I have read that it is safer to cook meat before dehydrating it for jerky. Do any of you do that?!
Answers: If so, does it turn out the same. I am also looking for any good tips or recipes for making the jerky. This will be my first time making it.
Dont cook the meat - as long as it is properly dehydrated, cooking is not necessary. However, to kill any microbes that may be in the meat, freeze it first for 30 days.
There are many jerky mixes out there you can buy at groceries stores. I usually make deer jerky, and my recipe for that is: hickory smoked salt, black pepper and worchestershire sauce. (marinate in worchestershire sauce for about 30 min - sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper - dehydrate)
Also remember - you need to cut the meat about 1/8" to 1/4" thick - no thicker - and cut with the grain, not against.
We don't cook it first and it has always tasted great and been safe for us. Deer jerky is best if you only use the back legs. Don't let the meat get too dry, but slice it thin and I like to use lots of pepper.
I never have. I usually let the meat marienate for about 4-6 hrs before I start dehydrating it though. I think it would turn out really tough and perhaps blander tasting if you cooked it before.
add some soy sauce or tyriakie (how ever u spell it)
I heard that too many years ago, but I never cook the meat first. I just make it from really lean meat cut very thin.
Sirloin tip roast
Soy sauce
Hickory or Smoke flavoring
"Sour salt" (by the herbs and spices)
Lemon juice
Liquid garlic
Sugar
Cut the raw roast into thin strips. Set aside.
Mix all other ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the meat strips. Everything is "to taste." That's why I don't have the amount of each. Start with a good cup of soy sauce and then add the others "to taste."
Add meat and stir thoroughly making sure all of the meat is well drenched in the liquids. Now let it sit and marinate in the frig for a few hours.
Then just stick them on a dehydrator, or whatever you want to dehydrate them with. The drying process is quite a few hours. Every now and then you have to pick out the pieces that seem done to you.
We make jerky at our house all the time and never cook it first. Just start with good quality fresh meat. We use steaks or roasts because the finished texture is more to our liking than if we start with ground meat, but it is really a matter of personal preference. If you want ground, either buy it from a store you really trust or grind it yourself if you can.
For first timers. it is a good idea to use packaged cure and seasoning kits. Gander Mountain sells some really terrific ones that are very easy to use. Our favorite is cracked pepper and garlic.
Once you have a good idea of how your dehydrator behaves and what meats you like, it will be easier to experiment and find marinade recipes that suit your taste. Remember to ne patient when making Jerky. If you try to shorten dehydrating time, you will end up with a product that does not last long at all before it starts to mold. I do our meat in one pound batches and dry it for 12 hours. Don't quite expect the texture of store bought jerky with that method as we like ours a lot tougher and chewier.Be sure to allow jerky to cool before moving to airtight storage containers. Good luck.
My only jerky is beef or venison. The dehydrating works fine.
If you cook it first, you are not making jerky. The meat will not absorb the seasoning and you will just end up with overcooked cardboard.
My brother's recipe...
BROTHER JIM’S JERKY
Venison or beef eye of round or cube steak, ?” thick strips, not too thin
Soak 24 hr in good marinade (Moore’s is best)
Drain well, Pat Dry
Sprinkle both sides with garlic salt, coarse black pepper, and scant cayenne pepper
Pack onto dehydrator trays
Bottom tray may take longer to dehydrate, prop meat up with toothpicks so bottom gets air
Dehydrate 10- 12 hrs, check, may need longer. Needs to be fully dried out.