Meat Slicers For Making Jerky

[MLN1963]

I was set on buying an electric meat slicer for making jerky with all the deer I hope to slay this year. Scratch that, I'd like to make jerky if we get any more deer.

Anyway, after looking around it seems that any of the economical slicers are junk and you don't get anything good until you get into the $350-$400 range. If you have a good cheap model I'd like to know about it.

On a side note I saw this model at Cabela's and it has piqued my interest. I would still have to slice the meat into 1" sections first but then it would make fast work of it once that is done. The smaller pieces would probably marinate pretty quick too. Does anyone have experience with one of these?

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-Cabin/Food-Processing/Slicers|/pc/104798880/c/104723280/sc/104577480/Cabelas-Manual-Jerky-Slicer/716032.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fhome-cabin-food-processing-slicers%2F_%2FN-1101294%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104577480%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd7449 36%253Bcat104723280&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd744936%3Bcat1 04723280%3Bcat104577480

[Double S]

My neighbor and I help each other out. He has the fancy professional equipment. He even has an old Sausage stuffer from the 1800's handed down to him. Works like it was brand new. But when it comes to Jerky, We cut everything by hand. I like it thin myself. I'm ging through a bunch of Hunting Christmas Catalogs right now looking for you. I know Midway USA has a sale going on right now for the LEM products.

[Money Man]

Are you set on slicing the meat? My wife's uncle made jerky by using ground meat and one of those jerky shooters. I wish I had a chance to make some with him so I could give you more info, but it was real good.

[Double S]

Are you set on slicing the meat? My wife's uncle made jerky by using ground meat and one of those jerky shooters. I wish I had a chance to make some with him so I could give you more info, but it was real good.

That's a good option too. I don't do that myself but two years ago one of the boys in the Hunter's Ed class I was teaching came in with some homemade Venison jerky made with the shooter. I was surprised and impressed. I liked the texture. but the main thing is finding the right blend of ingredients if your flavoring the jerky.
I forgot to mention, You might already know this but if you find a certain item your interested in purchasing. Go to froogle.com It's part of Google. Type in the make and model of whatever your interested in and it will look up the item and the best prices for you to compare without having to look up each site manually.

[ElkSlayer]

MLN save your money or use it for a new elec grinder... kitchen aid mixers have a ton of atachments one being a grinder... gift for the house... hint hint
any how Back to the meat of the question...
Yes slice it by hand best tool is a butcher knife Thats sharp chill meat till almost frozen it cuts better that way... Now my daughter picked up a cupple shooters and gave me one ..well tried an true I have yet to use mine... her being the yougster an looking to out do dad... she did use hers and have to say way ta go kid glad to taste you were paying attention.... Key is the brine as i said befor if that dont taste good your jerkey wont eather...
good luck and IMO i would not buy a slicer... just sayin

[elkslayer4x5]

Invest in a premium set of knives, best money you'll spend for hunting , other than a new bow! or broadheads, arrows, new mountain bike, I'm sure you get my drift.

[MLN1963]

I used the F-I-L cheapo slicer recently. It worked well but all the stuff I read about cheap grinders is true when the meat chunk gets thin. That said, it was still nice and I may buy one someday. The nicest thing was the consistency of the slices, when on the dehydrator many pieces were done at the same time.

[Spiker]

I was set on buying an electric meat slicer for making jerky with all the deer I hope to slay this year. Scratch that, I'd like to make jerky if we get any more deer.

Anyway, after looking around it seems that any of the economical slicers are junk and you don't get anything good until you get into the $350-$400 range. If you have a good cheap model I'd like to know about it.

On a side note I saw this model at Cabela's and it has piqued my interest. I would still have to slice the meat into 1" sections first but then it would make fast work of it once that is done. The smaller pieces would probably marinate pretty quick too. Does anyone have experience with one of these?

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-...3Bcat104577480

I have one of these - but not with the slicer blades in it. Mine is the tenderizer model and it works very well.
You can change the blades out if you want to do both - jerky or just tenderize steaks.
If your going to do whole deer into jerky or multiple deer per year - I would suggest spending the money on a comercial type slicer,
but for just doing up a dozen batches per year this slicer would be pretty nice.
Again - I only have the tenderizer blades in mine and just run steaks thru when we cook them up for supper.
Has worked great for that.