What do you use to smoke jerky?

[Blowin' Smoke]

Aside from the obvious "my smoker"...

I have a WSM, an OC Smokehouse, and a pellet pooper. My go to has been my pellet pooper because I can load it up, set it at 160, and let it do its thing. But I have to use the LEM Jerky trays and hang each piece, which is very time consuming. I usually try to do 10-12 lbs at a time, and that draws out the time a lot due to over crowding. My last batch took almost 12 hours, with some being over cooked due to their arrangement in the trays.

My dehydrator is much easier, I just don't get real smoke. I have to add liquid smoke (blasphemy). I feel like an electric vertical cabinet with a ton of racks close together may be a good option...but I'm interested to hear some thoughts.

 

[gtr]

Can't help ya. I used to use my stickburner cooking at around 150 for several hours, then finish in the dehydrator overnight. But I had to stop making jerky because I have absolutely no self control. I just eat it continuously until it's gone. It's very sad. Delicious, but sad.

Maybe for the amount you do, just use multiple cookers? That way you'd also get a great idea of what result comes from what cooker to compare.

 

[Blowin' Smoke]

I try to bag and freeze as much as I can, but with family and friends that all smell it cooking, it goes pretty quick around my house as well. I generally only make it a few times a year for that reason! I'm considering getting some stackable SS trays to use on the pellet smoker so see if that helps with ease/time.

 

[Stlsportster]

I use my Lang. I run a small fire, run between 150-190 for about 3 hours. Lay it right on the racks. Once it has a nice color and some smoke flavor I pull it off the Lang and it goes into the dehydrator for another 3 hours or so.

I use the Owen's BBQ Jerky Mix kits. I have mixed my own, but like theirs better!

See here: https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249827&highlight=jerky

 

[thirdeye]

I have a Big & Little Chief electric that works really good for jerky, and I can also smoke jerky threaded on skewers across my drum hanging rack.

 

[Bob C Cue]

I use wood chunks, and don't call me jerky!

 

[jakel]

how about smoke for a couple of hours then into dehydrater?


Edit didn’t see Stlsportster post before :icon_blush: