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Mark Smithsays
Hi Will,
I’m new to making beef jerky. I’ve made one batch with my wife’s fruit dehydrator, had to use the oven to get to 160 degrees, that turned out pretty good.
While researching jerky making, I settled on your site and I’m considering purchasing the Nesco Snackmaster Pro you reviewed. Would you feel safe making beef jerky with this dehydrator without using the oven?
I make beef jerky in this dehydrator without preheating in the oven all the time. If I am making chicken or turkey jerky, I try to pre-heat in the oven to 165°F.
Hi Will. Bill again. Do you think percing the meat with a heavy tined fork before marinating will help to get more flaver into the meat? I tried it the last time I made jerky on my Brinkman but I over cooked it and couldn;t tell. Had to put it in the microwave with a little water to soften it. Also. any thought to another book? Some of the older receipes I have on paper were not in there and I think your site has more on it. May be use receipes other fans have . I liked the fish receipes added in there. Haven't smoked fish in years.
Hey Bill! Yeah, using a fork or meat tenderizer, spiked end, would work great in getting more marinade in the meat as well as tenderize it. Haven’t planned on starting another book. The current one has some recipes from the site and some not on the site. A book is a lot of work! I have thought about including a fans recipe section on the site. I Need to look into that more.
Hi Will. Haven't been on your site for a couple years. Wifi got too expensive and had it cut off. Being stuck at home because of covid had it turned back on, plus going to the library to get on line was a pain. April 24 got on your site and low and behold you have a book. went to amazon and ordered it. it arived about 2 hours ago and is as good as expected. Now I can throw out all the papers I had receipes on. Here is a receipe that is the one I started with called "jesse's homemaid Jerky" from the 1985 Sports Afield. They used 2lbs of venison,2tbsp worcestershire, 2tbsp soy sauce,1tbsp salt, 1tsp ground red pepper, 2 cloves of garlic sliced,1cup corn whiskey and 1 cup of water. I made this again last week along with a batch with Zesty Italian Dressing and a lot of Tapatio in my Brinkmann Charcoal Smoker. I tried a dehydrater but I like playing with the smoker. Thanks for the great book and I look forward to trying some of the other receipes, probobly next week. Sorry if I ran on.
Will,
Yours is a most awesome site. I have your book in my cart at Amazon. Waiting to put a few more items in and then purchase. I too live in Colorado. Born and raised in Texas. Worked all my life at the Henderson Mine. Anyway...I'm into my jerky and have printed a few of your recipes to try while I'm on the road in my new job...MSHA.
Nice Danny! I hope you enjoy the book, it's got some great recipes in it. Colorado and Texas hold a special place in my heart, both great places. Enjoy the jerky man.
I'm from Belleville, Ontario. I noted your recommendation for a dehydrator, being the Nesco Snackmaster Pro.
One of the ones I found at Walmart was The Nesco Dehydrator, Model FD80CN, 700 Watts. It only has 4 trays, with room for 4 more. Walmart doesn't sell the extra trays for this model. Do you know of anywhere that sells the one you mentioned with 5 trays and 600 watts? Walmart does sell 2 other Nesco dehydrators but I thought I should stay with the one you suggested.
Thank you
March 25, 2019
Amazon sells the extra trays for that dehydrator, you can click the link here to check them out. I have not used that dehydrator you mentioned and am not sure of how well it dries or if the unit really will heat meat to the 160F that is very important for killing bacteria. Walmart does have a good return policy, you can always buy it to try and if it's not that great, return it for a full refund. I have not seen the Snackmaster Pro anywhere in stores for purchase. You either have to get it off amazon or from Nesco directly. I am not sure when it's coming out and will be for sale, but I know that Nesco is making the Snackmaster Pro in a digital model. I wouldn't wait around for that one to come on sale though, start making jerky NOW! Ha.
Jerkyholic,
I have been making Jerky with a browning dehydrator for years. It always came out perfect, but I don't think it would ever get above 140? I guess that I was rolling the dice not getting it above 160. Recently my wife bought me the Excalibur. So, I am trying to do the smart thing and get the meat to 160. The problem is, I can't seem to get it right. No matter how much attention that I pay to it, I seem to overcook it. Its almost like 160 doesn't dehydrate, but cooks it. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
Donny
Make sure to take a piece out and let it cool to room temperature before testing it to see if it is finished. When it cools it will be come stiffer and not as pliable. If you test it while it is hot you will always over dry it. After it reaches 160F, it can be brought down to 145F and finished off as well.
