Saturday, January 24, 2009

Make Beef Jerky At Home

By Jonni Haydens

Creativity is what truly makes great beef jerky. You can learn how to make beef jerky easily. But learning how to make great tasting, one of a kind beef jerky with take some time and experimenting.

You can try all different types of combination in search of making truly great beef jerky. For example, don't just stop at beef...try and switch it up by using turkey or bison meat. You may be pleasantly surprised at how great tasting it may end up being.

Now let's try some experimentation here. Say you totally adore red wine and wonder if there is a way to incorporate that love into a jerky recipe " keeping in mind that you don't want too much moisture or the meat won't dry properly. Hey, we've got some great news for you. Go out and grab a bottle of the best red wine you can find, something the really perks your tastebuds up and get ready to make some fine red wine beef jerky. Just remember, you may adapt this recipe to other meats as well.

Don't be alarmed if your first batch of jerky taste terrible. This is normal. You can't always hit a home run on your first try. It's all a matter of trial and error and your beef jerky will get better and better as you go along. Practice makes perfect.

Now, first things first. The meat. What do you choose? That's truly a personal preference, but we recommend Sirloin Tip for the best results. If you wish to experiment with other cuts, go right ahead. We just prefer the sirloin for its initial tenderness. If you are buying it from a big box store, you will be cutting it up yourself, so do this is really thin slices " about 1/8" thick but, partially freeze it to make it easier to cut. At 1/8" thick, it drys faster in the dehydrator. If you happen to still buy your meat from a butcher, get them to cut it for you " with the grain for tender final results.

All cut and ready to go? Did you remember to take off all the fat, or as much as you can? This isn't because you want to make it leaner or to cut down on calories, it's because fat does not dry out and will go rancid. Okay let's say you are going to marinate your slices of meat. This is where the creativity comes alive. Get that bottle of wine and here is what you do with it.

For your red wine marinade you will be using 1/2 cup of wine, 2 crushed garlic cloves (wooo- powerful mojo), 1/2 cup soy sauce (salt free), 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic peppercorns, and if you're a bear for punishment, add some crushed red pepper for extra zing to taste. If you don't want to be putting out flames later, take it easy on the red pepper. Pop all these ingredients into a large, zippered plastic bag along with the sliced meat, sling it in the fridge and leave it over night.

After letting the meat marinate for a night it is now time to toss it in the dehydrator. Beef jerky usually takes around 6-10 hours to finish but you will want to keep an eye on it to make sure it is not over cooking. To test it, just take a piece out and cut it to see if it is still moist. When the jerky has finished drying, take it out and enjoy. - 15634

About the Author: