do. I usually shoot for 3/16" thick when I slice mine.

Or, you could ask the butchers to slice it for you on their machines in the back. Many stores offer that service and may be worth asking about.
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