why am i burning my beef jerky to semi charcoal?

Question

i like store bought stuff as well but with sodium nitrite in it ..not safe it large amounts http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/s4466.htm http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC34406 ..SO id rather make it at home but i burn it in the oven could anyone give me sme hints also any good marinades for the beef jerky ...sorry for asking this question ..any response welcome...thank you

Answer 1

Make your beef jerky in your dehydrator. You have your oven too hot.

Answer 2

Sounds like your drying out your beef jerky at too high of a temperature...

I usually dry beef in an oven set to a low temperature... about 150F (66C) and allow to dry a 4 to 8 hours. I leave the oven door proped open about 1 inch so any humidity can vent.

Also, I put the beef on skewers so the meat hangs vertically in the oven. My belief is that more air circulates around the beef this way, thus drying it quicker than placing on a cookie sheet.

Answer 3

Amish Deer or Beef Jerky Recipe

Ingredients:
3 pounds Deer meat, thinly sliced
3/4 cup Wine, dry
1/3 cup Lemon juice
1/4 cup Onion, minced
1/4 cup Brown sugar
2 teaspoons Liquid smoke
1 teaspoon Seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
3 Bay leaves


Directions:

Marinade deer meat for 24 hours in the marinade mixture, covered, in a cold part of the refrigerator. Turn meat several times. Remove meat, spreading out to bring to room temp. Place on greased racks in a smoker and smoke at a low heat (160-190 degrees) for 5 to 7 hours, until meat becomes slightly translucent and darkly red, near black. Store in plastic bags in refrigerator.

Answer 4

I read all the answers and many of them should help you conquer your beef jerky problem, which, to me, is too high a heat. However, here is a suggestion that really has been very helpful to me. I took "S" hooks and secured my strips of meat to the 'S' -- removed the lower rack in my oven -- covered the floor of my oven with heavy duty aluminum foil -- then, hung my meat strips on the "S" hooks from the upper rack -- allowing the heat to circulate between the strips of meat. I had my oven set at 200 degrees, After about 4 hours, start checking your meat strips. It will depend on your oven how many more hours it should take to complete the process.

Answer 5

Here is how I make mine, if you try it, and you like it let me know...

First of all, the cut of the meat, I cut it -
  ---
  ---
^-- That Thick

I a bowl that you can put a lid on, I combine,

1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/3 Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger Powder
I add Franks Hot Sauce ( you obviously don't have to)

Mix well... and add your meat, a place in the fridge overnight...

Now, if you don't have a food dehydrator, you can use your oven, but the heat must be low, around 140 to 150, luckily my oven can do this, but I also have a food dehydrator.

So lets say you don't have either, and oven that can go that low or a dehydrator, then thanks to Alton Brown (My Hero) you can use a box fan...

Go to Lowes, Home Depot, Wal Mart, and get those ventilation filter screens depending on how much your making you'll need a few of them, very inexpensive, place one of the filter screens on your counter, and lay in your soon to be beef jerky, place another screen on top and layer more, and then finish with a ventilation filter, now strap it all to the box fan, (those bungee cords will work) turn it on medium, and check back in about 5 hours, drying this method is the best, but you will have to factor in humidity in the air.

Answer 6

Marinade with lots of salt fresh cracked black pepper and terryaki (sp) sauce. Cook at very low heat 150 should be sufficient for a few hours or so, maybe even longer... just keep checking it.

Dont use a dehydrator unless you want to compromise taste

Answer 7

Turn the temperature down......it only needs to be around 200 degrees. If you like it so much get a dehydrater .... that is what I did and it is wonderful .... leave it all day come home to real jerky!
Good Luck!!!

Answer 8

Your oven is WAAAAY too hot, dude!

You are just dehydrating the beef, not cooking it!