It's almost winter, which around here is "Jerky Season". I'm getting ready to go back into my jerky production. I love to play with different recipies, timing, different meat combos, etc. My family likes it when dad starts making jerky. Who knows . . . small packages of fresh jerky might even end up in bombs outbound. Now where's my spices.

I like jerky. How do you make it? Do you have a dehydrator or do you just dry it?

I'd like to make some. A guy at work dries it. He uses lots of tabasco too and his jerky is pretty good.

Tucker, I want to be the first on the list to offer a trade for jerky. I love good jerky. The kind that's dry as 3 week old cow crap. Not the flemsy moist kind. The kind that if you're not done eating it, you can put it in your jeans pocket and save it for later.

I LOVE JERKY!!!!!!!!!!

Country

I have two dehydrators, good ones. And I didn't even know you could make jerky without Tobasco. I also like to use the big chunk (grind your own) black pepper. I usually make some "tame" jerky too, the grandkids eat it by the pound, and can't handle the heat. I make both the soft stuff, easy on the teeth, and the muscle meat tough stuff. My best (in my opinion) begins with lean steak, the good cuts. But the stuff is expensive and disappears like lightening. Of course I'm a floozie, and can be tempted with things like Opus, Italias, Super Fuertes, etc. I hope to start production on some test runs the first of the week. I have plenty of volunteers for the quality control department. My mouth's watering thinking about it. Beef, turky, venison, roadkill, it's all good. Tuck

HMMMM Jerky.

Most kids liked candy, but me.. no. I would always get myself a meatstick or Jerky. Jerky was the best, but I didnt like the stuff that tasted like cardboard. I liked the leather tough, hot and spicy tough, big peaces of peppercorn still stuck to it.

To this day I will take a peice of Jerky over something sweet anyday. The tougher the better. I tend to take a slive and fold it, then stick it in one cheek like chew and suck on it till it comes apart.. YUM!!!!

Hmmm, looks like I am going to have to save my pennies so I can bribe someone.. Havent had any homeade jerky in 6 years, when my dads friend went hunting on an Alaska trip and came back with a bunch of Caribou. GRIN.. God that was good!

So do you use a wet marinade or a dry rub style? I do both but usually make a hot teriyaki based on yoshidas teriyaki sauce. After blending seasonings and meat, I use one of those vacuum sealers to make it soak in well. I use porterhouse streaks (i got a butcher that sells to me @3.50 lb) or Elk steaks or roasts (from the same guy). I make some turkey jerky as well. We'll have to compare recipes

... kind of like me with my coffee roasting, only that is all year 'round !!!

Hey, I make jerky too. Ya got me thinking I should make some tomorrow. Thanks TD!

I have a teriaki & pepper marinade I soak the meat in overnight. I use a dehydrator too. I've used a few different cuts of meat. As long as it's very lean.

I have found that if you are using a tougher cut of meat, slice it thinner.

I've made zillions of batches when I was living with my dad (bachelor pad).

I used to slice up whole deer hind-quarters, soak them in soy sauce and tabasco, then just pepper the strips heavily with course fresh ground pepper.

Not very imaginative, but simple and delicious.

For those w/o dehydrators or smokers, a gas oven can be used if you put it on it's LOWEST temperature and crack the door a bit.

Andy - After going overboard and trying about everything under the sun, I found that simple is good, usually the simpler the better. I use some spices, depending on the type of meat and the style I'm going for, but simple is good.

And I use both the "wet" and the "dry rub" methods, depending again on the meat, and what mood I'm in (or what requests I have from the family).

Tuck

yep.....simple is good.

that is not to say that teriyaki jerky isn't friggin delicious....it is.

Tranny, also cut it across the grain if it's tougher.

Good tip ruggy, thanks!

jerky...the goodness of the season.

never tried to make jerky

anything teriyaki sucks.

What is the buy in for Tucks quality control group.

Bass, let it out.

What do you really think about teriyaki?

Quit beating around the bush. You are always so oblique.

I rarely make terriyaki jerky, just don't get much call for it. My family pretty much likes the plain stuff, the hot stuff, and jerky made with the various smoke flavors (hickory, mesquite, etc.).

plain and smoked...never had spicy (hot)...now that i think of it, i only had plain deer jerky, but i was a huge fan.

The best jerky that ever hit my mouth was made of 1/2 half venison backstrap and 1/2 beefsteak, ground together, with a hint of mesquite smoke and big chunk black pepper and spices. Heat it up with Tobasco and it just gets better.