Jerky anyone?

[Woods Dweller]

I find myself coming back here time and, time again, to search for recipes that you good old boys post.

Now, I am going to see what I can pick from your brain with “Fish Jerky”. Salt water or fresh water.

And throw in any chicken or turkey jerky you have. Thanks guys.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

“Fish Jerky”. ? You mean Salted Cod (or other fish)??

Well ready to use salted cod runs around $15 - $20 a pound, including shipping, and that's if you buy four pounds or more of the stuff. It was once, and in many places in the world still is, food for the lower classes. It's popular in many ethnic cuizines, Italian, Portuguese, Carribean, and along the Northern coast of South America. It was popular in Colonial American dishes, as well as some parts of England, and Europe, but as the use of salt and drying has fallen off, and freezing is more common, the price of salt cod has increased, and it's use has decreased. So you don't find it very cheap. This is unfortunate, as there are many ethnic dishes that simply can't be properly made without the proper salted fish. My wife is from Guyana, and I have an old cook book with recipes for salt cod.

I don't think it was ever used like jerky, and eaten straight. :barf:

So my friend the chef made some, as he wanted to try making some authentic sailor dishes from the Royal and American Navy, from the 1700's. He couldn't afford the price of the ready made product just to experiment..., So he bought some real cod, fresh, salted it with sea salt, and stuck it in his dehydrator, just like he would do with jerky. BIG MISTAKE. The house stank like fish, and his cats went batcrap crazy trying to get at the stuff. I am assuming he didn't mess up the production of the stuff..., but who knows? Maybe you will have a different odor, or none at all, when you make it like jerky, but I wouldn't try it.

Online, though, I have found examples where folks have made dried, salted fish, cod or otherwise, by drying the stuff in the refridgerator. They salted both sides of a filet, left it sit on a plate for 48 hours, then rinsed off the salt, (or left it on - methods vary), and then wrapped the fish in cheese cloth, and put it back into the fridge for 7 - 10 days. When dry and hard, it was done.

Any of you folks out there that do pirate or Royal Navy want to chime in?

LD

 

[Woods Dweller]

Thanks Dave, We love Salted Cod. During one of our Holidays my wife makes Cod cakes.

I was wondering if anyone makes a Jerky from any other kinds of fish?
Like Salmon, Tuna, or any other fish. And or chicken or Turkey ? Can I jerky fish or foul as I do read meat? Any suggestion on what spices that you add to Fish or Foul ? Also recipes for salted Cod would be great.
Thanks

 

[necchi]

"Smoked" is very popular around here.
Wouldn't call it jerky, but it's a finished product ready to eat.
Ya need a smoker,,

 

[Big Lee]

On turkey I used the same ase beef or venison, the only thing I do different is I add chicken bullion instead of beef. I also make a terioky version, I prefer my origonal that I make.I started with a recipe I got of the internet and twicked it until I got what I wanted.

 

[Woods Dweller]

On turkey I used the same ase beef or venison, the only thing I do different is I add chicken bullion instead of beef. I also make a terioky version, I prefer my origonal that I make.I started with a recipe I got of the internet and twicked it until I got what I wanted.

Thanks Lee.
Could you post your recipe? Do you soak your turkey in a chicken bullion pot of water? Or do you just sprinkle chicken bullion on the meat and smoke it?

 

[Woods Dweller]

"Smoked" is very popular around here.
Wouldn't call it jerky, but it's a finished product ready to eat.
Ya need a smoker,,

Thanks Necchi.
I am looking to make jerky from fish and / or turkey. If I cut whiting fish thin and smoke it, would it come out like beef jerky?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The same guy who tried the food dehydrator for the fish, is an accomplished smoked food producer. He is an instructor from time to time on the subject, and taught me there are two basic types of smoking, "cold" and "hot", with "cold" really being cooler than hot. Hot smoking cooks the food while imparting smoke flavor, and the item is as prone to spoilage as any other food that is cooked and not refridgerated..., depending on the salt content. Hot smoking is normally used today to prepare food and serve it, not preserve it.

Cold smoking is dehydration using heat and smoke from a fire, that is allowed to cool to around 100 degrees, before it comes into contact with the food. This speeds up drying, while not actually cooking the food. The smoking ads flavor and helps preserve the food item. He tells me that this also kept insects off the food as it dried, for in the past, the column of smoke in the smokehouse would drive the flies and other critters away. He uses a metal drum connected to a smouldering fire which is in a small bar-b-que, and uses an aluminum-foil dryer vent hose to connect the two and give enough distance to allow the smoke to cool. He watches the temp with a thermometer.

LD

 

[necchi]

Yes, very much so. You generally don't want fish as dry as most folks think of as "jerky". Smoked fish need to be kept cool/fridge for long term storage but does well for 2-3 days in foil or paper.
I'm refering to the "Cold" smoke as L.Dave talks about.
There is a brine soak then several hours of smoke.
Locals have secret recipies of brine, soak time, wood types and temps that are closely guarded but the basic techniques can be found on-line.
Some of these guy's can turn large Carp into something that has the flavor and texture of expensive store bought Smoked Salmon.

 

[Big Lee]

As I have started selling my seasoning mix to a select few I can't give it out now, but I will post what I started with. I have adjusted it alot since I got this recipe.

1 pound lean meat.
4 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t chilli powder
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
3 dashes liquid smoke
1/2 cup water

I add 1 bullion cube (chicken for turkey and poltry and beef for beef and venison) to hot water and let it disolve than and the rest of the spices, the liquid smoke last than pour over the meat and merinate for 12 to 24 hours stiring every couple of hours. Put on the dehydrater until done, 6-8 hours in my dehydrator. Remember I said this is the recipe I STARTED with a few year ago.

Big Lee

 

Wow, just like the Indians used to make it. :haha:

 

[Woods Dweller]

Thanks Dave,Necchi,and "B" Lee, You got me going in the right direction. :thumbsup: