What temperature do you smoke beef jerky at?

When smoking jerky, you need a low temperature and little smoke; do not use extra smoking chips in your smoker when making jerky. Ideally, the temperature should be just under 150 F/65 C. An electric smoker will introduce a small amount of smoke, but a charcoal or hardwood fire will generate plenty of smoke.

What temp and how long do you smoke jerky?

Drying and Smoking the Jerky

1. Hang the strips, place them on smoker racks, or lay them in wire-mesh smoking baskets. (
2. Dry at 140°F (60°C) with no smoke until the surface is dry.
3. Raise temperature to 160°F (71°C), and smoke for 2 or 3 hours.

What is the best wood to smoke beef jerky with?

The best smoking wood for jerky is hickory. Some barbecue fans like the mild and sweet notes that both apple and cherry add to smoke meats, but hickory complements beef perfectly. It’s why we recommend pairing it with other beef cuts like brisket or tri-tip, and it’s no different for these strips of dried beef.

Is it better to smoke or dehydrate jerky?

While dehydrating meat is the easiest way to make jerky, it doesn’t result in the best beef jerky. It’s a matter of quantity over quality. Smoking jerky, however, seals in the meat’s juices while providing just the right amount of hickory-smoked flavor.

Can you smoke beef jerky at 200 degrees?

If using a pellet smoker / pellet grill, simply turn the smoker to 200°F and lay the strips on the grill grates. Smoke for 3-5 hours until finished. Beef jerky will finish a lot faster in a pellet smoker than an electric smoker.

Can you smoke jerky at 225 degrees?

Heat your smoker or pellet grill to 225° F, and smoke the jerky for 2 or 2 1/2 hours. Turn the smoker off and let everything cool for 10 minutes. You can either enjoy your jerky right away or store it for later. To store for a short time, place the warm jerky into a new gallon bag and seal it.

Do you use water pan when smoking jerky?

Start up your smoker with an indirect heat of 90°C (194F). The temperature has to be this low otherwise the beef gets cooked instead of dried. Also don’t use the water pan, because you don’t want the extra moisture in the smoker.

What temperature do you smoke deer jerky at?

Smoking Venison Jerky If possible, keep your smoker temperature between 160 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The thin pieces of meat will absorb smoke easily, so be careful not to over smoke.

How do you keep meat moist when smoking?

Cooking over indirect heat, marinating, using a high ratio of smoking chunks to charcoal, wrapping in aluminum foil, and allowing your meat to sit for three to five minutes will help to keep it moist.

How thick do you slice meat for jerky?

When you’re actually cutting meat for beef jerky, it’s important to cut it one-fourth-of-an-inch thick, and a meat slicer will help with this. If the jerky is too thick it will be too chewy, and it if it’s too thin, it’ll become too tough.

How long does it take to smoke jerky?

Prepare an outdoor smoker for low heat and lightly oil grate. Lay meat strips out on grill so that they do not overlap. Smoke over low heat. Jerky will be done when the edges appear dry with just a slight hint of moisture in the center of the slices, about 6 to 8 hours.

Do I need curing salt for jerky?

While salt adds flavor, it’s not necessary to cure the jerky, as it is for curing ham or fish for example. Make your own jerky for much less cost than you’d pay in the store. Choose from lean beef, pork or chicken. While you don’t need curing salt, there are a few other things you do need.

How do you tell when dehydrated jerky is done?

Bend and Chew to Test Take the piece of jerky and bend it gently to about a 90-degree angle. If any moisture squeezes out, it’s definitely not done yet and can go back into the dehydrator. If it cracks and breaks, you’ve left it too long, and it’s already past the point of best flavor and texture.

Can you smoke in a dehydrator?

Yes, but as you can see – it’s not ideal to do so. You must watch the temperature of the smoker carefully and while it’s worth doing beef jerky in a smoker because the smoke will enhance the flavor, other foodstuffs may be best off being dehydrated in the more traditional fashion.