How do you make Jerky

[Clay Henry]

Okay i picked up a dehydrator at Bass Pro Shop Wed. (christmass shopping for me) and i wanna start making jerky but don't have any idea how to best marinade the meat pior to drying it. So that being said, give me some ideas - i know there has to be someone who has "the best" recipe for jerky!
The dehydrator came with one packet of marinade mix so i used 2 lbs of venison and already have it soaking and man it smelled GOOD...but they don't tell you whats in this mix. It said to soak it 8 hours and then dry it.
Can't wait to and taste it!
I am looking for something that will work for deer, elk and beef, all of which i have in my freezer and want to make a 1 lb. batch of each to experiment the firat time this weekend.

I'm going out this afternoon to shoot a big ol mossy headed buck too so i'll have lots of venison to dry

Let the ideas flow!

[bigcountrysg]

I go to Cabelas and get Hickory Jerky cure. Then I follow the instructions on the package. Place it in the oven at 150 for pretty much all day. I tried those dehydrators and did not like the end result.

[Clay Henry]

Originally Posted by bigcountrysg

I go to Cabelas and get Hickory Jerky cure. Then I follow the instructions on the package. Place it in the oven at 150 for pretty much all day. I tried those dehydrators and did not like the end result.

What didn't you like about the dehydrator?

[bigcountrysg]

The meat looked raw, it was dehydrated but it was chewy and I just did not care for it. I like the oven plus the oven is faster and you can make more jerky in the oven because it is bigger.

[Logan]

Yeah, I use the over too and I could tell ya what I put in mine, but then I would have to kill ya

[bigcountrysg]

Homemade Beef Jerky. Learn how to make beef jerky at home like the professionals do!

above is a good link for directions to make all kinds of jerky.

[Clay Henry]

Originally Posted by bigcountrysg

Place it in the oven at 150 for pretty much all day. I tried those dehydrators and did not like the end result.

This dehydrator runs at 145*f....i checkecked it tonight.

Originally Posted by bigcountrysg

The meat looked raw, it was dehydrated but it was chewy and I just did not care for it. I like the oven plus the oven is faster and you can make more jerky in the oven because it is bigger.

Maybe you didn't give it long enough???? I don't know, my dehydrator has been on for 4 hours and its getting close to some nice dryed meat. I just need a spice recipe.

Originally Posted by Logan

Yeah, I use the over too and I could tell ya what I put in mine, but then I would have to kill ya

Come on logan, give it up man! :fawkdance:

[Rodslinger]

I've been using a dehydrator to make jerky for years - actually I wore the first one out and am on my second one. I'm ALWAYS looking for different ways to make it but usually for quick and easy jerky I just marinade the meat overnight in liquid smoke and soy sauce. I have a seasoning I got from a small local meat market here in Katy that I sprinkle on it when I'm putting it in the trays.

[rankroddin250]

I go to costco and get a couple gallons of soy sauce. I mix in 3 handfulls of blown sugar, a small handful of table salt, and a small hand ful of coarse ground black pepper. I take roasts and slice them thick about 3/8ths of an inch thick across the grain so its easier to bite off, I tenderize each piece with a meat mallet then put a layer in the botom of a 5 gallon bucket. then i pour in some marinade and add annother layer of meat and add more marinade to each layer, stiring the marinade so you get the peper suspended in it. otherwise it will all settle to the bottom. when i get done i have a few inches of marinade on top of all of my jerkey meat and i let it marinade for 2 days. then I smoke mine with misquite chips. but the food dehydrator will get it done just as well but with out the smoke taste. you can try adding liquid smoke flavoring to the marinade I tried that once and dried my jerky on my wood stove but I didnt notice the smokey taste at all.

[bigcountrysg]

Chenry I just told you my experince. I never had good luck with a dehydrator. Yours coming from Bass Pro is better then mine. I got mine for christmas one year. From day one it never seemed to work right. I have left it going for 24 hours straight and still had the same result chewy, wet meat.