548568 Thu Aug 14 05:51:19 -0700 2008 15 31 Home Cooking 0 3956059 Today I plan to make some homemade Beef Jerky. I seen an episode on the Food Network where they were in a factory that made it commercially and they had said they use, Soy Sauce to Liquid Smoke at a 13/1 part ratio. I was wondering does that sound correct to anyone who has made thier own at home? Don't get me wrong I have made some delicoius jerky at home before but was looking to change things up a little. I usually add tbrown sugar, the juice from bottled garlic also, and some fresh cracked black pepper or red pepper seeds pressed into one side before I dehydrate. Does anyone have more tips or things they use ? I have also tried the many flavors of A1 diluted a little of course. Thu Aug 14 05:51:20 -0700 2008 51489 Jimbosox04 1 3956944 Liquid smoke is strong stuff, so this sounds about right, although I don't think I'd use that much soy sauce. I try to balance acid and sweet in my jerky recipe so the marinade penetrates the thinly sliced beef better. I usually use a combination of soy, cranberry juice, finely minced onion and garlic, fresh ground black pepper and some chile flakes for a little heat. marinate the slices for at least 12 hours (or until it is obvious the marinade is absorbed). If you want to avoid the liquid smoke, use your grill at the lowest possible setting (or with coals to one side, about 250 degrees F), and use hickory or apple chips (be sure to soak them so they don't burn). Thu Aug 14 10:29:49 -0700 2008 3956059 62758 gsshark 2 3958812 Many years ago, working my way through school, I spent a couple of seasons in a prune dehydration facility. The ovens there were strictly controlled at 140 degrees. We used to prepare flank steak in strips and lay the strips on a wire rack in the ovens, away from the prune racks, to make our jerky. The lower temperature meant slower cooking but the end result was a juicier more tender jerky. If I were to make it at home I'd stick to that 140 degree range temp. Thu Aug 14 21:56:34 -0700 2008 3956944 203621 todao 3 3961090 yep, that range is better because you are actually "dehydrating" it, not cooking it. Fri Aug 15 17:04:21 -0700 2008 3958812 51489 Jimbosox04 4 3962918 I'm assuming and hoping this might also work in an electric smoker that would keep the temp at steady 140 ? Or does the smoker have too much humidity (even without the drip/water tray) ? If it does work, what would be the optimum smoking time for a smoker rack of "minute steak" sized slices ? Would be interesting to try some Tabasco's Chipotle Sauce as a marinade element. Sat Aug 16 17:17:27 -0700 2008 3961090 145071 pondrat 5 3962951 I like to slice the meat by hand about 1/8 inch thick and it usually takes about 5 hours after a press out most of the marinade with paper towels. Everything is a great marinade element, so try what tickles your fancy, you could make the next flavor statement amongst friends. Everytime I make a batch it seems like I end up making 10 more batches for friends and family. Sat Aug 16 17:49:02 -0700 2008 3962918 51489 Jimbosox04 1 3962845 I like your simple approach. Try adding a little acid. Soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, sugar and a touch of toasted sesame seed oil make a nice Thai-ish jerky. Instead of crushed red pepper, use Tabasco sauce or a vinegar-based Mexican hot sauce like El Tapatio. Use maple syrup instead of sugar. Tone down the peppers and garlic a bit so you can appreciate the sweetness. Heaven. Got to disagree with gsshark. I don't find long marinate times are necessary, especially with acidic marinades. 15-20 minutes is plenty of time for the flavors to penetrate a thin slice of beef. After that all you're doing is making ceviche. Sat Aug 16 16:34:23 -0700 2008 3956059 53530 Zeldog 1 3962961 Alton Brown recommends drying the jerky without any added heat. Brines it, then puts it on furnace filters bungee corded to a box fan. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/jerky-recipe/index.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJfuVl0BBlA As far as the brine goes, I like some sweet (honey, molasses, brown sugar, agave nectar, whatever) and some hot (cayenne, fresh bird chiles, scotch bonnets, you get the picture) in the mix along with the salty stuff. I don't see the point of liquid smoke, but if you want to use it, use it sparingly. Sat Aug 16 17:55:42 -0700 2008 3956059 58743 alanbarnes 2 3964876 Had to decide whether I wanted to catch hell from spouse for spending $129 on a Nesco American Harvest Food Deyhdrator; or have spouse send me for psych evaluation and possible commitment after using Alton's furnace filters and box fan to dry my jerky and apricots. I opted for former. Sun Aug 17 19:09:26 -0700 2008 3962961 145071 pondrat 2 3964994 very interesting post, I use a dehydrator that generates heat up to about 140 degrees and as Alton says may change the flavor, I am gonna try this box fan method, sounds cheap enough to try and what can it hurt to see if it makes it actually a better flavor. He actually does "marinade" the meat, since "brining" would mean to just add salt. Sun Aug 17 20:10:13 -0700 2008 3962961 51489 Jimbosox04 3 3965081 My understanding is that a brine can be any combination of flavorings, so long as they include salt and do not include acid. To be a marinade, on the other hand, the liquid has to have some acid in it. So if there's vinegar, lemon juice, LSD, etc., it's a marinade; otherwise it's a brine. Sun Aug 17 21:09:52 -0700 2008 3964994 58743 alanbarnes 1 5206130 That's what the people selling vacuum sealers claim. Too bad it isn't true. A fairly well-controlled study concluded that "use of vacuum during marination appeared to offer no significant advantage over marination at atmospheric pressure." http://ps.fass.org/cgi/reprint/83/1/129.pdf Tue Nov 24 15:49:39 -0800 2009 5206025 58743 alanbarnes 1 5206710 Opens the pores? What nonsense! Sounds more like a beauty treatment than a recipe. In any case, there are no pores in a piece of meat. All vacuum bagging does is make sure the marinade or rub stays in close contact with the meat. You can do the same with a zip bag or even a plain old plastic bag with a twist tie. Put meat and marinade in bag, close partly, submerge bag in a pot of water up to an inch or so from the top to force out most of the air, seal bag completely. Tue Nov 24 20:46:30 -0800 2009 5206025 53530 Zeldog 2 5207824 Every piece of sliced meat that you buy pre marinated is vacuum marinated. Tyson, uses it with there chicken breast and tenders, jimmy dean and james meat company uses it with there pork loins. I could go on and on but in till you try it, don't judge it. When you put a vacuum on a bag with meat and marinade in it and ALL the marinade seems to completely vanish , where did it go? Vacuum does more than keep the marinade close to the meat. By the way, your right, submerging the bag in a pot of water up to a inch or two from the top does work, it creates a vacuum. Wed Nov 25 10:33:41 -0800 2009 5206710 1127212 RecipeXChange 3 5207913 http://www.foodmag.com.au/Article/The-Advantages-of-Vacuum-Tumbling/63392.aspx Wed Nov 25 10:59:37 -0800 2009 5207824 1127212 RecipeXChange 4 5208097 Nice article. Or, more accurately, sales pitch. It's written by somebody selling vacuum-tumbling marination equipment. When food scientists from the University of Georgia tested the manufacturers' claims, they found that it's the tumbling, not the vacuum, that shortens marination time, and noted that "use of vacuum during marination appeared to offer no significant advantage over marination at atmospheric pressure." http://ps.fass.org/cgi/reprint/83/1/129.pdf PS - forcing the air out of a zip-top bag does not create a vacuum. Wed Nov 25 12:01:50 -0800 2009 5207913 58743 alanbarnes