What's your Jerky recipe?

[TigerlilySixkiller]

We acquired a food dehydrator and made our first batch of jerky. It came out pretty good, but could use some improvement. What meat does everyone else use? What marinade?

Thanks!

[Naja]

I use any lean cut of beef or lamb. Unfortunately all I can tell you is that I use cow leg, since I butcher my own beef and I don't necessarily process it into the same commercial cuts as you can find in the supermarket. Pick a lean cut, slice it very thin and remove as much fat as you can if you want a longer-storing product. I also make a "fat included" thicker jerky product with more moisture left in it that doesn't last quite as long and needs to be kept dry and cool.

My marinade is water, just enough kosher salt to make it taste mildly salty, and a lot of dried herbs - I like garlic and onion powder plus any hot spice mix (Cajun is nice) and whatever other dried herbs are handy. A squirt of soy sauce is also a good addition. When the marinade tastes good to me, the thin slices of meat go in.

Too high a heat makes gritty jerky. A food dehydrator works well, so does the oven on absolute minimum (150F) with the door left cracked.

[Frelled]

For authentic Texas-tasting jerky, try this:

1 package Hot & Spicy mixture from Nesco
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper
2 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp tabasco
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 pounds beef

Soy and Worsteshire sauce-based jerkies don't taste right to me, but I'm used to buying jerky from guys in pickup trucks on the side of the road.

[Anonymous]

For a quick snack you can microwave dehydrate your jerky meat pieces inbetween layers of paper towel. It only takes a few minutes and I make it on a need/want to eat basis.

[akstanl]

I have a jerkey kit, gun and all...however the flavor packets have sugar as part of the ingredients..i am looking for just the basic jerkey flavor to go with a pound of ground beef. And also, hopefully the "cure" doesn't have sugar in it, does anyone know?

Thanks!
Alayna

[James'Girl]

I have a jerkey kit, gun and all...

haha!

[Marvin]

I also make a "fat included" thicker jerky product with more moisture left in it that doesn't last quite as long and needs to be kept dry and cool.

I would be interested in this recipe...like how much fat to add, at what point, etc., etc. Is it posted somewhere on the site already, or can you post it?

[Naja]

You don't add fat, you simply don't take it away from the meat. You slice and dry the meat and fat together.

[Chris7702]

Jerky in the microwave? Does that work? Tasts just like deydrated jerky?

[Naja]

Jerky in the microwave? Does that work? Tasts just like deydrated jerky?

I wouldn't have believed it, but apparently you can do this. Search Google for microwave jerky recipe and enjoy the results.

Some commentary on the subject also found on this search suggests that it is not a recommended method due to uneven heating. But it certainly would be a fast and convenient one.

[NapaBrandon]

i have been making jerkey like a mad man. i go to the mexican store and by the carne asada meat, its nice and thin and works great.

[Marvin]

You don't add fat, you simply don't take it away from the meat

I understand what you're saying. I do venison mostly, as I hunt and that's what I have available for that purpose (don't like to buy a roast, just to turn it into jerky). Thought maybe there was a way to do a "juicier" jerky, like a slim jim, only just with my seasonsings.

[Naja]

Marvin - venison is lean in most areas, so you might try duplicating my results by marinating some of the jerky in olive oil before drying it. This will result in a more perishable product.

Alternatively try making pemmican: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...pic.php?t=5889

[Marvin]

Naja,

Yes, it's very lean. Of course deer fat is highly objectionable (likely is what to most people that seems gamey), so that is not really a problem.
I had not thought of marinating in olive oil. I'll give that a try with a small batch. I understand the perishability issue.

Thanks also for the pemmican recipe. I'll read it over and likely give it a try.

[Naja]

Of course deer fat is highly objectionable (likely is what to most people that seems gamey), so that is not really a problem.

Totally dependent on what the deer have been eating. In Northern California there are some cornfields that produce some very fat deer with clean, delicious tasting fat. I've also enjoyed the mild tasting fat from some deer in Georgia, and I'm not sure what they were eating. In other regions they might be nibbling things like pine bark that can accumulate a stronger taste in their fat that is not appealing to most people.