The Magic Bus Trip

MetalMama · Location: GA Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Gender: Female

I've made jerky and really like it but I keep thinking about the commercial kind. Every once in a while I'd get a fresh bag and the pieces would be soft instead of dry. Very tender and not very chewy.

Just wondering if anyone has achieved that at home?

I tasted my jerky several times during the process and it just got progressively dryer/chewier but even in the beginning it wasn't tender like it can be in the store bought bags.

Maybe it's a marinade process that does it?

Any ideas?

y0u · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:09 am Post subject:

The sugar in the marinade/store bought stuff keeps it from getting really brittle...in my opinion.

I made a batch once..1/2 with a touch of honey in it, 1/2 without...the stuff with honey was nice and chewy..the other was dry. I also leave all the fat on mine..it gives it little fat pockets that burst in your mouth..but you must refrigerate it.

I realize that you would not want to add sugar or honey to your jerky..I thought about experimenting with low glycemic fruit juice..dipping it into it before drying...but you wouldn't want to do that either on ZC.

Good luck experimenting.
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MetalMama · Location: GA Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Gender: Female

yeah - I figured it was something like that.

Definitely not going to be adding anything sweet to my meat... oh well.

Thanks y0u.