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I have always sliced my Jerky....but thinking about getting a Jerky gun Any thoughts...stick with slices...get a jerky gun??? if so what kind
Thanks...
I made fun of these things for years.... now that I have one. Best purchase I've made in regards to meat processing hands down. The difference in quality of jerky from a dehydrator is amazing. I've turned close to 30 lbs of moose burger into jerky this winter and it turned out amazing.
The only thing better than a Jerky gun is two Jerky guns, that way someone can reload the first one while you squeeze out the meats from the second one.
Roll meat into balls, drop em into the barrel and you're off. Makes processing meats into jerky a breeze.
Been using one for many years-love it, wouldn't make jerky any other way.
Another thumbs up for the Jerky gun
I’ve used a jerky shooter for at least 10 years. Works great.
Love mine! I just wish I could get an assault style one so I could get the job done faster AND make the liberals apoplectic!
Ted,
This is from Bowriter from the link. I haven’t tried this one yet but would like to do it. Let us know if you make a batch, please.
I make soft jerky because I have no teeth. I use something called a "Jerky Shooter", made to use ground meat and you can find one in almost any outdoor catalog. I use 2# ground deer meat and a product called Backwoods Jerky Seasoning-it is a marinade for ground meat. It comes from LEM products in Ohio. I simply follow the ditrections for marinading. Some, I season with Tony Chachere Cajun seasoning, some with a mixture of "stuff", I combine and some I leave just as it is from the marinade. You can season any way you want. I place the strips or slim jims on a foil covered, baking sheet in the oven at 225 with the door cracked for about an hour. Then, I remove and put in my smoker on 200 for an hour with heavy smoked. Once it stops dripping or "weeping", I remove and let cool to room temp. Then I bag in vacuum bags and keep in fridge until ready to eat. To date, about 15-years, I have yet to have anyone try it that did not immediately, want a bag.
If I'm grinding at the same time I put the stuffer tube on and shoot it directly into the jerky gun. loading the gun is time consuming. Also need to get a square dehydrater, the round ones are stupid. I do most of mine in the smoker but still dehydrate on occasion.
I have a cheap plastic gun. Works OK. I've seen some that look identical to a high-quality metal caulking gun and I'd go that route. I'd also go with the bigger style gun because loading the thing is what takes a long time. Squeezing the jerky into a dehydrator goes pretty fast. Less frequent loading = more jerky faster.
I'd also add that I prefer the round "sticks" to the flat jerky attachment.
Gave away my slicer after the first batch out of a jerky shooter and dehydrator. I prefer the round "meat whistles" vs the flat ribbons.
I'm kinda surprised at the posts about loading the gun taking time. I never even thought about that. I doubt it takes me over 15-seconds to load mine. I can't fathom, what is time consuming???
I used a Jerky Shooter for years but now I slice it all. If I kill a buck it's going to be older and it all goes to jerky and sausage. I bone them out and wrap the meat in large 3-5 lb chunks and freeze til I'm ready to make jerky. I like the sliced whole muscle jerky way better. All the smaller cuts go into the sausage sticks.
I love all jerky, and the jerky gun is great. It's like $20. Not a big deal. The only downer with the round jerky ones that Jaq likes ( I love them too) is that I feel like they use more meat and you eat through meat a lot faster. Making jerky last is pretty much the most difficult challenge of all.
Bowriter, the cheap gun I have is a hassle to unscrew, pack the meat, push air bubbles out. It's not enough of an issue that I'm ready to toss it out and buy a new one; just saying if I were buying a new one I'd personally opt for the bigger volume unit.
Here in CO the new gun laws include jerky shooters, so our magazine is limited to only 15 jerky sticks at a time.
I love it. Stronger flavored jerky in my opinion being able to mix the seasonings in. Either smoked or Dehydrated it is good. Clean up of all the nooks and crannies on the gun is my only complaint. I make sure to make very large batches and can freeze or put in the fridge if you think you won't get through it.
My grinder has a plastic wheel to replace the cutter blade and a tube that ends in a rectangle./ I just grind it with a coarse wheel, add liquid smoke and spices and shoot it out, goes real fast.
Blake sorry about the lack of teeth ahhahah ...you gonna be at SCI this weekend???
