I can’t say I ever imagined I would make my own beef (or turkey) jerky. However, now that I’ve made it, I never want to eat store-bought jerky again. Consider this: you can make your own nitrate-free jerky without a dehydrator with very little effort. I took some of this stuff in to work for people in my row to try. Keep in mind that they are used to be fed cake.
Oddly, the jerky went over as well as the cake always does! This recipe is definitely a winner. Keep in the refrigerator but freeze anything that you won’t be eating within the first couple of days. (Not that the jerky will likely even last that long.)
ingredients.
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds organic beef round steak (or white breast turkey)
- 1/4 c. Tamari (or soy sauce)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 tsp. onion salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- Trim and discard all fat from the meat. (Don’t skip this step. Fat jerky is not cool and I swear you can’t chew through it.) Cut into strips approximately 5 inches long and 1/2-inch wide with maybe 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness, give or take.
- In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the other ingredients. Add the meat to the bag, seal bag, and shake about to coat. Refrigerate and let marinate for 8 hours or overnight, turning over once.
- Drain and discard the marinade. Place the meat on wire racks on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Don’t worry about crowding your jerky, it will shrink when it bakes.
- Bake uncovered at 200 degrees for 7 to 8 hours, or until meat is dry and leathery. Remove from oven; cool completely.
Recipe rating:
Food Snob 