People have been looking for new ways to enjoy meat for as long as we can all remember.  One of the most common ways that people love to eat meat as a snack is by making it into a jerky.  Jerky is most commonly made with beef and it helps to preserve the meat and its flavor far better than any other method.    Jerky is a good source of protein and it is more healthy as the fat is removed before the meat is made into jerky.

You can create your very own healthy source of jerky right in your own kitchen and you can be assured that it will be much more healthier than those bought in stores as you can stay away from all of the preservatives  making it right in your kitchen.  The preservatives that manufacturers put in to keep the meat fresher longer are chemicals that are not necessary when making your own.

The first thing that you want to do when making your own jerky is to buy the right meat.  You want to go with a lean cut of meat such as top round, sirloin, or even eye round to name a few good meat choices.  When you go with these kinds of meats, you will save a lot of time during the drying step.

Once you have your meat you will need to slice it into very thin slices approximately 1/8″ thick.  You may even want to check with your butcher at your local meat market as they may slice the meat like this for you.  Be sure and cut the slices against the grain.  This will make the jerky a lot easier to chew.  Make sure that you trim off as much fat as you can because fat does not dry and could possibly ruin your jerky.

Next, you will want to marinade the meat in your flavor of choice where seasonings are concerned.  Many people like to go with a mixture of sea salt and cider vinegar and leave it sit in the refrigerator soaking over night for best flavor results.  Keep in mind that the longer you marinate, the longer it can take to dry.  You will want to put whatever seasonings you like as a coating on the meat such as cracked pepper, garlic, brown sugar, etc.  Then dehydrate the meat.

You want to be sure that you allow enough space between each piece for proper drying.  It is best to use a dehydrating machine and make it a rule of thumb to spray the racks in the dehydrator with some sort of non-stick spray prior to putting the meat on the rack.  If you are going to use your oven for making the jerky then you will want to set the over at 150 degrees but make sure that you let the over preheat.  You can place the meat directly on the rack or with a cookie sheet underneath it.  Do not forget that the heat is not supposed to cook the meat; rather it is used to dry it out.

Now that you have your meat marinated and seasoned, and you have put it either in the oven or the dehydrator and so now you just wait.  Remember that this is a very slow process but it very well worth waiting for.  The whole process can take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours.  You will want to watch the meat and take it out when it is done to your liking.  Be sure to test a piece to see if it is dried all the way through.  You want it to be a deep burgundy or brown color.

You can store your fresh jerky in plastic zip lock bags and keep it in the refrigerator or the freezer.  It will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.  Once you get the hang of making jerky, you will be making it on a regular basis.  It also makes a great gift for family and friends, especially at the holidays.

You will not believe how good your very own homemade natural jerky right will taste.

Tags: Cooking

Posted on January 9