Hmmm I'm still on the fence with all the mixed messages..... just kidding ordering one after this post... I got a kick ass Cabela grinder off Craigslist except a part was broken...but up and running now like a pissed off T-rex ...the thing is a serious animal now I will be all over the jerky gun Lock and load boys were going in!!!!!!
No need to ball up the meat to load the tube. Just press down on the meat with your open tube like a cookie cutter. Keep doing this until the tube is full. Fast and simple.
I bought a Lem jerky cannon last year. Works great. However, I liked the sliced jerky better, (I've been fixing it for over 30 years). Some of it is sliced pretty thick and odd shapes. The perfect size for us is what is cut out from between the ribs, just the right thickness and size.
Part of the problem with the jerky shooter for us may be the seasoning (I was not impressed with the 3 or 4 Backwoods brand seasoning mixes we bought). I never tried to adapt my homemade marinade to work with ground meat, I figure it is too "wet" to work with the ground. I will also say the round sticks looked an awful lot like little dog turds and that didn't help any. ;)
Blue buck, I’ll try that! I have the Lem shooter. I’ll never make whole muscle jerky again
blue buck, exactly what I do.. Much faster then spooning it in or making meatballs to drop in.. I use a jerky shooter too, but would like to buy a better jerky gun.....
Good to know. Buddy of mine left a jerky gun here but I’ve never used it.
Walmarts version has probably puked about 50 pounds of the stuff out for me and mine over the last 6 years. Love it. it don;t take a expensive model to be fast and efficient. It doesn't take a genius to load it quickly either. Just get a handful out of the bowl and stick it in there. We have three dehydrators going when making jerky. And, can fill one of them in about 3 minutes. I doubt its because the jerky gun is superior either.
Sliced whole meat jerky is my preferred.
Ted, that's a negative. The Rainbows and Cutthroat are looking to spawn and I'm in the middle of a business acquisition. I put 350 miles on the car today running between meetings. Gotta $upport the habit somehow!
I hope the convention goes well.
I really prefer stuffed and smoked sticks
I love my jerky gun but the jerky is very salty. I’ve been using the cabelas stuff with the cure. Anybody have a low sodium option?
I never use the "cure" pack in the kits, its too salty.
KS your papa bear said he might but was going to be sitting courtside for KS...but that ain't happening and maybe he will represent the Nelson clan
Keepemsharp, I considered that. Any issues by not including the cure?
I've always made sliced jerky. But this year I bought a Cabela's gun and a set of jerky racks. All I used was some ground elk meat, garlic, salt, black pepper, on one batch, and red chile instead of pepper on another. The grates stacked and fit perfectly in my Trager pellet grill and I smoked the jerky on low for about 7 hours. It is incredible and made a believer out of me with the jerky gun!
Mike
Yes! I am a believer in the right tool for the job, and this is it. oz
I highly highly recommend getting spices and/or spice kits from Butcher and Packer Co. out of Detroit. They have everything possible for meat prep and are so much less expensive than the Cabela's stuff. I prefer buying individual spices, that way you can experiment and make it to your liking. I've found that the easiest way to load my jerky gun is to use a stuffer.
Fuzz,
Am I missing something? I only see one flavor of jerky seasoning on their website. Ghost pepper, which I am 100% buying, but are there more so that my friends and family who can't hack the heat have something to gnaw on?
http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=51&products_id=942
Fuzz what do you use to fit those big trays!
I've been using the jerky shooter and dehydrator method for about 20 or so years. I make 8 pounds of meet at a time, which is perfect for my 2 dehydrators. (8# of meat equals about 4 1/2# of finished jerky)
I normally use half of the cure it calls for.
From personal experience, if you don't use the salt (cure) while making the jerky, make sure you keep it frozen, otherwise it will go bad quickly.
A good friend of mine has heart issues and can't have any salt, but loves jerky. I made a batch without any cure, vacuum packed it in small packages and gave it to him. He put it in his pantry, couple weeks later he called and said it all turned green. I always keep mine in the freezer and just assumed he would also. He was very appreciative of a second batch.
Nick.... keep looking, there are quite a few different choices for jerky/sausage recipes. But like I said before, we just buy bulk spices and make our own. Also, I get their high temperature cheese for sausage.
