Calling all jerky jockys................

Here's my Jerky recepy...  Very simple, few ingredients, works well with chicken, turkey, beef, deer, moose (so far).  Requires only the oven.  Great for those of us too cheap to invest in smokers and dehydrators!

The Gods' Own Beef Jerky

Couple pounds of meat, any type
2/3 cup worcestershire (Lee and Perrins, don't be cheap)
2/3 cup Soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder (better with minced garlic)
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayanne
2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
All else optional

Strip the meat in 1/4" or so strips.  Cut with the grain for tougher Jerky, across it for tender stuff.  Mix the ingredients, marinade 12-24 hours in the fridge.

Use bamboo skewers to hang the strips from the top oven rack.  Protect the oven bottom with tinfoil.  There will be drips.

Heat oven to 65C (150F).  Block door open about an inch to promote drying (oven will have no trouble maintaining heat at this temp).

Takes 6-12 hours, depending on meat density and thickness.

Leave it in a breathable container at room temp until the residual moisture is gone (it'll "sweat" for a day or 2...)

Final product is black, richly flavoured and saltier than a whore's kiss.  

Keeps well (I sent a tin of it to my sister in Harbin, China, where she nursed it along for 3 months...), though I usually end up eating the whole batch in 3 or 4 days....  Can't stop...

Hope you enjoy!

J

[Izzie45895]

Thanks, Jason! Appreciate it!

Iz

this thread, by far, is my favorite so far of everything I have read on this site.

I too am a jerky lover and own a dehydrator, but as most of us "know" the smoker is the way to go if you can afford it. then again, maybe thats just my preference.

hickory smoked gouda cheese is also a superb addition to your jerky, try them together sometime.

there is a local "ma and pa" produce place near my house that makes some incredible beef jerky, but lately they have been adding far too much black pepper, and not quite enough time in the smoker. must be that new lady there.......

My dad got an elk a couple years back, and we had some of it smoked. it still stands today as the best meat I have ever tasted in jerky form my entire life. absolutely fantastic stuff. if you can get ahold of some elk I really recommend you try it. venison is excellent too. I was a local bodybuilder for 9 years and practically lived on protien, and this stuff was a staple.

I have a secret recipe I am working on along the lines of what has already been posted, if it comes out okay I'll post it here for you to try out. I am still very new to the dehydrator, but I was a line cook and a fancy pants restaurant in high school and I picked up allot from the sue chef.

the first batch I made........well........I'd rather not talk about it.

 I still owe a buddy a set of seat covers.  :p  :p

-Mark

sorry about the multiple posts. my computer keeps freezing up.

If I could delete my own I would...

[jct842]

I used to use corned beef, the spiced kind.  I would put in freezer to firm up, slice thin and pop it into the ronco dehydrater.  no other steps, since it comes in brine just used as is.  John

[Izzie45895]

I may have to try that! Thanks!

Iz

[Izzie45895]

Here's the latest recipe:

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup worstershire
1/3 cup soy sauce
5 capfuls liquid smoke
2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp cumen
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp red cayenne pepper

Not too bad....pretty good actually! Best batch yet!

Iz

Corned beef being just chunk of brisket sounds kind of tough just dried.  But on the bright side couple of pieces could last you a while on the deer stand on evening hunt.
Now seriously, I tried couple of times to do them in the smoker and the result sucks. Simple reason. Smoke contains a lot of tar and tar is bitter as hell. Smoked brisket can be trimmed and fish (I smoke a salmon and a lot of rainbow trout} has a skin on bottom. Trout also will peel of the dried brine with the layer of bones revealing clean meat. Chicken is different story but BBQ is not real smoking and there is no tar accumulation. Most people do not realize how bad the carcinogenic in the coating of tar are!
I think jerky marinated properly in the well balanced marinade are best dried in the oven on low just cracked slightly open or in dehydrator.
Also too much liquid smoke in the mix will give it bitter aftertaste. Just as well as too much Worcestershire will give it tart taste. Tablespoon for a pound of meat should be plenty.
Top round roast or top sirloin are my favored cuts. Iwill not come cheap and when it's good it will not last either. Once your hunting buddies locate the source, you doomed!
Good luck,
Ivan