Ground meat jerky issue!

[Rudey]

I've made many batches of jerky using ground venison. I've made both the thin, flat style and the "Slim Jim" meat stick style. They've all come out awesome with no issues. I've found I prefer the stick style, but they're both good. Now the issue...

This past weekend I decided to make a batch of the sticks. I mixed up all my ingredients like always, put it in the fridge overnight like always. The next day I loaded the jerky shooter to make the sticks. But when I started dispensing the jerky, it didn't stick together very well. It didn't come out if the shooter smoothly. They were sort of "rough" looking if that makes sense. I should have taken a picture but I didn't. I put them in the dehydrator anyway and dried them. When they were "finished" they were crumbly. They fell apart and were not good at all! They went in the trash. Normally I would say I didn't add enough liquid but I know this is not the case with these.

Anyone ever have this issue? I'm posting pics of what they normally look like.

[wrangler1]

I'd like to hear this answer as well. I prefer this style of jerky also and I don't want to lose a whole batch like this. I've never had this happen before and hope it never does.

[Rudey]

I've never had it happen before either. I'm stumped!

[jerp]

That's odd - same meat, same recipe, different result. I don't know, but question - do you use ground venison from the processor that has some added fat or do you grind up lean pieces yourself?

[Rudey]

I grind it myself. Zero fat added.

[Jason Slocum]

Was your scale off or did you not have the proper meat weight? It seems that either there was too much drying agent or too little meat. I don't have the fancy jerky shooter and have just made little thin jerky patties and put them onto wax paper and transferred them onto the drying trays. Hope this helps. Jason Slocum

[kfd82]

This wont help at all......but,

I never understood how they WOULDN'T fall apart!
It just seems to me that with no casing to hold it together it just wont work. However, seeing pics like yours above and pics others have posted I decided to try it. I have a brand new dehydrator sitting at home and will pick up a jerky shooter when I get off in two weeks.

I was so pumped up to try this.....now I'm wondering if mine will be dried meat crumbles as well????

[txtimetravler]

weather? humidity?

[rtread]

I use an America Harvest brand dehydrator and with it came a "Jerky Works" kit which I've used many times to make ground meat jerky. The instructions on it say to use 1 seasoning packet and 1 cure packet with 1 pound lean ground meat. It has always turned out good this way. I've also used the HiMountain brand seasoning and cure I get at Cabela's.....same result. I've always figured it was something in the seasoning or cure that held it together and gave it the right texture. Never had it "crumbly" like that but it sounds like a missing ingredient.

[acearrow]

The times that it has done this to me was when I was adding too much water to my mix.
I found that too much water was causing it to be crumbly. Not sure why it does that. If the meat is sticking to your hands while you are loading the jerky gun, then you are mixed right, but if the meat is not sticky, then you have added too much water and will not dehydrate properly.
At least that is what I have found in my jerky trials.

[rtread]

My recipe (HiMountain) calls for 1/4 cup ice water per lb. of meat.....I usually make 6 lbs. at a time which equals to 1 1/2 cups water. I've noticed while mixing with the ice water, seasoning and cure the meat changes from a brighter red and loose to an almost brown color and pasty.

[Aggiebow88]

What did it taste like? most likley poor protein extraction. Possible culprits:
Low salt
too short of a mixing time
ingredient that interferred with protien (acidic, etc).

i have a "bit" of experience in processed meats, pm me if you want

[Rudey]

ingredient that interferred with protien (acidic, etc).

I think we have a winner! I usually use a little red wine instead of water just to add a little more flavor. This time I used more of the wine, and used a higher acid Shiraz (ph around 3.0). So probably need to cut back the wine or just leave it out altogether!

This could be the answer...

[Aggiebow88]

sound likely, let us know,