Jerky problem

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I've seen a bunch of YouTube jerky making videos where they add an entire bottle of liquid smoke into the bowl with the jerky meat. An entire bottle? That seems like it would be totally overpowered with smoke flavor.
Some people really like the smoke flavor! I'm not one of them, I do like it a little though. There are some really good smoker people here too that can teach you how to smoke your jerky.
 
I kind of used this method again.

I made some under marinated (half the normal amount) ground beef jerky--spread on mesh and scored into uniform one inch strips.
The liquid smoke wasn't very strong, I was very disappointed in the smokiness of it.
The texture of it was perfect but it needed more flavor. I also wanted it to have a shiny glaze and for it to be a little sweeter.

After it was done I put it in a large zip lock bag and soaked it with western dressing and smoky barbeque dressing in the refrigerator for 2 days.
I re-dehydrated it until it was dry and glazed. It turned out great!
 
I've seen a bunch of YouTube jerky making videos where they add an entire bottle of liquid smoke into the bowl with the jerky meat. An entire bottle? That seems like it would be totally overpowered with smoke flavor.


Agreed. 5 shakes (small drops) goes a long way in a jerky marinade. I couldnt imagine using a whole bottle unless it was a 20lb batch of jerky!
 
Agreed. 5 shakes (small drops) goes a long way in a jerky marinade. I couldnt imagine using a whole bottle unless it was a 20lb batch of jerky!
I agree as well. I use about a cap-full for a batch of jerky.A whole bottle would taste horrible I would think.
 
I was going to ask for help from 'jerky people' = 'people who know jerky', but, wasn't sure anyone would think that was funny. I personally think it is funny, because you are all so nice.

Well, I blew it, I overdried my jerky last night--it's crisp. Are there methods you think that might help in partially RE-hydrating it so it's a little tender?

It is venison jerky, marinated for a few hours, then dried in a dehydrator - convection oven, at about 140 degrees F overnight. I usually pay good attention and it doesn't over-dry during the night. Usually I just start the dehydrate cycle up again in the morning because it is not dry enough in just one night.

Ideas? Thank you in advance!

You have a few options. Add a small amount of boiling water to the jerky to soften it up a bit.

Your best bet is to start from scratch. Tenderize the meat with a mallet, and also use acidic ingredients like tomato, apple cider vinegar, wine or beer to soften it further. Also, consider cutting the meat against the grain to make it a little less tough.

For cooking, I recommend 160 degrees F. The time may vary based on your dehydrating method and the size of your batches. Once the meat has lost its moisture content, it's done. It may take some guess work, but you'll get the hang of it!
 
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