Hey Will, I want to than you for your site. I love to make jerky and try different recipes. I'm looking to make some jerky for a friend who likes it hot. One I was going to try was the Tabasco Habanero but no one sells it around here. I'm also trying the Dragon Fire which has Habaneros so I picked up a Scotch Bonnet sauce to have a little variety.
My question is do you think it will work to just substitute the sauces or do you think there are other ingredients that will pair better with Scotch Bonnet?
Also, I would love to send you a recipe or two. How is the best way to do that?
I think the scotch bonnet's will substitute just fine! Let me know how it turns out. I have had several people want to send me recipes. I am working on adding something to the site where people can submit recipes. For right now though. Leaving them in a comment or e-mailing them to me with the subject 'recipes' at jerkyholicguy@gmail.com will work. Look forward to checking it out!
I found your jerky site today and I am impressed by all your good recipes and information. I have only used premade jerky seasonings in the past such as High Mountain and I want to create my own like you do. I am an avid hunter and love to make deer jerky and summer sausage. I notice that you use Prague powder. What is your opinion on using Morton tender quick? In my research, Prague powder is much more economical because you use less to cure the meat. With that said, you still have to add a good amount of salt to the recipe to season the meat. So I am torn between the two products. Both provide sodium nitrate and nitrite. I will be dehydrating my jerky in my Excalibur dehydrator, and smoking my summer sausage. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to trying your jerky recipes.
Hey Bill, thanks for stopping by and the kind words! I like using the Prague Powder #1 over the Morton Tender quick because you don't have to use so much salt. The prague powder #1 is only 1 tsp per 5lbs of meat which allows me to adjust the salt and contains sodium nitrite only. MTQ requires a lot more (can't remember how much per pound off the top of my head) and has both nitrate and nitrites. For jerky, you only need nitrite which is for meat that does not require a long curing time or long smoking time. For making summer sausage, you might want to look into prague powder #2, which is sodium nitrate only which is made for sausage making. So I would choose prague powder #1 when making jerky and #2 when making sausage. If you are going to use a lot of salt in your jerky recipe, MTQ will work as well (it just might be pretty salty). Hope that helps!
Been on your site many times and appreciate all your tips and recipes. But, how in the world did I not buy the jerky slicer sooner??! Unbelievable. Just knocked out 15 lbs. of eye of round in no time.
Elk hunt in NM starting October 1st - hoping for some great jerky opportunities!
Hey Will - what would you say is your spiciest recipe? I need the heat, helps keep the appetite at bay. For reference, I make your habanero jerky a bunch but I actually triple the habanero sauce. I'm also using Trader Joe's habanero which I think is spicier than the Tabasco brand. I buy 4 pounds of top round at Costco and empty the entire bottle in there. Anyway just picked up some more round and want to mix it up w/ a new recipe this week. Go blue!
I would say the Grim Reaper Jerky is the hottest. I know I made it with Elk instead of Beef, but beef would work just as good. That Carolina Reaper Puree is no joke. I would try that one for sure! Ready for the upcoming season by the way. Go Blue!
Hello Will, first off, GREAT SITE!!! Thank you for making it. I started making jerky a couple years ago, in my double oven. It worked, but not perfect. Well this past fathers day I received the large dehydrator from Cabela's. Much better!!! I have a large family, and a lot of jerky loving friends, so I start out with at least 50 lbs of meat. So far I have tried your Rig Hand, Alton Brown (love that guy), and Teriyaki II, and let me tell you, EVERYONE loves those!!! Now I am going to try the rest.
My question is on curing salt, or Prague powder #1. I hope I don't confuse you.
For Alton Brown, I multiply your recipe x6 for 20lbs of meat. It covers the meat in the tub I marinate in. So, should I be using 6, 1/4 teaspoons of Prague powder or should I be using 20, 1/4 teaspoons? (Since it is widely recommended to use 1/4 teaspoon per pound of meat)
Now, for Rig Hand, since it contains less liquid than the Alton Brown original recipe, I multiply your recipe x12 for 20lbs of meat. Again, should I be using 12, 1/4 teaspoons of Prague powder or 20, 1/4 teaspoons? Thanks for all you do, and please don't stop!!! I love this site!!!
