Jerky gun users?
General Topic
In the past, I have been making my jerky from whole meat and slicing it, however, I’m going to use a jerky gun on this next batch. My main question is about grinding the meat. Do you guys just run it through the grinder once, or multiple times, & which plate do you use that gives you the best results? Also, any other tips or tricks that would be helpful as well would be appreciated. I know that grinding partially frozen meat helps.
Thanks in advance!
I only grind it once and use the course plate. It turns out great and everyone likes it. The real advantage to using the jerky gun (other than being able to use up all your odds and ends) is that you get consistent pieces of jerky for drying. That way you don't have a thin dry spot or a thicker mushy spot.
One piece of advice would be to grind it, mix in your cure/seasoning and then let it sit overnight before shooting it through the gun. The flavors seem to disperse when sitting overnight.
Get to it!
I grind only once through an 1/8" plate. I've never been a fan of having it ground so fine that it looks like bologna. Be sure to add some water when mixing the meat and spices. This helps to ensure even distribution of the spices throughout the meat. I've been using The Judge jerky gun and am very happy with it. It's 2 lb capacity makes the process a lot quicker. I've found that using a stuffer to fill the gun makes it so much easier than filling by hand. And... A LOT less mess without meat all over the dang place!
Another tip.... spray your racks down w some sort of non stick spray. I'll add a pic of a recent batch I just did
Fresh outta the smoker!
Fresh outta the smoker!
I make jerky all the time with a “shooter” and I just use a 3/16”grind plate once. I did have to grind the shooter nozzle shorter to open it up a little. (The nozzle I have is made of plastic) My raw jerky is 1/4” thick. The Jerky was coming out too thin when it was dried for my preference.
Make sure you mix it well to avoid “hot” spots.
Also, try to pack the meat into the gun as firmly as possible without air pockets for consistent strips of meat.
This is the only way I make jerky anymore and it disappears quick. Adding some extra “heat” slows em down a little.
I have a shooter but I haven’t been using it much because the mix is so stinking salty!
UCS.... that's why I make my own mix.... too much salt in many pre made mixes. My 10 lb mix only uses 1/3 cup of salt. I get all my spices from Butcher & Packer out of Detroit. Their prices are so much cheaper than any store. Shipping is reasonable as well. Pick up some coriander, allspice, black pepper blend, granular garlic and onion, ground and whole mustard along with some salt and sugar and you're all set! Great place to get butcher knives also.
It is the only way I make jerky. Been doing it that way for many years. Grind once through medium coarse. IN oven at 200 with door open for an hour, finish in smoker for another 45-minutes to an hour on low heat. I use a jerky marinade mix from LEM and add a little Worchestershire sauce and Tony Chachere Cajun seasoning.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgj9wLBBMeO/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1bq7e78i3xg63
I grind once using g a cheapo grinder with a course plate. Comes out great. If you dip you hands in a bowl of water before stuffing the jerky gun, it keeps the mess of sticky meat more under control.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgj9wLBBMeO/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1bq7e78i3xg63
I grind once using g a cheapo grinder with a course plate. Comes out great. If you dip you hands in a bowl of water before stuffing the jerky gun, it keeps the mess of sticky meat more under control.
^^^^^ What he said!
It also helps to have your dog sitting nearby for the initial clean up.
To load the meat into the gun the easiest way I've found is to push down on the meat the way you would use a cookie cutter. Keep doing this until full. There's no reason to touch the meat with your hands.
I do the same as blue buck...
Thanks for feedback guys!
Averted disaster this morning! I froze the trimmed pieces overnight and took them out this morning and set them in the garage to partially thaw out. Also set the unfrozen trim (waste) out there as well. Went on a service call and got a phone call after lunch from the wife. She took the dog for a walk this morning and put her in the garage because the dog got so muddy. She forgot that I told her that I had put the meat out there temporarily. Fortunately, the dog filled up on only the waste pieces! All I could envision was the Bumpus’s dogs in the movie “A Christmas Story)!,
t-roy disaster for now averted......LOL. Wait until the gas hits that dogs rear. EWWWWWWW!
I have been making my own jerky this way for many years. I use the bigger grinder plate and only run thru once. I do this with a lot of my ducks/geese. Word to the wise be very cautious looking for steel shot. IT WILL SHATTER YOUR CAST GRINDER KNIFE.....LOL Yes I know this from experience and getting new knife blade for my older Cabela's grinder was a 2 month process. I now have 3 extra grinder knives. Thinking about investing in a small handheld metal detector wand for any BB's hiding in a duck breast. I have used LEM mix and many other. High mountain thinks their seasoning is made with gold flakes for the price in my opinion. I have dried in the smoker, oven and dehydrator. My preference for me is the Nesco dehydrator and Nesco brand of seasonings. I like their (Original, Pepperoni and Spicy). Enjoy!
I also like the Nesco dehydrator and finish in the smoker. I also prefer the round sticks vs flat strips, but thats just personal preference
I ground it twice with the coarse plate. Once , then I added the mix, then ran it a second time hoping it would help distribute the mix better than my fingers did.
oz
Getting closer to the finished product. Got it all ground with the help of my “custom” plunger. I think it’s hickory. The plastic plunger/storage tube that comes with the grinder sucked for pushing meat down into the grinder.
Hank Shaw recently put out a recipe for ground venison jerky made on the order of pemmican. He puts bacon and dried berries in it along with a bunch of spices and it sounds pretty good. You can probably find the recipe on his website.
