Restructured Jerky With Water??

[sbtech]

Need to make some large amount of meat snacks in short period of time. Going with ground beef 90/10. Was wondering about using water or smoked meat stabilizer. Also I have a lot of pepperoni seasoning. Would I be able to use this for the restructured jerky.

[Jonathon]

sbtech Pepperoni as a restructured jerky will work, I’m not sure how the taste will be but the processes are very similar as the products are essentially the “same”. We used smoked meat stabilizer here https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/625/how-to-make-homemade-restructured-jerky-recipe and didn’t add water. If you want to add water here are a few things to remember, A) you will have to cook/dehydrate out most of the water you add and don’t add the smoked meat stabilizer directly to the water. It can “gas out” quickly and in certain situations, it can actually be dangerous. Adding it directly to your meat before or after adding water should be ok but I’d go without water if you can.

[glen]

If you want some texture and pull in your ground jerky add 4.5 grams/.16 oz of Sure Gel per lb. then just enough water for easier extrusion if needed

[sbtech]

glen So the meat stabilizer acts as an accelerator for the curing is that correct. Have you made restructured jerky with the sure gel before?

[sbtech]

glen Can you leave the product overnight with everything added even the sure gel in the refrigerator. I am making alot and need to smoke in batches.

[glen]

sbtech I have made ground jerky with sure gel for years.
The amount I listed is 2/3 of of the sure gel package directions. If you use the the full amount it will actually get too tough in my opinion.
Do not put it in before overnight curing, it will make it difficult to get through your extruder
I dissolve it in a small amount of water then mix it in right before extruding then I dehydrate at 155 F, no reason any other drying method wouldn’t work as well

In your day 1 mixing you still need to get proper protein extraction
You could try it with a small amount first
I get no complaints

[sbtech]

glen I am new but I finally made some snack sticks. The problem I was having was getting enough protien extract. Using a 90/ 10 ground beef will their be protien extract I can see.

[sbtech]

sbtech I was going to mix everything than make the jerky pieces than put in refrigerator until the next morning.

[glen]

sbtech Oh, OK definitely overnight in the fridge is no problem
Protein extraction is as important in jerky as it is in snack sticks

Let us know how it turns out!

[sbtech]

glen Thanks Glen for all your input. I won’t be starting this until I get my new stuffer from Walton’s. Maybe this weekend. I hope you don’t mind me picking your brain. I have another question. I have had good success getting protein extraction from beef 80/20. I tried some ground turkey 90/10 from the grocery store and got some extraction but nothing like the 80/20 beef. The turkey snack sticks were really bad. Should I just go for the 80/20 ground beef or do you think I should be able to get my extraction from the 90/10 beef. Again thank you

[glen]

I try to use 90/10 when possible, 80/20 will end up with an oily sheen, tastes great but not a good appearance and messy fingers
The sure gel will get you to the sticky stage quicker
A golf ball size portion pressed into your palm should stick when turned palm down

[sbtech]

glen Ok sounds good will give you an update when I have a finished product. Thanks for your help

[Jonathon]

sbtech We have made it with Sure Gel in the past. My recommendation is if you are going to make it thicker it doesn’t need it as much as when you try to go real thin with it. Either way, you arent gonna hurt yourself if you use it.

[sbtech]

Jonathon Thanks for the input. I am just waiting on my new stuffer and All Around Stuffer that I ordered from Walton’s to get here so I can get this production on the road.

[glen]

Jonathon
I use the All Around Jerky Maker on my stuffer.
For me around 2/3 of the amount on the sure gel package instructions works well for that thickness
People like different styles of jerky but for ground meat jerky I think it gives it a great chew as opposed to regular ground jerky

[sbtech]

glen When you say 2/3 of the package for the sure gel. By the pound the table says 6.7 grams. What your saying is 2/3 of that amount. My mixer can only handle 5 lbs at a time so I am going to be making 5 lbs batcxhes

[glen]

sbtech yes, 4.5 grams per lb.

[sbtech]

I was just looking for 90/10 ground beef from the grocery stores. Without a grinder I am at the mercy of what the stores carry. Some have 93/7 but do you think I will get a protein extraction from it. Thanks for getting back to me on the sure gel amount. I am starting to feel positive about this project.

[glen]

I don’t see 93/7 as a problem. In fact I remember getting a great deal on 93/7 a couple of years ago and it worked great
You could also do a 4 to 1 mix of 93/7 and 80/20
Don’t get hung up on fat when it comes to jerky, there is more protein in lean than in fat
Just remember to mix until it gets good and sticky

[Jonathon]

sbtech as glen says the stickiness of the meat is going to end up being the most important part. When you’re making any cured sausage or restructured jerky product you want to mix until the proteins extract and start sticking together. Adding sure gel or other meat binder that contains protein will help you here but just adding the seasoning (salt solubilizes the muscle) and mixing until it pulls and stretches should be fine!

FYI, I don’t know where I said it but I recently made a batch of tender jerky and I grabbed one cut of marbled beef to show people what not to use for jerky and those pieces were ridiculously good. I am trying to find out if the extra sugar I added could keep the fat from spoiling and if it does I might start making fatty jerky! Probably only work on whole muscle though.