Have alot of questions, in one post

Well. I'll give it a go.

1. I use Tenderquick and the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon/lb of meat. I tend to use less like a couple teaspoons/lb of meat. Tenderquick contains nitrates and nitrites so I don't overdo it.

2. If cured correctly, you really don't have to refrigerate it, but keep the jerky in an air tight container or ziplock bag with the air bled out. Smoking and drying is also a form of curing so with the Tenderquick the meat is very safe. That said, mine stays in the refrigerator. Tenderquick will penetrate the meat at roughly 1/8" per day. So a 1/4" slice of meat will be cured in 24 hrs (it penetrates from both sides). That said, I let it cure for 48 hrs, mixing and turning the meat a couple times/day.

3. Yea. It's called the Cookshack Jerky forum. You can also find more info by Google or on other smoke forums.

4. Recipes will tell you how much to use. Typically, the recipe will be for a certain amount of meat, like 5 lbs. Adjust accordingly if you're doing more or less meat.

5a. You might not pick up an individual teaspoon of flavor but the total of the recipe gives it its unique taste. That said, when I'm out of something, I don't sweat it or check my substitute chart.

5b. I think you can put just about anything in the cure to add flavor. I typically use a wet cure with Tenderquick in it. If I wanted a barbecue flavor, I'd replace the soy and worcestershire my recipe suggests with a barbecue sauce or a teriyaki sauce, etc.

6. Read the GLH method at the top of this jerky forum. 180-190* is a good temp. You want to mainly dry the jerky meat and not overcook it.

7. If you're talking wood chips or pellets, leave them in for the whole smoke or add more if chips stop smoking.

8. Water pans in some smokers are intended to add moisture. Since you're drying jerky, don't use a water pan.

9. Vent always open, and the doors (or lid) every 45 minutes for 5 or 6 seconds to let out moisture.

10. We don't soak our chips in our Cookshacks. I use pellets and chunks for jerky. If pellets or chips, I'd place them in an aluminum foil pouch with about 6 holes punched in the pouch. Test the smoke effectiveness of the chips without moisture. If it looks good, don't use the water.

Like I said, read the DLH method or QDogg's Jerky 101. Also, read through this jerky forum.

You'll love your results. Good smoking to you.

So, now i have another question:

My jerky, just recently, has been coming out with a white dusty film on some of the pieces. Is this normal? or should the meat be thrown away?

Also,

When the meat is in the brine, does it have to stay refrigerated? Ive been told both yes and no.

thanks
cory

White dusty film, may be some extra salt showing up as it drys and the moisture is evaporating. As far as wither to refrigerate, that depends on the amount of cure in the brine, personally...I'd always refig to be on the safe side, but that's just me.

I always refrigerate. May take awhile for the brine to cover all pieces thoroughly. That's why we brine for 2 days and mix the meat a couple times a day.

You will also notice that more as many days go by more white crystal like covering on some of the jerky appears as it dries more as mentioned above. I find at that point it does seem to taste a little saltier. I don't refrigerate after cooking because it is usually gone within a week or so. I always refrigerate as I cure/marinate, why take the chance.