Meat Processing Tools

Here's my two cents on meat processing tools. You don't exactly need to have every tool in the book just to make jerky but if you just invest in a few good tools it will save you some time and effort for years to come. I suggest you start with at least a good meat slicer and a jerky gun.

When I first started making jerky I had nothing more than a good sharp knife and an oven. With time and practice I was able to slice my meat fairly good but after many batches it just became work, plus I could never achieve a consist thickness for each slice. So i resorted to getting myself a good meat slicer.

jerky meat slicer A decent meat slicer will allow you to make your jerky as thin or thick as you please which is great for personal preference. Many of us like our jerky nice and chewy but sometimes a good crunchy jerky is perfect with the right recipe. Also a thinner slice of meat results in much shorter dehydration period, saving time for those of us with a tight schedule.

When it comes to meat slicers, you really can't beat a good electric slicer. I first started off with a Nesco FS-250 and it has saved me a whole lot of effort. The main reasons I bought it was because it seemed built well and it was within my budget. It has a nice size stainless steel blade, a stainless steel sliding food carriage , and it has a solid adjustment for different thickness. These things are important and I'll explain why later .

My nesco has been great and in fact I still use it to this day but I later decided to upgrade to a Commercial Meat Slicer for a couple reasons. The blade on my best choice slicer is 10" which allows me to cut hams and larger pieces of beef without having to cut them in half. It also has a slightly stronger motor and the adjustments are a bit easier to set and forget. Not a big deal but I'm a meat man as you can tell so It's a great all around slicer to have. Not a necessity but still convenient and built well.

So if your thinking about getting a slicer then I highly recommend one of the above mentioned slicers or at least one that's similar. Here's why, I've used slicers with plastic food cartridges and cheap adjustment mechanisms. They just don't seem to cut consistent slices of meat and usually their motors are weak because they are cheap units. Weak motors make them bog down and that's no fun! Stay clear of these and get yourself something decent. You'll be much happier.

A jerky gun allows you to make round or flat jerky sticks. It looks very much like a caulking gun and generally has interchangeable tips. This is something you may want to invest in if you like sticks or are interested in trying them. I personally enjoy both so I've had one for years.

I own a Jerky Cannon made by LEM Products. I've made hundreds of sticks with this gun to date. It's a bit on the pricey side but it has never let me down and I have put it through the works!

Of coarse you don't have to go all out and get the best right away. Something like this Nesco Jerky Gun will work well for those of you that want to try homemade jerky sticks for your first time. It might not last as long but it will get you chewing on some tasty jerky and is a good addition to a beginners tool set.

These meat processing tools will set you up to make homemade beef jerky the right way from day one and will save you lots of time in the process. Plus there's no need to worry about making a bland jerky with all the beef jerky recipes offered right here on this site by yours truly. It's time to make that jerky!

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