Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of meat should I use?
Any lean cut of meat such as top round, bottom round, or eye of round.
Can I use wild game instead of beef?
Yes! Venison and elk are very good substitutes.
What other meat would work just as well?
Our customers have used duck, turkey and even salmon!
How do I get the meat cut into strips the right size?
With beef, our customers have found that it is as easy as talking to the butcher at your local grocery store. Tell them that you are making jerky and you need the meat to be cut into strips 1/4” to 3/8” thick and as lean as possible. Most butchers will be happy to do this for you at no charge. As a courtesy, please give them at least a day’s notice. With wild game, start with the meat as lean as possible and cut across the grain at the desired thickness.
I don’t have a dehydrator; can I still make homemade jerky?
Absolutely! All you need is your oven or a smoker, some bamboo skewers (which we have available here on our site), and aluminum foil to line the bottom of your oven. You could also just use a cookie sheet to catch the drippings.
I'm going to use my smoker, do you have any tips?
First of all, make sure you throw away the Prague Powder (pink colored) packet from your jerky kit. You will not need that as your smoke becomes your preservative. Our regular 'smoking' customers say it's best to use about 2 hours worth of heat and smoke, with the remaining time just heat to dehydrate the meat. That being said, again, it's a matter of personal preference.
Do any of your seasoning mixes contain gluten?
3 of the 4 flavors that we offer are gluten free! They are our BBQ, Teriyaki and Spicy flavors. Our Original seasoning mix does have a small amount of wheat (a small componet of the soy powder) in it.
I am not that experienced at cooking. How difficult is this to accomplish?
As we say, if you can pour water into a bowl, you can make homemade jerky. Yes, it really is that simple! Take our mix (and liquid smoke if desired), your meat, and your oven, dehydrator, or smoker and that’s it! We have helpful step by step instructions here on our site if you have questions. Please drop us an email at info -at- simplygreatjerky dot com if you have any questions that we haven’t addressed. We are here to help!
How will I know when it is done?
It’s really a matter of personal preference. We like it to have a little bit of ‘give’ to the strips when we bend them. It's a case that the meat should bend and not break. If you like it really crispy, it is done when there is no flexibility in the strips at all. Start checking the meat at about 3 hours, you should be able to gauge how much more time you will need.
How much jerky will I have in the end?
You will have approximately 50 percent of what you start with due to drying. For example, if you use our 5 pound mix with 5 pounds of beef, you will end up with approximately 2 ½ pounds of finished jerky. Again, this is dependent upon how dry you like your jerky.
What is the best way to store my jerky?
We have found that our customers never have any storage issues when it comes to our jerky. It is so good, that it gets eaten almost as fast as it gets made! That being said, it should be stored in an airtight container.
What else can I use your liquid smoke for?
Anything that you would like to add a 'smoke' flavor to such as your stew, chili, or baked beans. Use a small amount to marinate your steak or roast or hamburger in just before cooking. The sky is the limit!
Why should I bother doing this instead of just buying the already made jerky?
QUALITY and SAVINGS! You choose your meat and how lean to make it. This is, by far, the freshest and most flavorful jerky you can get and it is so much cheaper to do it yourself. The average cost of pre-made jerky is well over $20.00 a pound. With our mixes, you can make a pound of jerky for under $10.00