Jerky Making - Ground & Formed Method
Ingredients: |
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1 |
Jerky Making Kit Comes complete with pre-measured cure & seasoning packet |
| 5 Lbs. | Lean Ground Meat (Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Venison, etc.) |
| ½ Cup | Cold Water |
Instructions:
*Note: Because you are working with raw meat, it's best to wear disposable gloves when handling.
1) Place ground meat in a large bowl (To avoid a mess, be sure the bowl is large enough for vigorous hand mixing). Break apart ground meat.
2) Pour entire contents of cure packet over ground meat and by hand, mix completely.
3) Pour in contents of seasoning packet and the ½ Cup of water. Hand mix until mixture becomes sticky and appears uniform in color, without any streaks.
4) Pack ground meat mixture firmly into a jerky gun.
6) Slowly press meat out into strips onto dehydrator racks or wire racks leaving ¼" of space between each strip. Ensure that none of the strips are overlapping. Once all racks are full, place in dehydrator, oven or smokehouse.
7) Dry 4 to 6 hours. We used a standard dehydrator for this demonstration, but drying times will vary based on the amount of jerky, relative humidity and moisture content of meat. Properly dried jerky should be firm, not crisp and will break, but not snap when bent. Refer to the charts below for detailed drying instructions based on the type of equipment being used for drying:
Conventional Oven:
| Step 1 | Set oven temp to 180°F. Place loaded wire racks on cookie sheets, place in oven |
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Step 2 |
Prop oven door open about 1" for the first hour to improve ventilation & reduce drying time. |
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Step 3 |
Bake for 1 hour, then turn strips over. Turn every 30 minutes until done. |
Dehydrator Method:
| Step 1 | Load full racks into dehydrator. Completely load unit before turning on. |
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Step 2 |
Dry the jerky at 160°F for 4 to 6 hours. |
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Step 3 |
Rotate racks throughout drying process and blot the surface of the jerky occasionally until dry. |
Smokehouse Method:
Preheat the smokehouse to 140°F before loading. Follow instructions below.*NOTE: These instructions are meant as a general guideline. Refer to and follow instructions of your brand smoker.
| Stage 1 | 1 Hour | 140°F | Smoke Off | Damper Closed |
| Stage 2 | 1 Hour | 150°F | Smoke On | Damper Open |
| Stage 3 | *** | 160°F | Smoke Off | Damper Open |
*** Until jerky shrinks 50% by weight or until done.
Storage Tips:
- Store jerky in dark, dry place (preferably between 50°F to 60°F. Jerky will reatin color and flavor for months if stored properly.
- Avoid storing in plastic containers or bags.
- If condensation appears inside your storage container, jerky should be dried further.
3 comments
If using the 25lb bulk packs how much water per batch is needed ?
Yes, you can let your ground meat stand overnight. However, you may notice the meat stiffen up, making it more difficult to load into your jerky gun.
Wondering if I could use the ground meat recipe & let stand over night. Or does it have too be dried right after mixing.