My Stogie-Style Jerky Works

Hi Andi,
Your jerky looks great! I wonder what kind of spices you keep in the red, white, and blue can in the first pix. Maybe it's the cook's medicine.

Could you tell a little about your preparation and cooking temps. I think you have the Smokette, as do I. I have noticed that I've had to keep watch on the temps to keep them from getting too high and too low for one particular thermostat setting. I wonder what temp you used, and did you "set it and forget it". Even when fiddlin' with the thermostat to keep the temps around 150-160� I had to pull the jerky at about 5-1/2 hours, but it was so nice and tender, and not too dry.
Your racks look great. I'll have to see if I can find something like that. I have not been able to find the drying pans that Stogie uses, so I am still using the toothpick method, which works fine. Your pix are nice. I can just about taste the jerky in your last picture. I know what you mean about being stingy with jerky. I lock the doors so the neighbors can't get in!

Hi, Ronnie. I was so nervous about the mechanics of posting the pictures...I forgot to tell "The Story". Sorry!

I had Smokette set at 170. The Carne Seca took dang near exactly 6 hours. And I turned them every hour. Since it firms up upon cooling, I took it out whlie it was still quite pliable. It firmed up perfectly. My husband and his co-workes are raving. I use one ounce of Mesquite, which I thought was quite appropriate for Mexican jerky. The Adult Beverage you see in the pic was the Cooks Sweetener! LOL!

Those racks may be hard for you to find, they are used to drain Salmon Roe for packing for market. Extremely expensive stuff to have to buy.

The recipe for Carne Seca is on here. You'll have to do a search. I love this style of jerky! It's done in vinegar. I use red wine vinegar. I tweak the seasonings almost everytime. Needs about a tsp. or more salt than the recipe calls for. This batch was definitely low sodium, but you can really tatse the meat. I also add a tsp. of saltpeter to the brine, for color.

So, 170 degrees for 6 hours, turning every hour. One ounce mesquite. I had a test piece always on top of the racks. Worked great exceot by the time the jerky was nearly finished, so was my test piece! At three hours it was tender as a babies butt! I could have eaten it all just like that. Sort of like smoked roast moose slices.

Did I explain okay? Ley me know if not, okay?

Just an added note. You can buy the stainless steel racks (I bought 14 x 14 inch racks yesterday) at a chef's supply store for about $4.00 each. I paid $4.10 plus tax..... dchem

You can buy SS racks but not THE SS racks in these pics. Lemme see yours...got a pic or a website?

I dunno if I will ever make jerky again. I had some of Stogie's and I have never tasted anything so wonderful in my life! It is simply THE BEST ON PLANET EARTH! It is perfect in every way! Makes mine looks like dog treats!

If I do venture into jerky again, I will follow his recipe and instructions to the letter!

dchem - what are the racks you got intended to be used for? I've checked a few online restaurant supply places and not found anything stainless for that cheap.

I sent you a picture of the grill, two pictures actually. I mailed them to you because I couldn't figure out how to post on here. They are 14 x 14 inches, with a medium coarse grid. They are, I think, made to drain fried food on. If you think they would fit the bill, feel free to post em on here. I was surprised to find anything that cheap..... dchem

Just e'd you. They don't look square in the pic. But, they look sufficient. If you want to post them, and I think you should, e-mail them to Smokin. He'll give you a URL, and you can go from there...

Ya know, CS sells "seafood racks", but I haven't seen them.

Contrary to popular opinion around here, I often use my CS as a dehydrator. `Schrooms shrink like the dickens. Need small mesh. Ya ever dehydrate shrimp, and then grind them? Fabulous seasoning for seafood!