Food debate: jerky dryness addition

[BenP]

Had made some deer jerky for a guy at work and we got to talking about how people make it different dryness and how the beef jerky at the store is getting worse and worse. Seems like the store jerky is wet all the time and soft, not really what I imagine jerky to be like.

When I make mine, I dehydrate for hours and it is very dry no matter the thickness, but I don't use any jerky mix that has the preservatives in it. Another guy at work uses the preservatives and his is closer to store bought in dryness and texture but not wet feeling like store bought.

So the question, how dry do you like your jerky to be? I'm not talking about the meat stick style, just sliced and dehydrated.

 

[Big Sky Guy]

I read somewhere that to test if jerky is done correctly you take a piece and fold it over itself. You should be able to bend it completely in half without it breaking apart, a little tearing is OK. Then squeeze together and zero moisture should come out. This is what I have gone by and is how I like it. If moisture comes out not dry enough and if it snaps apart when bending, too dry.

5.5 hours in my dehydrator is what gets me there with 1/8” slices.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I actually just soaked some of mine in Teriyaki sauce today. It made it softer and I really liked it.

 

[BenP]

I actually just soaked some of mine in Teriyaki sauce today. It made it softer and I really liked it.

What teriyaki are you using? I've tried a couple different brands and it never seems to give much flavor.

Or wait, you're saying you soak it in it after it is already dehydrated?

 

[mevertsen]

Im making some right now from my deer in September. Sliced round roasts. Thawed 2 days, Marinated in teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, kosher salt and black pepper for 36 hours or so.

4 Hours in the smoker, then I'll bake it on low until its up to temp and quite hard. The heating element when out for the oven portion of my smoker, so I cant get it up to temp there, I need to finish in my oven.

I like jerky on the hard side. I want to chew on it for a while.

 

[Wildabeest]

Mine never seems to last long enough without getting devoured to justify drying it out like shoe leather or even using curing salt. I just marinade it with Hank Shaw’s adobo recipe and then dry it in the smoker at about 160’ for about 4-5 hrs.