Thanks! That's a lot of meat, wow! You treat it per lb of meat, not marinade. We usually cut it down to 1/4tsp per 1lb, but the actual amount is 1tsp per 5lbs of meat (always double check your prague powder box). So for 20lbs of meat, use 4tsp of curing salt. I'm glad you guys are enjoying the recipes and hope you like the other ones. Let me know how they turn out Dean!
Was scanning jerky recipes and came across your site. One really caught my eye, Rig Hand Jerky. Since I work in the oil patch, I had a look. Seems like a good simple recipe, but here’s the best part.
Was looking at your pics, and we have something in common. I check mud for Newpark in Canada, lol. Also my name is Wil, 1 L. Send me an email if you want. Cheers Brother!!
Hey! That's awesome man! Nice to talk to another Newpark guy. I'm down here in Oklahoma working, everythings cruising along pretty well. Hope all is well in Canada!
Thanks Scott. I should receive one if you clicked on the link from the website. I appreciate that very much! You will love that dehydrator. It works great! Make sure to stop back by and let me know how your jerky turned out!
Hi I purchased your book and have been following you for some time now I purchased a Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator it only heats to 158 I know your recipes call for 165 I also have a presto that heats at 165 what is the best way to use this new one I purchased and tips ? Thanks love your book
Thanks for purchasing the book Steven! 160F is called for when doing beef, 165F for poultry. I would use a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature. Even though the dehydrator says 158F, it might really heat to 160F or above. If you aren't reaching 160F, use curing salt to help kill any bacteria. Also, if you could leave a review on amazon for the book I would appreciate it man!
Mark Smith says
Hi Will,
I’m new to making beef jerky. I’ve made one batch with my wife’s fruit dehydrator, had to use the oven to get to 160 degrees, that turned out pretty good.
While researching jerky making, I settled on your site and I’m considering purchasing the Nesco Snackmaster Pro you reviewed. Would you feel safe making beef jerky with this dehydrator without using the oven?
Thank you,
Mark
Will says
I make beef jerky in this dehydrator without preheating in the oven all the time. If I am making chicken or turkey jerky, I try to pre-heat in the oven to 165°F.
william r stockton says
Hi Will. Bill again. Do you think percing the meat with a heavy tined fork before marinating will help to get more flaver into the meat? I tried it the last time I made jerky on my Brinkman but I over cooked it and couldn;t tell. Had to put it in the microwave with a little water to soften it. Also. any thought to another book? Some of the older receipes I have on paper were not in there and I think your site has more on it. May be use receipes other fans have . I liked the fish receipes added in there. Haven't smoked fish in years.
Will says
Hey Bill! Yeah, using a fork or meat tenderizer, spiked end, would work great in getting more marinade in the meat as well as tenderize it. Haven’t planned on starting another book. The current one has some recipes from the site and some not on the site. A book is a lot of work! I have thought about including a fans recipe section on the site. I Need to look into that more.
Bill Stockton says
Hi Will. Haven't been on your site for a couple years. Wifi got too expensive and had it cut off. Being stuck at home because of covid had it turned back on, plus going to the library to get on line was a pain. April 24 got on your site and low and behold you have a book. went to amazon and ordered it. it arived about 2 hours ago and is as good as expected. Now I can throw out all the papers I had receipes on. Here is a receipe that is the one I started with called "jesse's homemaid Jerky" from the 1985 Sports Afield. They used 2lbs of venison,2tbsp worcestershire, 2tbsp soy sauce,1tbsp salt, 1tsp ground red pepper, 2 cloves of garlic sliced,1cup corn whiskey and 1 cup of water. I made this again last week along with a batch with Zesty Italian Dressing and a lot of Tapatio in my Brinkmann Charcoal Smoker. I tried a dehydrater but I like playing with the smoker. Thanks for the great book and I look forward to trying some of the other receipes, probobly next week. Sorry if I ran on.
Will says
I’m going to have to try that recipe from ‘85! Thanks for all the kind words and I’m glad you are enjoying the book. Thanks for buying it!
Danny Barton says
Will,
Yours is a most awesome site. I have your book in my cart at Amazon. Waiting to put a few more items in and then purchase. I too live in Colorado. Born and raised in Texas. Worked all my life at the Henderson Mine. Anyway...I'm into my jerky and have printed a few of your recipes to try while I'm on the road in my new job...MSHA.
