So, I just finished my first batch of jerky in my new 050, it turned out alright.... It was a bit too dry and smoky for me. I must have screwed it up, or you folks have a completely different taste for jerky than I do. I followed GLH’s method to a tee….I don’t know…..I think half my problem is I mess with too much of my own marinates.
What I’m trying to do is make like a kippered style beef jerky. I like the thicker, moist, tender type of jerky....I know that some wouldn't consider it jerky unless its like shoe leather, not me I want it soft and tender.
First, Let me back-up a bit, my main reason for wanting a nice smoker was to try and make or should I even say it (duplicate) a type of jerky they sell "up north" from where I live. So far any attempts, even back when I was using my oven and then a Brinkman, have failed miserably....I mean it’s not even close!!! And don’t get me wrong, I'm not looking to copy someone else's method or recipe 100%.... But, I would like to play in the same ballpark...And then dabble with my own variations. I’m trying to figure out the basics….This stuff is really like no other jerky I ever had.
I really like this sweet and spicy BBQ flavor they sell. It can be quite hot and appears to be heavily coated in a very spicy dry rub that seems like a sweet BBQ and has crushed red pepper in it. That’s about all I can tell, its orange in color, It’s NOT like a Cajun rub or anything really salt based, It’s not salty, not much garlic....really the taste is just sweet and hot, hint of BBQ. Maybe some sort a BBQ rub? I cut the outside coating away to try and analyze what the base marinate may consist of (this was about the time my wife called me nuts) After the dry rub was cut away and I was left with just the meat….It has just the sweet BBQ flavor. I realized that much of the sweetness is possibly coming from the marinate …it did get rid of all the spice. And I really taste no salt, this jerky is not salty!
My questions:
Its seems that ALL recipes for jerky marinate always include Soy, Worcestershire or other vinegar based sauce. thats not what this is...its not salty.
What about a BBQ sauce? Can I marinate in a sweet BBQ sauce?
Would a cure work if it was combined with BBQ sauce?
Could I cure it first for 24hrs and then marinate it for 24?
I want to try sweetening up some homemade BBQ sauce by adding brown sugar and let that be the marinate…. But I’m lost on the rub.
I need some suggestions
Am I nuts? Is what I’m trying to do forbidden?, unethical maybe?
Btw, if anyone would accept it, I’d be willing to vac pack and send a sample for some real expert analysis.
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