Beef Jerky - Homemade

[VaTom]

Crazy spring weather here in SW Virginia. Mowing grass and trout fishing on Monday - snow storm on Wednesday. Decided it was time to make some beef jerky to combat cabin fever. I haven't made jerky in about ten years so pulled out the dehydrated, found the recipe, and bought a 3 lb London broil.

Marinated over night and put on to dry this morning. Can't wait.

 

[sureshotbob]

I've been wanting to try making Jerky but I've still been making homemade Italian sausage.

 

[Targets Guy]

My Uncle (may he rest in peace) made wonderful beef jerky. I'll miss those almost as much as missing him.

 

[Nevada Ed]

If you don't have Deer meat............

Beef will do in a pinch.

More pepper and hot sauce, please.............

 

[Rustyt1953]

I have never made jerky but I need to learn how as it is a true weakness. Heck, I even like that stuff at the Bill Goodman gun show.

Gnaw one fer me.

 

[292]

Got deer ham in the freezer waiting to be sliced, marinated and dried. High protein snack for my upcoming turkey hunts.

 

[VaTom]

I have never made jerky but I need to learn how as it is a true weakness. Heck, I even like that stuff at the Bill Goodman gun show.

Gnaw one fer me.

Easy to make if you have a food dehydrator. Start with a lean cut of meat. The less marbling/fat the longer it will keep when dehydrated. Slice meat in very thin slices, marinade overnight. The marinade recipe I use has soy sauce,worschershire, pepper,salt, garlic, tomato sauce, liquid smoke. Single layer on dehydrator trays and dry at 145 degrees or so for 4 or 5 hours. Pat with paper towels occasionally to soak up any excess oil that comes up on the strips during drying. Place in zip lock bags and store in refrigerator. Enjoy!

 

[soFlaNative]

My wife like to kill me when I did some in her oven.
Never could get that little window completely cleaned...

 

[Chukar60]

I cannot have sugar and wont eat any of the rest of the junk that I cannot pronounce in commercial jerky.
Finally got a dehydrator and solved my problem.
Brine is simple, salt, pepper, granulated garlic and cumin to taste.
When it is done brining, it goes on the Traeger to smoke for an hour or so, then into the dehydrator sent @ 130 degrees until it is done.
I like my jerky thick, so slice the meat into 1/4" thick and about 1/2" wide strips.

 

[Rustyt1953]

To Tom and other jerkyists, I know nothing of dehydrators. I see that Amazon has them from 'el cheapo' to 'needs a co-signer'.

What should I be looking for? I would like to keep it reasonable. Tips would be appreciated.

 

[JayFramer]

I'd love to make some and leave all the sugar OUT.

Most (not all) store bought jerky is so sickeningly sweet as to be quite disgusting. I really don't get it. Jerky should hold the flavor of the animal and not be covered up by loads and loads of sugar, honey, pounds of salt, and extremely hot spices.

 

[Doogie85]

I need to learn how to make jerky. I have a sister in law that makes the best jerky I have ever experienced.
Problem is she lives half way across the country, so I don't get it nearly enough. Stuff is so good that when we visit or she visits us, my kids gobble it up quick and I'm lucky to get a little bit.

 

[JayFramer]

The natives would cut the fresh killed buffalo or deer meat into thin strips and drape them on branches to dry in the open air. That's how the natives did it, I'd probably use a modern dehydrator today though.

 

[Chukar60]

To Tom and other jerkyists, I know nothing of dehydrators. I see that Amazon has them from 'el cheapo' to 'needs a co-signer'.

What should I be looking for? I would like to keep it reasonable. Tips would be appreciated.

I bought Gourmia brand off Amazon. Think it was $99.00. I know it was under $100.00. It had good reviews and I had no idea what to buy.
It has ten racks and a joke of a jerky rack. But it works very well and I use it to dehydrate apples and other fruit as well.

 

[billwill]

VATom...........what address do we use for sample packs Bet it is going to be good!

 

[VaTom]

To Tom and other jerkyists, I know nothing of dehydrators. I see that Amazon has them from 'el cheapo' to 'needs a co-signer'.

What should I be looking for? I would like to keep it reasonable. Tips would be appreciated.

Mine is an American Harvest. You can get extra trays. Think mine came with four. Have had it many years and still works. Don't recall how much it was but not expensive. You can dry fruit and other items it in. Trays are plastic. I have 8 trays which will hold about 4 lbs of meat. Also adjustable temperature control. Sits on counter top. See picture in my original post. Model is snackmaster. See them on line for around $80.

 

[292]

To Tom and other jerkyists, I know nothing of dehydrators. I see that Amazon has them from 'el cheapo' to 'needs a co-signer'.

What should I be looking for? I would like to keep it reasonable. Tips would be appreciated.

Mine came from Cabela's paid about 50 bucks. Had it 5 or 6 years. No issues.

 

[soFlaNative]

To Tom and other jerkyists, I know nothing of dehydrators. I see that Amazon has them from 'el cheapo' to 'needs a co-signer'.

What should I be looking for? I would like to keep it reasonable. Tips would be appreciated.

Oh Rusty man, beware the slippery slope!
I haven't gotten one on the pretense I don't have the room.
In addition to a crippling weakness for any jerky I have a fondness for candied / dried pineapples.

 

[nachogrande]

TRY THE CHEAPO FIRST. (APP 20$ @ WM)

To Tom and other jerkyists, I know nothing of dehydrators. I see that Amazon has them from 'el cheapo' to 'needs a co-signer'.

What should I be looking for? I would like to keep it reasonable. Tips would be appreciated.

It's the kind of thing you keep finding more uses for. Started drying garden herbs, (use your imagination here Rusty ) > fruit > jerky > biltong (African jerky) > rifle/pistol brass.

 

[da gimp]

beware of eating a sack of dried apple chips/slices on the deer stand... or have some Imodium AD on hand to take that night or the next day....