Jerky gun? Dehydrator? Enlighten me please

[Chris_]

I'd really like to make my own jerky, I've looked at several different dehydrators online, some of which come with a jerky gun, a caulking gun looking thing with different spouts.
Please tell me the ins and outs of jerky making and give me a clue on if these guns are a good thing or just goofy

[Thor]

One CAN make jerky from hamburger, BUT....... be very careful on the hamburger you choose!! Because it doesn't get hot enough in a dehydrator, it won't kill the bad bacteria that can often be found in hamburger nowadays. IF you DO use hamburger, get it from a place that grinds their own beef. For God's sake & YOURS, don't use those "chubs" that come from the meat packing plants!!  You'd be better off getting a rump roast or some other fairly lean cut of beef and slicing it. Walmart used to carry a fairly decent jerky seasoning.

As far as I'm concerned, the guns are OK, but a waste of money, all in all. One can do the same with waxed paper and a rolling pin.

[LC EFA]

I just use a good cut of beef - Sirloin or rib eye - cut it into strips about 1/4" thick, marinate in something salty overnight, then add dry seasonings and dry it on a rack in a conventional electric oven.

I'm kind of uneasy about using hamburger - due to the fat content and due to the far larger surface area of meat that could be contaminated.

[thundley4]

I used a store bought marinade mix but added jalapeño pepper juice to it. It turned good and spicy.

[Chris_]

My cousin bottles his own barbecue sauce that is kick ass. One of my other cousin's friends made some jerky with it years ago that was flat awesome.

[Karin]

We are the jerky king and queen in these parts.  We use:

The Gardenmaster dehydrator from Nesco, purchased online, about $125.  Very happy with it.

London Broil only, cut 3/8" thick.

Marinade:
Mostly soy sauce, with dashes of:
Brown sugar
Liquid Smoke
Frank's hot sauce
Worcestershire sauce

Marinate the meat for only 10 minutes.  Make sure it all comes in contact.  Lay out on dehydrator trays, sprinkling with red pepper flakes if desired, and let go for 7 hours.  No more, no less. 

I'm chewing on some right now! 

[vesta111]

One CAN make jerky from hamburger, BUT....... be very careful on the hamburger you choose!! Because it doesn't get hot enough in a dehydrator, it won't kill the bad bacteria that can often be found in hamburger nowadays. IF you DO use hamburger, get it from a place that grinds their own beef. For God's sake & YOURS, don't use those "chubs" that come from the meat packing plants!!  You'd be better off getting a rump roast or some other fairly lean cut of beef and slicing it. Walmart used to carry a fairly decent jerky seasoning.

As far as I'm concerned, the guns are OK, but a waste of money, all in all. One can do the same with waxed paper and a rolling pin.

Thor, I found a site that a poster tells how they make Hamburg jerky.

They say to get the best hamburger at 90% lean and cook on the lowest temperature on the stove  until well cooked.

Remove from pan and rinse under very hot water for a good 3-5 minutes to remove any left on grease. Cool and place in blender to make a mush up mess, add spices remove from blender and moosh the lot out onto wax paper and flatten down to 1/4 inch.  place in freezer until hard, remove and slice into strips  and place them in the dehydrator for about 12 hours. more if needed.

[Thor]

I'll stick with some sort of roast or london broil or flank steak, TYVM. That is, unless one grinds their own hamburger. (Which I have done) Speaking of hamburger or ground chuck. Last night we went to Sams. Ground chuck was actually cheaper than a chuck roast (per pound) I was like WTF is up with that?!?!?!?

[vesta111]

I'll stick with some sort of roast or london broil or flank steak, TYVM. That is, unless one grinds their own hamburger. (Which I have done) Speaking of hamburger or ground chuck. Last night we went to Sams. Ground chuck was actually cheaper than a chuck roast (per pound) I was like WTF is up with that?!?!?!?

I have in the past bought roasts and had the store butcher slice then for me, but today who knows.

At one time I saw a 6 lb. roll of round steak in the vacuum packs for sale at $22.00. on sale from $35.00    I now wonder if I come across this again I can get the butcher to slice the whole thing into 1/4 inch slices to make a ton of jerky.

I so far have not moved beyond vegetables to dehydrate but give me another month and I will try each and every thing including dehydrating hot dogs.  There has got to be a way to dehydrate them things when they go on sale.

[catsmtrods]

I prefer a meat slicer ya know deli style. It brings uniformity and that is important so all things get done at the same time. Karin's marinade sounds about right. Lean meat is key. I like venison. I would sub crushed red pepper for the hot sauce.

[vesta111]

I prefer a meat slicer ya know deli style. It brings uniformity and that is important so all things get done at the same time. Karin's marinade sounds about right. Lean meat is key. I like venison. I would sub crushed red pepper for the hot sauce.

Have you considered buffalo meat for jerky??

In my area we have [2] farms that raise buffalo,   Easy to spot as the electric fences to keep them in look like a compond for dangerous criminals.

One of our local supermarks sells Buffalo meat and when we tried it we had to add oil as the meat had very little.   As for seasoning when I try this I will add hot chillies peppers with the seeds and a good southwestern seasoning.   

[Thor]

Have you considered buffalo meat for jerky??

In my area we have [2] farms that raise buffalo,   Easy to spot as the electric fences to keep them in look like a compond for dangerous criminals.

One of our local supermarks sells Buffalo meat and when we tried it we had to add oil as the meat had very little.   As for seasoning when I try this I will add hot chillies peppers with the seeds and a good southwestern seasoning.   

Ummm, Vesta, WTH do you think "pemmican" is ?!?!?!?!?!?

[vesta111]

Ummm, Vesta, WTH do you think "pemmican" is ?!?!?!?!?!?

REALLY. I for some reason believed pemmican was like Hard Tack.

I did read a diary of a 19 century explorer stranded at the North Pole.   He survived on Pemmican and Hard Tack.

Problem was he and crew of the frozen in boat woke up one morning and they were blind as bats.     The Eskimos with them forced the men to eat blubber, just the fat, their body's needed fat to function properly.

Jump ahead to today and the Russians at their base at the South Pole use butter to keep alive someone suffering hypothermia.

[Thor]

REALLY. I for some reason believed pemmican was like Hard Tack.

I did read a diary of a 19 century explorer stranded at the North Pole.   He survived on Pemmican and Hard Tack.

Problem was he and crew of the frozen in boat woke up one morning and they were blind as bats.     The Eskimos with them forced the men to eat blubber, just the fat, their body's needed fat to function properly.

Jump ahead to today and the Russians at their base at the South Pole use butter to keep alive someone suffering hypothermia.