Which Cuts of Beef for Jerky?

[Toadflax]

After my first attempt at jerky went mouldy after a week I want to experiment a bit more, but not with the sirloin that I used first time round (too expensive to chuck in the bin). I suspect that it wasn't dry enough and that I shouldn't have stored it in an airtight tin.

What other cuts do you use?


Thanks



Geoff

 

[British Red]

I use a number of cuts - any good (suitable for frying) beef cuts seem to work well. It doesn't need to be top quality since it will be well marinated and dried anyway. Venison is fantastic too. For basic economy a thin frying steak is hard to beat

Red

 

[Hoodoo]

The main thing is that it have little or no fat. Fat can go rancid fairly quickly. Top round is a good cut as is sirloin tip.

 

[fred gordon]

I think this raises a good cultural point. Around the world, and even in the UK, there are regional differences to the names of cuts of meat.

 

[Tengu]

I use Asdas smart price frying steak and have had no troubles.

if its the slightest snippet of fat, -cut it off.

and store carefully in a cool dry place in a container which will allow influx of air

 

[Toddy]

I agree with Fred, sometimes I struggle to know what cuts of meat folks on the forum mean
I bought thick gigot chops for HWMBLT and cut the fat off and the bone out. I sliced them across the grain into medallions and marinaded them before drying. No idea how long they'd last, they were gone in two days Beef ham was considered a success too.
I also sliced up a turkey breast roast and did likewise. I was a bit wary there because of the e-coli problem so I brought a small pan of water to the boil and blanched each piece before marinading them.
Again all gone in short order.
Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Joshua]

Here's a good recipe from a US tv show on Jerkey.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31151,00.html

Beef Jerky Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Urban Preservation II: The Jerky


1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Special Equipment: 1 box fan, 4 paper air-conditioning filters, and 2 bungee cords


Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.
Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.

Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.

Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.