The Complete Book of Jerky by Philip Hasheider

Author:Philip Hasheider
Language: eng
Format: epub

Electric smokers are popular because they are easy to use and reliable. There are stovetop smokers that can also be used.

Selecting the type of wood to use for smoking jerky meat is more a matter of personal preference than anything. Your choice will affect the flavor and often the color of the finished product. In a smoker, the smoke rises from the combustion area into the cooking area. Essentially, the smoke particles attach to the outer surface of the meat because the particles move or migrate from a warm surface (chamber) to a cold surface (meat).

Even if you like the flavor of smoke, don’t overdo it. Too much smoke can make the meat taste bitter or like ash. Each smoker is different, and you may have to test several batches until you reach a flavor that suits you. Start light and work your way up incrementally. Keep records of your experiments in a cooking log.

The best woods for smoking are cured (dried) hardwoods with a low sap flow, such as fruit and nut woods. These can be divided into two basic groups that are based not on wood species, but whether they yield a mild or strong flavor.

• For mild smoke flavors, use alder, apple, cherry, maple, orange, or peach woods.

• Strong flavors come from hickory, oak, mesquite, pecan, and walnut.

Avoid using conifer woods, such as pine, cedar, spruce, and fir. They contain too much sap, and because of their high tar content, they can produce a bitter flavor. Also, use only air-dried woods and never use moldy wood, which may contain toxins. Many of the woods you use for smoking can be purchased at specialty stores, outdoor outlets, or dried by yourself.

The wood used to create the smoke usually needs to be soaked in water before it goes into the smoker. That will prevent it from burning. Burning wood will create some smoke, of course, but not enough for your purpose. If you’re using a small smoking unit, you will likely be using very small wood chips or sawdust rather than chunks of wood. These can just be sprayed with water from a mister bottle. If using larger wood chips or chunks, however, soak them in water for at least an hour before using them. The idea is to create smoke rather than flame, and to add flavor rather than heat.

Depending on where you place your smoking unit, make sure there is adequate ventilation so that any escaping heat and smoke does not create air-quality problems, such as carbon monoxide in your home, shed, or apartment. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas that can be produced by malfunctioning appliances, such as gas- or wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, and smokers. Carbon monoxide alarms are available, and you should have one installed inside your home if you use a smoker.

Method 3: Smoker and Low-Temperature Dehydrator

You Will Need:

• Smoker (outdoor model)

• Food dehydrator

• 2 pounds of meat and a recipe from Chapter 2, 4, 5, or 6

• Equipment used for slicing meat strips

• Drying racks or trays

Instructions

1. Thoroughly wash your hands, countertops, knives, slicers, and any other pieces of equipment you will use.

2. Slice the meat into strips at about 1/4 inch thick and prepare per your recipe. Some recipes may require marinating for at least 2 hours or overnight before proceeding.

3. Preheat your smoker to 200°F. Add chips or pellets to the burn chamber to begin smoking. Use the smoker vents to stabilize the temperature between 165 and 175°F.

4. Set out the drying racks or trays. Remove the meat strips from the refrigerator and the marinade. Pat the strips dry and place them close together—but not so close that they touch or overlap each other.

5. Place the rack or racks with your meat in the smoker. Insert a temperature probe into the thickest piece of meat.

6. Smoke the meat for 4 to 6 hours or to an internal temperature of 160°F (or 165°F for poultry). The amount of time smoke is added to the heating chamber will depend on personal preference, but 3 hours should be sufficient. If you prefer a heavy smoke, you can allow more time. You may have to experiment with the smoking process to determine the amount that suits your tastes. Add water to the pan if needed—although you are dehydrating the meat, it may be necessary to maintain humidity inside the smoker to prevent it from getting too dry or too smoky.

7. Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, you can use a low-temperature dehydrator to finish the drying. Transfer the meat to the dehydrator and maintain a constant dehydrator temperature of 130 to 140°F while you continue drying.

8. Test the jerky for doneness after 4 hours. First pat off any beads of oil or fat with a paper towel. The jerky is finished if you can bend it over on itself and it cracks but doesn’t break. There is a fine line between underdone and overdone jerky. If it breaks, it has been dried too much. This is not a disaster—it will still be edible—but more of an inconvenience. With any new equipment that you use, some experimentation may be necessary to reach a result that is satisfactory to your tastes.

9. After allowing the jerky to cool to room temperature, store it in a clean plastic container with a tight-fitting lid or in a resealable plastic bag, and place the container in the refrigerator. If you notice any condensation forming on the inside of either, the jerky should be returned to the dehydrator and dried a little longer.

Method 4: Smoker

You Will Need:

• Smoker (electrically powered)

• 2 pounds of meat and a recipe from Chapter 2, 4, 5, or 6

• Equipment used for slicing meat strips

• Drying racks or trays

Instructions

1. Thoroughly wash your hands, countertops, knives, slicers, and any other pieces of equipment you will use.

2. Slice the meat into strips at about 1/4 inch thick and prepare per your recipe. Most recipes used in this book require marinating for at least 2 hours or overnight before proceeding.

3. Preheat your empty smoker to 200°F and hold at 175 to 180°F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add water to the pan as well as seasonings (if desired).

4. Set out the drying racks or trays. Remove the meat strips from the refrigerator and the marinade. Pat the strips dry and place them on the racks so that they’re close together, but not so close that they touch or overlap each other.

5. Place the rack or racks with your meat in the smoker. Insert a temperature probe into the thickest piece of meat.

6. Heat the meat for 4 to 6 hours or to an internal meat temperature of 160°F. You may wish to rotate the racks after 2 hours to ensure even heating.

7. After the internal temperature reaches 160°F (165°F for poultry), begin adding smoke to the heating chamber with wood pellets or chips in the chamber designed to hold them. The amount of time smoke is added to the heating chamber will depend on personal preference, but 3 hours should be sufficient. If you prefer a heavy smoke, you can allow more time. You may have to experiment with the smoking process to determine the amount that suits your tastes.

8. Test the jerky for doneness after 4 hours. First pat off any beads of oil or fat with a paper towel. The jerky is considered finished if you can bend it over on itself and it cracks but doesn’t break. There is a fine line between underdone and overdone jerky.

If it breaks, it has been overheated. This is not a casualty—it will still be edible—but more of an inconvenience. With any new equipment that you use, some experimentation may be necessary to reach a result that is satisfactory to your tastes.

9. Remove the racks from the smoker. After allowing the jerky to cool to room temperature, store it in a clean plastic container with a tight-fitting lid or in a resealable plastic bag, and place the container in the refrigerator. If you notice any condensation forming on the inside of either, the jerky should be returned to the smoker and dried a little longer.

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