Has anyone here made their own beef jerky? Can you give me tips?

by UnConfused 25 Replies latest social physical

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  UnConfused

  Thanks in advance
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  nelly136

  is that the dry chewy stuff?
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  funkyderek

  My tip: give up red meat; you'll improve your health, save money, reduce needless suffering and help save the environment.

  Chew on that!
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  UnConfused

  I can see the improved health, but not saving money. When I buy food fresh fruits and veggies are not cheap AND if I go for the best-for-my-heath-organic it's the most expensive.
  
  I also can see the correlation to saving the environment and giving up red meat.
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  JeffT

  You guys go ahead and give up red meat, it will leave more for the rest of us.

  As far as making Jerky: cut it REALLY THIN, you can not get it too thin, You'll need a seriously sharp knife. Remember that you're drying it, not cooking it. Overnight in an oven set on "warm" is about right. Experiment with small pieces first.
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  Gregor

  Hope you are not using filet mignon!

  The commercial stuff is almost all made from dairy cows that are past their productive peak. The big jerky mfgs. on the Oregon coast are all next to big dairy farms. Those inexpensive little home dehydrators work pretty well, better than a range oven because they remove the moisture faster.
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  MissingLink

  mmmmmm.... Jerky...

  I miss that stuff. Can't get it in Ireland, and I never considered making my own.

  What do you flavour it with? When do you add it, before or after drying? What cut of meat to use? I'm imagining that if the meat was half-frozen it would be easier to cut in thin slices. True?
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  HappyDad

  I've made beef jerky several times in my Excalibur dehydrator. Any good meat will due as long as it is on sale. English roast, Chuck roast, Sirloin roast......you get the picture?
  
  First thing to do if you do not have a slicer is to put it in the freezer for a while for it to set up some. This makes it easier to slice with a knife. I've found that the Excalibur's instructions on the thickness is the best. Slice it as close to 3/16th of an inch as possible. Some people want it super thin but remember that once it is dried out it can be too brittle if it is too thin. You want it chewy!
  
  As for recipes......there are so many that you might want to try a different one every time you make it. All I did was put the slices in Terriake sauce for a short time and then dehydrate it according to the book time.
  
  If you Google "beef jerky recipes" you will be overwhelmed with what you can do. There are many, many recipes for making it in the oven, so you don't even need a dehydrator.
  
  Just a side note without hijacking your thread. For those with an over-abundance of green beans in their garden and don't want to can or freeze the beans, they can be dehydrated very easy and re-constituted when needed.
  
  Good luck and keep us posted with your results.
  
  HappyDad
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  SacrificialLoon

  The mongols would keep meat under their saddle. Although I am not a Mongol nor have I made jerky in that way.
  
  It may be worth a try though!
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  Gregor

  After slicing, marinade in your choice of (or a mixture of) : Teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, orange juice, season salt, Magi sauce, dried spices,. You can use your creativity. Like it spicy? mix in some cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce.