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Dan s Smokehouse Jerky - The Best Pt 1

Anonymous Tue May 23 19:40:02 2006

***MEAT***

venison

top round steak

turkey breast brine---

kiln dried medium salt

molasses -- (Brer Rabbit light

-- or Grandma s)

black and/or red pepper

There are probably as many different variations of jerky recipes out there as there are jerky

lovers. This is a BBQ List and most of the posts deal with standard BBQ issues, briskets,

ribs, butts, *cookers*, grills, smokers and their related mops and sauces. Occasionally,

there are posts outlining sausage making, which is an art form of it's own and is

sometimes difficult to put a finger on precisely how to 'clone' a closely guarded family or

industry secret. The recipes posted here were of great interest to me and I admire the effort

from those who shared with us - not exactly true BBQ, but invaluable savvy nonetheless.

Along the same line, I would like to share a jerky making process that goes back a long

way, before refrigerators, before electricity. To the best of my knowledge it has never been

written down, just passed along from one old timer to the next - until now....Showing a

person how to do something is one thing, but putting it into words is,......an

incommodiously a

rduous task? The Meat: Generally, the lean scraps from most venison (elk, deer, caribou,

antelope and moose) work very good. Bear is greasy(sorry Bear), as is pork. Buffalo is

similar to beef and makes good jerky. The best cut of beef that will yield the most usable

lean meat is the top round. If you like turkey, use large bone in breasts and remove the

bone. I haven't done reptiles, but what the hey, if that's your bag give it a shot. The meat

should be reasonably aged, at least kept cool for a week or so after it's dressed out and

skinned. It is important to trim as much fat off as possible, even if you have to cut it out or

scrape it off. The fat will not take salt very well when the meat brines, it will become rancid

and grow mold quickly. Cut the meat with the grain, into strips as big around as your thumb

(3/4-1