Beef jerky - another product line for Dexter beef?

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:31 am

Those of you in Wales and the S.W. may be interested in a chap who is trying to expand his meat jerky business. This might be a new product line for those of you with farm shops or famers' market stands.
Website is http://martinsjerkedmeat.com or email martinsjerkedmeat@hotmail.com
Martin is also looking to source some cattle to bring on so he can promote the meat as home reared. A chance for someone to make contact & sell some Dexters before he ends up with Welsh Blacks, for example.
I know of him through the living history side of Rent A Peasant, as Martin is a prolific self publicist on several living history fora (spot the pedant!) and will be appearing on Dragons Den. I suggest someone should get him mentioning Dexter beef as a bit of product placement marketing. I've never met him but I understand he is a flamboyant character with a pink Mohican & a kilt. He does have an interesting take on the English language when posting on fora.
If I was closer to S. Wales, I would certainly be thinking of a tie-in with my herd but some else in that area might like to make contact.

John C · Post by **John C** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:58 am

Martin AKA the Jerkymeister is a great bloke. His very varied jerkey products are absolutely spot on.

Rob R · Post by **Rob R** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:56 pm

And he's currently top of the Welsh region UKTV Food Local Hero 2007: http://uktv.co.uk/index.cfm/uktv/direct ... l/oid/7792

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:19 am

Just to bump this up again, Martin is still looking to source new suppliers of beef. He only needs the cheaper cuts e.g. shin and brisket, but the latter must be trimmed of all fat etc. If anyone has a surplus, having sold all the prime steak etc, please contact him.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:36 am

How do you make jerky?

Would jerky made from well-hung Dexter be special?

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:09 pm

Just found the answer in WikiHow

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Beef-Jerky

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:34 pm

This sounded like a perfect solution for us but try as a might it isn't working out.

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:06 am

Sylvia, Martin has just been in touch with me. His supplier, whom you phoned while having a crisis with vet and horse, lost your number and has been hoping you will call back. Martin who makes the jerky has a supplier, I think also called Martin, who is looking to source locally from small holders to supply jerky making Martin. So, please try again.
Broomcroft, since jerky uses the stewing cuts the meat is thoroughly marinaded first so Martin does not think a specific breed flavour would necessarily come through. Apparently "plain" jerky is comparatively salty and lacking in flavour, but that just might be the commercial beef. Martin is willing to trial a plain breed specific jerky, if you would like to make contact.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:44 pm

Phones out at the moment Louisa, I'm praying they come back soon so I can sort everything out.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:42 pm

Could any of you make this work for £4 per kg for fully trimmed of all fat meat? Delivered almost right across Wales (W to E). My butcher estimates only about 15 -20 kg of fat free meat from fore quarters of under-age Dexters. And £60 extra on the £155 processing costs to trim all fat.

If any of you can produce more satisfactory figures I'd like to know, please.

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:16 am

Sylvia, I do apologise. I had not expected such a miserable offer to be made to you. £4/kg untrimmed & collected might be feasible, if you have a good outlet for the prime cuts. Otherwise tell them to whistle.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:19 pm

I haven't read all this closely, but what I have picked up is that the beef doesn't have to be special...so why use Dexter? Just use whatever cheap beef he can get. But what was also said, here or elsewhere was that he hadn't tried a breed specific version. Just maybe jerky made from a tasty bit of Dexter might be special and if so, that would be another uplift for the beef. However, as all fat has to be trimmed, I would have thought it was just a waste of good beef! Maybe fatty Dexter, hung for six weeks, then trimmed, may make jerky to die for?

Edited By Broomcroft on 1205158868

Jim Taylor · Post by **Jim Taylor** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:13 pm

What a terrible shame to turn shin and brisket into ""plain" jerky is comparatively salty and lacking in flavour" when it can make the most delicious stew. My particular favorite is goulash which rivals if not beats the flavour of the sirloin. I can understand drying the meat in a primitive environment, but to process meat to make it less palatable is, I think, a waste of resource. Having said that, I've never tasted jerky!

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:59 pm

This all started when Martin had a crisis of supply with the last F&M outbreak and a couple of people were posting on here that they were having problems shifting their beef. It seemed like a good idea at the time to put both parties in contact. The meat for jerky is normally marinaded, that's why "plain" might seem comparatively lacking in flavour. Red wine & black pepper jerky is reputed to be especially moreish.