Jerky & refrigeration

[justletmein]

I've never made my own jerky before, but tonight did a batch from ground venison (I have TONS of ground because I'm cheap) and it turned out pretty good. Question is, all the recipes I've seen say to refrigerate or freeze the jerky after it cools, but I thought you didn't have to refrigerate jerky, I mean that's kind of the point of making jerky right? What's the scoop?

[Chew]

Most of the commercial recipes include a "cure" that prevents it from going bad. I usually refrigerate mine either way, just for the heck of it. I have no idea if if anyone's ever got sick on bad jerky.

[justletmein]

Hey Chew, how's it going? Yeah Sodium Nitrite seems to be what they're all using, which was in this stuff but won't be in the next recipe I do because the next one will be home made.

[Chew]

We usually eat ours too fast to have to worry about it!

[El Patron]

It will keep it fresher longer if you refrigerate, but around my house jerky never lasts that long anyway.

[Smart]

Hey Chew, how's it going? Yeah Sodium Nitrite seems to be what they're all using, which was in this stuff but won't be in the next recipe I do because the next one will be home made.

We refrigerate but don't know why....it never lasts that long anyway.

BTW not sure if you know this but the sodium nitrate or cure can be bought and added to "homemade recipes" although I don't use it for the reason above.

[TXBowhunter2009]

I usually don't refrigerate or freeze mine, weather its from a commercially made mix or something I mixed up. On very rare instances I've had some sit in the cabinet for a while in a ziploc bag and it smells and tastes kinda stale. If you vacuum pack it it won't get that way. I opened a bag last week that I made last year that was in a foodsaver bag, and it tasted just like the stuff I ate when I made it.

[Slingblade]

You have to smoke cure or chemical cure your meat if you don't want to keep it in a cooler. Make it in that way and you can vacuum seal the meat. if you are going to make enough to last say 6 months you have to freeze it. take it out when you want and it will last a few weeks out of the cooler if the bag is sealed.

[TexasBob]

I have always heard it keeps longer. I refrigerate mine because i feel after several days in the fridge it is better in taste and texture. Rarely makes it that long, and I couldn't tell you what happens to it after a week or so in the fridge. That last piece is usually the best of the batch though.

[tgil]

I've been told more than once that you don't leave it "out" in a plastic bag. The plastic bag will allow moisture which will promote mold growth. It you leave it out, use a paper bag.