New batch of jerky...

Are you using an AmeriQue?

No,I have the Smokin Tex 1400 stainless.I used the disposable grill tops having 10 strips of jerky on each plate,stacking them 3 plates high on each of my 5 shelves.Out of 5 pounds of ground chuck I had 128 strips of jerky total.It took 4 hours and 20 minutes to get it done where the jerky cracked but didnt break in half as I bent them.VERY goooood stuff.Kinda spicy but not as hot as I thought it would be.The sugar twin brown sugar is kind of a diabetic sugar form that can be baked safely and provides sweetness without causing a diabetic reaction.That was what i was looking for as my girlfriend is diabetic nowadays and taking metformin.That jerky was perfecto according to her!!I stacked the jerky between paper napkins for 2 hours to soak up grease and when cooled added them to a gallon ziplock baggie to refrigerate overnite before vac-sealing them in 3-4oz packs.

I think the ONLY thing I will change in my next batch will be to add 10 or 12 shakes ofsoy sauce instead.Seems like it was the only thing lacking.Soy sauce seems to take away some heat...not too much but some.Also adds some flavor other than heat.I think I guessed everything else ok for a great tasting jerky.

Sounds like it took a while, but at 170* and you opened the door to check more than once. Have you tried doing real jerky with strips of whole meat?

Yeah,opened the door a couple times.And yes,I have tried the strips of meat like you said,but still prefer the ground chuck jerky myself.

You might would like to try stuffing that mixture into the small skins and doing your own version of slim jims. Sounds good.

Yeah,I already make the sticks with no casing.My jerky shooter gun can do strips or sticks.Sticks take a little longer to get done than the strips.Good stuff!I usually do 5 pounds of ground chuck at a time and do both sticks and strips.Turns out about 130 pieces.

Actually sounds easier than whole muscle meat jerky. I have seen the jerky shooter guns in a local store.

My jerky shooter sticks are very popular with my friends. I like them too, but I prefer the whole muscle when I have time to do it.

I used the American Harvest dehydrater for the last 8-9 years for jerky.But with my smokin tex oven my jerky dont take as long to get done.4 hours with the smoker oven is better than 9-10 hours with the dehydrater.Plus I can flavor with actual hickory wood.All in all I love the ease of making ground chuck jerky and its not so tough I have to chew on it for 4 minutes just to get a taste.But its my own personal preference.Enjoy!

Even though my teeth aren't what they once were, I like to chew on the real jerky. Probably if it wasn't so chewy, I would end up eating too much of it!

I am with GLH. I like my jerky tough & chewy. I have tried the ground stuf from the stores (I know, no comparison in taste) and just don't care for the texture & it doesn't seem to last as long.

I had a butcher accidently cut my jerky strips against the grain. Reminded me of the ground stuff - no fight to it.

Not knocking the ground jerky at all. We all have different preferences. If you're happy, well that's all that matters

I have always cut my deer across the grain nobody ever told me to go with the grain I just figured it would be too tuff to chew. I learn something new every day on this forum.