Let's Talk BBQ
Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Electric Smokers => Topic started by: muebe on May 11, 2013, 09:57:55 AM
-
So a recent post with a video intrigued me. They showed how to make shelf safe snack sticks and jerky the same way manufacturers do. The key is to quickly bring the internal temperature to FDA approved 160F to kill off any pathogens then dehydrate the product at the lower temps. So I thought I might give this a try so here we go...
Started with 5lbs ground beef, jerky gun, and some Backwoods snack stick mix...
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_055306_zps375903da.jpg)
Then dissolve the mix in 5oz of water. This helps the mix distribute evenly with the ground beef. I actually only use 3/4 of the seasoning mix because it is a bit too salty for my taste using the entire package...
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_055458_zpsce841ff2.jpg)
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_055551_zpscbc51ea3.jpg)
Add the mix to the beef. Time to get dirty with some hand mixing...
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_055611_zps96f3078f.jpg)
It is important to mix well to get even distribution of cure...
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_060246_zpsff519344.jpg)
Pow! Onto the Bradley rack with a frog mat...
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_061031_zpsf7f911ef.jpg)
Now I had pre-heated the Bradley to 325F before putting in the racks...
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_063439_zpsdf3dd6e8.jpg)
The temp immediately dropped of course. Open door and cold racks....
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_063455_zps6d284434.jpg)
The temp probe was inserted into one stick on the bottom rack. The PID was programmed to run at 325F until the stick reaches an IT of 160F. Once that stick reaches 160F IT the Bradley will drop cabinet temp to 170F and kick on the fan. There is 2 hours of Pecan smoke being applied for the first 2 hours.
Stay tuned....
-
Well it took about 45 minutes for the bottom ones to reach 140F IT. They were starting to really render the fat and the bottom ones were starting to look really cooked. The top ones probed at about 120F. I obviously don't want to cook them so I just kicked the cabinet temp down to 170F and turned on the fan. Perhaps it would be better to do this at a higher temp? My Bradley can't get much higher than that. Maybe 400F in the home oven?
Now to give them a few hours to dehydrate. As far as being shelf safe I am unsure.
To be continued....
-
If the bottom ones got up to temp faster than the others, why not rotate the racks?
-
If the bottom ones got up to temp faster than the others, why not rotate the racks?
Well I wanted to avoid opening the cabinet door to get a true time since this was my first time attempting them this way. Opening the door would increase the time. My thought was they would reach temp much quicker then they did.
Once the circulation fan is on there will be no need to rotate the racks. I guess I should have started with the fan on for more even temps. When making jerky you have to actively pull pieces as they finish anyways because they never finish all at the same time.
I just bend tested one from the bottom rack and they are close to done. The taste was excellent. They have about 6 hours total time right now.
Next time I will use the circulation fan from the start. I will post pics when they are done.
-
Just pulled the ones off the lowest rack. They finished at 8 hours. Looks like some went missing ;)
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_141847_zps2f0441ef.jpg)
The bend test is perfect. They have some give then...
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_142020_zpsb6011c70.jpg)
Now I have to wait for the others to finish.
-
they look great.
-
Batch is all done and they came out great!
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_171935_zps099e00d3.jpg)
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130511_171955_zps8f6525f9.jpg)
Not much difference in taste and texture. I feel less worried about them going at that high of a temp for 45 minutes. I think with the convection fan on from the beginning they all would have reached temp faster and more evenly.
-
Looks great Muebe
-
Interesting as usual.
I am not sure if I miss something so I will asked.
Are you making these Shelf Safe Beef Sticks without being cured????
-
Interesting as usual.
I am not sure if I miss something so I will asked.
Are you making these Shelf Safe Beef Sticks without being cured????
No they have pink salt (cure #1)
-
Look mighty tasty and I mean might tasty.
-
have you decided that they will be shelf safe?
-
Those look really good, I have yet to make jerky or beef sticks on my MAK . Good job:)
-
Looks good
Im not to keen on pre cooking sausage before smoking or dehydrating or for that matter what the FDA/USDA Says WE THE PEOPLE need to be doing.
-
Looks good
Im not to keen on pre cooking sausage before smoking or dehydrating or for that matter what the FDA/USDA Says WE THE PEOPLE need to be doing.
Rick I agree but I just wanted to see if this made a big difference to the texture and flavor. Also being this is store purchased ground beef and I did not grind it myself I really don't like taking a chance. Whole meat jerky I am not concerned about but ground beef jerky not ground myself is another story.
-
have you decided that they will be shelf safe?
Not willing to chance it this time. Next time I will see about bringing the whole batch to 160F. They are fine at room temp for hours but I don't feel they would be safe to be stored like that for several days at a time.
-
Looks really good. Thanks for trying this. I will be doing a batch in my oven soon. I will post pics and results.
-
Great job on them stix!
Sent from my MOTWX435KT using Tapatalk 2
-
I could knock off a few of those.