Pyrannah.... I have a big ass smoker lol! My dad made it out of and old glass doored cooler that you used to see in party stores. Its a pretty sweet setup with digital controls and a secondary smoke box. It can hold about 65lbs of landjaegers or 15 turkeys. Only takes a few hours to smoke a batch of jerky.
I don’t add fat to my elk but would definitely consider jerkying my deer. What fat % do you all like to add for jerky or is it necessary (again, don’t like adding it, if possible)?
I've never added fat to ground jerky recipes and havnt ever heard of it. I would think it would induce spoilage much sooner. And that is also the reason I've never liked store bought Slim Jims.......bc they leave that greasy aftertaste...blah!
No fat here lean and mean...
Something I have been doing a long time, no fat added please. Nesco seasoning, I used to buy at Walmart, now I buy direct from them. You can buy a bunch of different varieties in 25 package cartons each package does 1 lb. of meat which is how I have my deer ground. Enjoy your kids will too!
no fat here
fuzz, that sounds awesome!!!! any pics by chance?
No fat - NESCO here also directly from factory. This past November when I ordered it they changed the ingredients to 1 package of seasoning and 1 package of cure to 2#'s of meat. I use 1 pkg of seasoning and 1/2 pkg of cure per 2#'s of meat.
Summer sausage I add 20% pork shoulder (not pure fat).
Awesome. Thanks! Didn't know if adding 8-10% fat was necessary to keep it from crumbling apart. I was hoping I could keep it lean and glad to keep in line with how I usually process.
Course ground elk, no fat added. 1/2 high mountain seasoning (cure & seasoning) to 2#'ish add some honey and shopped green chili. Dehydrate for 4 hours, it'll be soft tender. Or Red Chili and honey!
Just broke my plastic jerky gun and I'm looking to buy a bullet proof one. I don't want to be stuck in this position again and have to roll out 5 lbs of meat by hand.
What is the best jerky gun or cannon available?
Get a jerky attachment tube for your sausage stuffer. We have an old 8 quart enterprise that we made a 90 degree elbow jerky attachment for. The guns are ok for small batches.
MEAT! YOUR MAKER. Well made products that are frequently 20% off. I have the jerky gun and 6 tray dehydrator. Very happy with both.
Buy a meat slicer and cut the meat when frozen instead. Marinade and make real jerky. I use to think my ground jerky from a jerky gun was pretty good…until I started doing the above. You wouldn’t catch me dead trading my current jerky for any jerky on the market. Critic reviews have been likewise.
Apauls, I make both. looking for the best gun available
APaul recipe please I’m going to make my first jerky this year kinda hard to teach an old dog new tricks but I’m all in Good luck Lewis
Lewis I’m giving jerky A go too this year. Thinking ground this year and if we like it do whole meat sliced next year.
I've been making jerky for the past 2 weeks from 1 deer and 2 antelope. I've been doing both raw jerky and jerky gun....I like both. I also quit adding fat this year and prefer not having fat added.
I marinade over night both strips and ground meat. The thing about ground is the marinade penetrates the entire meat after mixing. It's tougher to get marinade flavor to penetrate the entire meat slices. One thing I've learned is to not only add spices to marinade but also sprinkle on top of meat just before putting in oven/dehydrater/etc. I also do the same about 1/2 way through the drying process. I often tap the spices into the meat so it isn't loose and come off when done. You will definitely be able to taste the spices more if you do this...especially on strips!
Another major cost savings is to buy spices at your local grocery store. Take a look at what's on the seasoning packages you like the best and buy/add those spices. Seasoning packages run around $11.00 for 5 lbs. I often still use seasoning packages but add a bunch of additional of my own so the packages go a lot further. You can customize your jerky this way to the flavors you enjoy the most!
just picked up the judge
impressed so far
i have a Sigval brand (i think) from amazon,, looks like the grandkids will be using well after im gone. it a bit more expensive, but looks to be quality.
fwiw, the smaller one is perfect for 1lb of burger.
everyone has their own method, but i've had best luck mixing burger with seasonings , then squirting out my strips on the screen , then brushing with whatever liquid flavor i am using at the time. about half done, flip and brush the other side.
