Beef Jerky

[BA_Ga]

For the first cook on my Pro 34, I chose to do some jerky. I sliced up a boneless chuck roast, trimmed most of the fat, and marinated it overnight. It was in the smoker for 6-7 hours, starting at the "Smoke" setting for the first 4-5 hours, then went up to 225 to finish it.

Here's the before and after:

 

[Smokaholic]

How did it turn out in taste? My favorite thing to do on my old wood smoker was jerky, but haven't done it yet on my ironwood. That seems like an awful long cooking time for jerky. I used to run mine at 200-225* for only 2-3 hours.

 

[BA_Ga]

How did it turn out in taste? My favorite thing to do on my old wood smoker was jerky, but haven't done it yet on my ironwood. That seems like an awful long cooking time for jerky. I used to run mine at 200-225* for only 2-3 hours.

The taste was great. I used a combination of soy sauce, teriyaki, and other seasonings in the marinade.

I checked several recipes before diving into the jerky. Most call for a period of several hours to ensure the meat is dried as it should be. I've known someone who cooked strips of beef that were so soft and tender a toothless grandma could eat it. If I want jerky, I want the real thing.