How much Smoke?

I’m breaking in my new smoker. I finished tempering it today. How much smoke for jerky? Do you keep it smoking the whole time or just part of it?
Planning on 150 for 4-? hours. However long it takes.

Thanks

You know, I was going to pick up some jerky from the butcher for a camping/hiking trip I am taking this weekend, but if you want to share yours, I’d willingly be your guinea pig.

there is a point where meat will not take any more smoke, depends on several factors such as type of meat and thickness. I would think 4 hours might be too long, but for your first run check at three hours and taste, if the taste is where you want it finish it up in the dehydrator or continue on low heat till you get it dried to what you like.

I’ve used the smoke guide on this site. http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/SmokingMeatGuide.htm

For jerky I would start with 1 hour or less to start and see how you like it.
Some like it smokey, some do not.
4 hours of smoke IMHO will be smokey to the point of being bitter.

Hey Mike, off topic but We’re having a bunch of friends up to the lake in early October and I’m going to do a big pork shoulder and some ribs and plan on using the cherry wood I got from you. Should be dry enough by then, I got it all cut up to speed up the process.
I’ll let you know how it turned out. That cinnamon smell we noticed has me curious.
Scott

Will do guys. Cant wait.

She’s marinating!! Bought some fresh cheap roast of some kind at Von Hansens and had them slice it. My marinade is something I found online that sounds basic and has lots of things I know I like. I’ll fire it up tomorrow. Hope its good enough to take on my hunting trip Thu because I am counting on that now.

I just did some in the smoker. Temp was about 200 and it smoke for about 3 hrs, and it was done. I think it was to much. Like some one said the smoke would be to much. I agree! I also use ground beef lean with High Mt. seasoning. I would smoke a small batch first to see if you like it. I like it but, still like it better in dryer. Good luck hope it works out for you!!!

I think if you get it smoking good I would think 1 to 1 1/2 hrs for a start. Really, you will love it any way!!! If not, next time maybe long or shorter will do.

best luck I have had is 1 hour(maybe a tad more)in the smoker, finished off in the dehydrator.

Turned out really well. If anything I over marinated. Smoker temp was tricky. Inside temp not what thermostat read. Way less. I more or less cold smoked it since it took about 9 hours. I should have taken a picture. I am super happy for the first run.

Mike what kind of wood did you use for your jerky?

Also still havent had time to use your cherry wood but probably going to break it out this weekend. Thanks again for it.

Kurt

About half/half my cherry and hickory. I was very cautious on the smoke because of the info I received here indicating it can be overdone but will use more next time. I also had a little difficulty firing the wood using such a low setting on the smoker as others have mentioned. I ended up whittling the wood down to shavings so it would burn.

So went and got a Little Chief Smoker so I could use it for smoking jerky rather than use my other smoker. Anyways I loaded it put the woodchips on the smoker pan and had her going all sunday for about 9 hours. Well they taste really smokey and I was wondering what you guys would suggest on what I could do different?

I am smoking mine about half the time it dries which is 5 hours give or take. I read the meat will only accept so much smoke anyways. The only time I recall jerky tasting too smokey was when people used liquid smoke. I wont touch the stuff. Maybe brine your meat longer?

Allowing smoked meats to “rest” a couple days before chewing itt will help a lot when “too” smokey is your first impression. I do my cut muscle jerky for about 4 hours with pretty decent smoke flow. Then I finmish it in the kitchen oven set at 185-190 degrees with the oven door cracked open a hair. The meat just goes in cake pans for the oven.

A lot of the acrid or bitter taste that a lot of smoke imparts shortly after the meat comes from the smoker will settle itself down with a day or so of sitting on a garage bench if the garage isn’t heated real warm. I thought I ruined a batch of jerky a couple years back using mesquite and hickory and smoking hard, but after about three days of airing out it was actually pretty darned good jerky. Try letting it sit if its too much right off.

Thanks guys for the tips and now that it has been a full week out of the smoker it doesnt taste smokey at all. Guess i just had to panic a bit! But next time im going to let it sit in the brine longer and hopefully ill be using Venison if im lucky this coming weekend.