Turkey Jerky

[mwradke]

Looking into making snack sticks or jerky from turkey breasts. What method would you recommend? Grind and stuff or whole muscle? I saw the email on wild turkey snack sticks and pork fat was added. Can beef fat be used?

[processhead]

mwradke said in Turkey Jerky:

Looking into making snack sticks or jerky from turkey breasts. What method would you recommend? Grind and stuff or whole muscle? I saw the email on wild turkey snack sticks and pork fat was added. Can beef fat be used?

I usually use beef fat with lean venison for snack sticks and like the “beefy” flavor it adds.
I think pork fat is what most people use based on conversations here, but either one will work about as well.

For turkey snack sticks, you will want to add approximately 20% fat of some kind.

[mwradke]

processhead
Thank you! What would be the ratio of water, sure Gel, cold Phosphate for 5 lbs of turkey breast?

[Jonathon]

If you are using pork fat you don’t need Cold Phosphate - Sodium Phosphate the pork fat at around 25% will be fine. Use sure gel at the same ratio that you would for beef/pork and then add water at a rate of 1 quarts per 25 lb of meat for store bought and 1.25 qt of water to 25 lb of meat if it Iis wild turkey.

[mwradke]

Thank you Jonathon! In this case I would use retail turkey breast. I have saved beef fat from brisket trimmings which I thought I would use.

[mwradke]

Thank you Jonathon! In this case I would use retail turkey breast. I have saved beef fat from brisket trimmings which I thought I would use.

[glen]

If you do ground turkey jerky leave out the fat, use approx. 2/3 the ratio of Shure Gel to lb. enough liquid (water and/or soy sauce etc.) to make it easier to squeeze out.
Mix until strong protein extraction.

[bocephus]

mwradke If you are going to make jerky I would slice it and make it like beef jerky. I have never made turkey jerky but I have made a lot of goose jerky that I sliced and used a marinade, it turned out great. Had many people tell me they would not eat goose and ate the jerky.

[mwradke]

glen I have whole breast meat and thought I would grind up my own. Still no fat?

[glen]

You do not need fat
Three important points:
High protein extraction and a binder are very important in any ground jerky to get a good texture
Be careful adding water early in the process, raw ground turkey is already moist and I would wait until after thorough mixing and protein extraction to see if any is needed at all
In my experience turkey jerky whether full muscle or ground is more unforgiving in the smoker/dehydrator you will need to keep a closer eye on it than with red meat jerky
Looking forward to see which way you go and the results

[processhead]

glen said in Turkey Jerky:

You do not need fat
Three important points:
High protein extraction and a binder are very important in any ground jerky to get a good texture
Be careful adding water early in the process, raw ground turkey is already moist and I would wait until after thorough mixing and protein extraction to see if any is needed at all
In my experience turkey jerky whether full muscle or ground is more unforgiving in the smoker/dehydrator you will need to keep a closer eye on it than with red meat jerky
Looking forward to see which way you go and the results

With using turkey, this might be reason enough for me to go with whole muscle jerky.

[mwradke]

Thank you all for your help!

[glen]

After discovering Sure Gel about 6-7 years ago I rarely mess with full muscle