Jerky is WAY too salty

[Oly]

I made a batch of jerky yesterday, couldn't eat it. It tasted like licking a salt block. I thought I did everything right, but I guess not.

This is only about the third batch I have made, and they have all turn out that way. I tried lessening the salt a bit, and using more water this time, but still the same result.

The brine I used this time:
1/2 cup non-iodized salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 quart water

I used about 2 pounds of meat.

What am I doing wrong?

[Salmonsmoker]

Oly,

Most of the recipies that are in the books today are from a time when salt was the primary method of preserving food. Salted meat would keep for many days in the back of a covered wagon. To use, they would soak the meat in water to remove the salt.

Today we have refrigerators to fill our preserving-food need, so the amount of salt that we use in such things as jerky can be lessened to a point where we are brining for flavor only.

The 1/2 C salt, 1/2 C sugar is a good place to start - after some experimenting you will probably want to add some other spices and, depending on the flavor you want in your jerky, add more sugar, jalapinio peppers, liquid smoke, cherry-juice concentrate, and a variety of other flavors.

However, one quart of water for a cup of salt/sugar makes a very strong brine. When making a brine for jerky, I use one cup of my salt/sugar/spices mixture to three quarts of water. I put the meat in the brine and cover it and put it in the frig, - let it cure overnight - then, the next morning, drain and pat dry with paper towel and put in my dehydrator. After it is about 2/3 done, I put it in my smoker with lots of smoke, and slowly, over 4 hours, bring the temperature up to 180 degrees.

Hope this helps.

[HemlockNailer]

OLY, if it happens again you can salvage the jerky by boiling it with some potatoes. The potatoes will draw some of the salt from the meat. Just keep testing it until it tastes right, then let it dry.

[IT pimp 2002]

I rinse my fish well before smoking, ever try it with Jerky?