Danny
Will says
Nice Danny! I hope you enjoy the book, it's got some great recipes in it. Colorado and Texas hold a special place in my heart, both great places. Enjoy the jerky man.
Grace Parsons says
Hi Will
I'm from Belleville, Ontario. I noted your recommendation for a dehydrator, being the Nesco Snackmaster Pro.
One of the ones I found at Walmart was The Nesco Dehydrator, Model FD80CN, 700 Watts. It only has 4 trays, with room for 4 more. Walmart doesn't sell the extra trays for this model. Do you know of anywhere that sells the one you mentioned with 5 trays and 600 watts? Walmart does sell 2 other Nesco dehydrators but I thought I should stay with the one you suggested.
Thank you
March 25, 2019
Will says
Amazon sells the extra trays for that dehydrator, you can click the link here to check them out. I have not used that dehydrator you mentioned and am not sure of how well it dries or if the unit really will heat meat to the 160F that is very important for killing bacteria. Walmart does have a good return policy, you can always buy it to try and if it's not that great, return it for a full refund. I have not seen the Snackmaster Pro anywhere in stores for purchase. You either have to get it off amazon or from Nesco directly. I am not sure when it's coming out and will be for sale, but I know that Nesco is making the Snackmaster Pro in a digital model. I wouldn't wait around for that one to come on sale though, start making jerky NOW! Ha.
Donald McHugh says
Jerkyholic,
I have been making Jerky with a browning dehydrator for years. It always came out perfect, but I don't think it would ever get above 140? I guess that I was rolling the dice not getting it above 160. Recently my wife bought me the Excalibur. So, I am trying to do the smart thing and get the meat to 160. The problem is, I can't seem to get it right. No matter how much attention that I pay to it, I seem to overcook it. Its almost like 160 doesn't dehydrate, but cooks it. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
Donny
Will says
Make sure to take a piece out and let it cool to room temperature before testing it to see if it is finished. When it cools it will be come stiffer and not as pliable. If you test it while it is hot you will always over dry it. After it reaches 160F, it can be brought down to 145F and finished off as well.
Paul says
Hi Will! What is the best commercial grade dehydrator(or dehydrator that can do bulk)? I’ve been reading most dont or cant hold 160 degrees
Will says
I would go with the Excalibur. You can check out my reviews of some dehydrators here!
Kent Cardwell says
Hey Will, I want to than you for your site. I love to make jerky and try different recipes. I'm looking to make some jerky for a friend who likes it hot. One I was going to try was the Tabasco Habanero but no one sells it around here. I'm also trying the Dragon Fire which has Habaneros so I picked up a Scotch Bonnet sauce to have a little variety.
My question is do you think it will work to just substitute the sauces or do you think there are other ingredients that will pair better with Scotch Bonnet?
Also, I would love to send you a recipe or two. How is the best way to do that?
Will says
I think the scotch bonnet's will substitute just fine! Let me know how it turns out. I have had several people want to send me recipes. I am working on adding something to the site where people can submit recipes. For right now though. Leaving them in a comment or e-mailing them to me with the subject 'recipes' at jerkyholicguy@gmail.com will work. Look forward to checking it out!
Bill Wincer says
Hello Will,
I found your jerky site today and I am impressed by all your good recipes and information. I have only used premade jerky seasonings in the past such as High Mountain and I want to create my own like you do. I am an avid hunter and love to make deer jerky and summer sausage. I notice that you use Prague powder. What is your opinion on using Morton tender quick? In my research, Prague powder is much more economical because you use less to cure the meat. With that said, you still have to add a good amount of salt to the recipe to season the meat. So I am torn between the two products. Both provide sodium nitrate and nitrite. I will be dehydrating my jerky in my Excalibur dehydrator, and smoking my summer sausage. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to trying your jerky recipes.
Thank you, Bill
Will says
Hey Bill, thanks for stopping by and the kind words! I like using the Prague Powder #1 over the Morton Tender quick because you don't have to use so much salt. The prague powder #1 is only 1 tsp per 5lbs of meat which allows me to adjust the salt and contains sodium nitrite only. MTQ requires a lot more (can't remember how much per pound off the top of my head) and has both nitrate and nitrites. For jerky, you only need nitrite which is for meat that does not require a long curing time or long smoking time. For making summer sausage, you might want to look into prague powder #2, which is sodium nitrate only which is made for sausage making. So I would choose prague powder #1 when making jerky and #2 when making sausage. If you are going to use a lot of salt in your jerky recipe, MTQ will work as well (it just might be pretty salty). Hope that helps!
