Jerky. Unbelievably Easy!!!

[Antonymous]

Many will know this already, but Jerky is really easy!
I've just finished my first batch and am having to fight off my grandkids with a big stick; they love it.

Here's how I did it (I'm not kidding myself that this is the only way)

Half a pound of lean stewing steak. Leave in the freezer for a few hours (about 3) until almost frozen. This makes precise slicing much easier. Be careful to get the slices about the same thickness so they dry at the same rate.

Make a marinade. From Internet searches it appears that anything goes here, so make something you like the smell of.
Mine consisted of:
Mostly Teriyaki sauce, with some dark soy sauce, Worcester sauce and Chulula hot sauce.
Then some garlic powder, cayenne pepper and fresh cracked black pepper.
Finally some brown sugar.

The sliced beef is left in the marinade overnight, although mine was in for about 20 hours. Then the only thing left is to lay out the slices on an oven tray.
With the oven at 75 degrees, I dried mine for 3 1/2 hours at which point the grandkids couldn't wait any more.

The leaner the meat the better it will save, but I can't image any of my future attempts lasting more than a few days.

So, anyway, it's loads easier than you think. Go on and give it a try.

 

[mick91]

Sounds good! Love beef jerky myself so something I fancy trying

 

[bopdude]

If jerky is the same a Biltong ( and I think it is ) the idea is you don't cook it but let it air dry ?

EDIT: first Google says to oven dry Jerky, well I'll get me coat, sorry

 

[Alan 13~7]

If jerky is the same a Biltong ( and I think it is ) the idea is you don't cook it but let it air dry ?

EDIT: first Google says to oven dry Jerky, well I'll get me coat, sorry

I wasn't much more than a kid the first time I tried Biltong it was fresh killed Kangaroo dryed in the Australian sun on hot rock... a friend of my dads had brought it with him on his return from Australia & for me that's biltong... I cant think of anything else I've tried since tasting as good as my first taste....

 

[Joe tahkahikew]

From my small experience of your country I'm guessing you should be able to dry meat/fish in the traditional way if you catch the right weather p- windy, dry and sunny. A good couple of drying days and thinly sliced meat or fish should be dry enough to keep all winter. Maybe you need to keep it out a little longer. Flies no bother as meat won't smell before dry.

 

[mick91]

From my small experience of your country I'm guessing you should be able to dry meat/fish in the traditional way if you catch the right weather p- windy, dry and sunny. A good couple of drying days and thinly sliced meat or fish should be dry enough to keep all winter. Maybe you need to keep it out a little longer. Flies no bother as meat won't smell before dry.

Where I live it would most likely freeze to the rock or be washed away by rain! Good old northeastern weather

 

[Robson Valley]

Jerky and biltong are about the same thing. It's too cold here to do that outdoors so I use the oven, also.
Bought High Mountain seasoning and cure from Cabella's. Great way to do up lots of bison meat for
snacks in hunting season. I want more smoke and less cure. It freeze-dries quite quickly as so little fat in bison.
Finishes the drying process.

Will make pemmican this winter with bison meat and bison backstrap fat.

But you're absolutely right = very simple process and very effective.

 

[persistent king]

That seems really easy,I always buy it from asda but think I'll be giving this recepy a try

 

[Tom Gold]

Thanks Anton, that all seems very straightforward. Good skills!

 

[Mozzi]

Definitely trying this! As I've only found one brand I actually like so far, and even then only one of the versions they produce!

I have two devilishly intelligent jack russells also, so it could be interesting!

 

[humdrum_hostage]

I got a biltong dryer on ebay ( a DIY one but for the price it wasnt worth me messing about making one). It took about 5-6 days to dry and it was a long wait but im sure it made my biltong taste much better!

I may be wrong but I think biltong = air dried raw meat and jerky = cooked dried meat

 

[santaman2000]

.....I may be wrong but I think biltong = air dried raw meat and jerky = cooked dried meat

Original true jerky was air dried. However most modern jerky (both commercial and home made) winds up being cooked by the heat of the dehydrator.