Peter says
Will,
Been on your site many times and appreciate all your tips and recipes. But, how in the world did I not buy the jerky slicer sooner??! Unbelievable. Just knocked out 15 lbs. of eye of round in no time.
Elk hunt in NM starting October 1st - hoping for some great jerky opportunities!
Many Thanks,
Peter
Will says
Ha. If you make a lot of jerky, the jerky slicer is a must! Makes life sooooo much easier. Good luck on the hunt!
Chris says
Hey Will - what would you say is your spiciest recipe? I need the heat, helps keep the appetite at bay. For reference, I make your habanero jerky a bunch but I actually triple the habanero sauce. I'm also using Trader Joe's habanero which I think is spicier than the Tabasco brand. I buy 4 pounds of top round at Costco and empty the entire bottle in there. Anyway just picked up some more round and want to mix it up w/ a new recipe this week. Go blue!
Will says
I would say the Grim Reaper Jerky is the hottest. I know I made it with Elk instead of Beef, but beef would work just as good. That Carolina Reaper Puree is no joke. I would try that one for sure! Ready for the upcoming season by the way. Go Blue!
Dean Lullo says
Hello Will, first off, GREAT SITE!!! Thank you for making it. I started making jerky a couple years ago, in my double oven. It worked, but not perfect. Well this past fathers day I received the large dehydrator from Cabela's. Much better!!! I have a large family, and a lot of jerky loving friends, so I start out with at least 50 lbs of meat. So far I have tried your Rig Hand, Alton Brown (love that guy), and Teriyaki II, and let me tell you, EVERYONE loves those!!! Now I am going to try the rest.
My question is on curing salt, or Prague powder #1. I hope I don't confuse you.
For Alton Brown, I multiply your recipe x6 for 20lbs of meat. It covers the meat in the tub I marinate in. So, should I be using 6, 1/4 teaspoons of Prague powder or should I be using 20, 1/4 teaspoons? (Since it is widely recommended to use 1/4 teaspoon per pound of meat)
Now, for Rig Hand, since it contains less liquid than the Alton Brown original recipe, I multiply your recipe x12 for 20lbs of meat. Again, should I be using 12, 1/4 teaspoons of Prague powder or 20, 1/4 teaspoons? Thanks for all you do, and please don't stop!!! I love this site!!!
Will says
Thanks! That's a lot of meat, wow! You treat it per lb of meat, not marinade. We usually cut it down to 1/4tsp per 1lb, but the actual amount is 1tsp per 5lbs of meat (always double check your prague powder box). So for 20lbs of meat, use 4tsp of curing salt. I'm glad you guys are enjoying the recipes and hope you like the other ones. Let me know how they turn out Dean!
Wil Skogstad says
Hey Will
Was scanning jerky recipes and came across your site. One really caught my eye, Rig Hand Jerky. Since I work in the oil patch, I had a look. Seems like a good simple recipe, but here’s the best part.
Was looking at your pics, and we have something in common. I check mud for Newpark in Canada, lol. Also my name is Wil, 1 L. Send me an email if you want. Cheers Brother!!
Will says
Hey! That's awesome man! Nice to talk to another Newpark guy. I'm down here in Oklahoma working, everythings cruising along pretty well. Hope all is well in Canada!
scott mazzarella says
Just wanted top let you know that I just purchased an Excalibur from your website. I hope you receive a commission
Will says
Thanks Scott. I should receive one if you clicked on the link from the website. I appreciate that very much! You will love that dehydrator. It works great! Make sure to stop back by and let me know how your jerky turned out!
Steven Leblanc says
Hi I purchased your book and have been following you for some time now I purchased a Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator it only heats to 158 I know your recipes call for 165 I also have a presto that heats at 165 what is the best way to use this new one I purchased and tips ? Thanks love your book
Will says
Thanks for purchasing the book Steven! 160F is called for when doing beef, 165F for poultry. I would use a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature. Even though the dehydrator says 158F, it might really heat to 160F or above. If you aren't reaching 160F, use curing salt to help kill any bacteria. Also, if you could leave a review on amazon for the book I would appreciate it man!