Homeade Beef Jerky (Disaster Update)

[i386]

Any of y'all make the stuff? I've been on a jerkey making kick over the last couple of weeks. The stuff is like crack. I'm eating it faster than I can make it.

My current recipe is
1/2 cup Dr. Pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup brown sugar
3-4 drops Liquid Smoke (Hickory)
1 tsp salt

I let the meat marinate for about 10 mins and then drain it in a colander. While still in the colander, I coarsely grind black pepper in it until all the meat is coated. Then I dry it in the dehydrator for about 24 hours.

It's really good, but I think it could be improved upon. There are hundreds of recipes online to try. I want to perfect this one before I move on to another. Maybe a little Worcestershire and/or cayenne pepper?

BTW, I'm using sirloin or bottom round to keep the cost down. Those are about $4/pound here. I've been drying about 1.5 pounds at a time which yields a medium sized Zip-lock back full of jerky. Has anyone found the ideal cut of meat that isn't too expensive?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Which dehydrator do you use?

 

[i386]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Which dehydrator do you use?

I think it was given to me as a gift years ago. It's nothing fancy. Plastic deal with a heating element in the bottom. Has maybe 6 stackable trays and a lid. The only adjustment it has is the vent in the top of the lid.

 

[HondaPower]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

My son used to make it with venison, it would hit the table and disappear in a flash. I have to get him to make some more this year.

 

[thurps]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

I use ground turkey or ground beef. Mix in salt, pepper, teriyaki sauce, liquid smoke and cayanne pepper. Put it in the refrigerator over night. Flatten small portions to 1/4" - 3/8" between two pieces of waxed paper. Love the turkey.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

I also use ground meat to soften the blow to the wallet. I usually use ground venison since it's free. I use a cheapo jerky shooter from Walmart to make the sticks.

Of course I haven't made any in a while....About a year ago, I walked in to Dollar Tree. They had 4 ounce bags of jerky for a buck. They must have gotten the wrong order. They usually sell .75 ounce bags for a dollar....Anyway, I bought 100 bags.

That deal doesn't beat the deal on Slim Jims I scored off of eBay a few years ago. The seller had them listed to where they wouldn't come up in a search easily so he wasn't getting many bids. I bought 3 cases of 360 of the big sticks for 20 bucks a case.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

You better pop a Lipitor when you eat those Slim Jims. Those things are way fatty. Real beef jerky doesn't have the fat that those Slim Jims have.

 

[avenger79]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

I also use ground meat to soften the blow to the wallet. I usually use ground venison since it's free. I use a cheapo jerky shooter from Walmart to make the sticks.

Of course I haven't made any in a while....About a year ago, I walked in to Dollar Tree. They had 4 ounce bags of jerky for a buck. They must have gotten the wrong order. They usually sell .75 ounce bags for a dollar....Anyway, I bought 100 bags.

That deal doesn't beat the deal on Slim Jims I scored off of eBay a few years ago. The seller had them listed to where they wouldn't come up in a search easily so he wasn't getting many bids. I bought 3 cases of 360 of the big sticks for 20 bucks a case.

who shops for food on Ebay?

good score though.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

We use London Broil when doing beef in our dehydrator.

3 parts soy sauce (low sodium is OK) to 1 part liquid smoke, hickory or mesquite.

Make enough marinade to thoroughly cover thinly sliced meat.
Refrigerate 24 hrs., turning occasionally.
Remove, and place meat on paper towels, leaving top damp so pepper etc. will stick.
Coat with black pepper and any other seasoning you like.

Important>> Rotate racks until done.

Simple and tasty

Edited the paper towel step :redface:

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

We use London Broil when doing beef in our dehydrator.

So what dehydrator do people recommend or are they all the same?

 

[JRJ]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

We use London Broil when doing beef in our dehydrator./QUOTE]

So what dehydrator do people recommend or are they all the same?

Ours is a simple Mr. Coffee, but any inexpensive or spendy brand of unit will work just fine. You don't have to use all the trays if you want to do a small quantity. Have fun.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

You better pop a Lipitor when you eat those Slim Jims. Those things are way fatty. Real beef jerky doesn't have the fat that those Slim Jims have.

They are long, gone. Thanks for the health tips, but my blood work scores are pretty darn good.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

They are long, gone. Thanks for the health tips, but my blood work scores are pretty darn good.

I hear you. When I used to work for a startup they had free snacks and that included slim jims. I had to swear them off when I started packing on the pounds. They are mighty tasty thats for sure.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

We use London Broil when doing beef in our dehydrator.

3 parts soy sauce (low sodium is OK) to 1 part liquid smoke, hickory or mesquite.

Make enough marinade to thoroughly cover thinly sliced meat.
Refrigerate 24 hrs., turning occasionally.
Remove, and place meat on paper towels, leaving top damp so pepper etc. will stick.
Coat with black pepper and any other seasoning you like.

Important>> Rotate racks until done.

Almost identical recipe. London broil, but marinaded in Dale's seasoning/marinade. Found locally but can be ordered. You only have to marinade for 3-4 hours. We coat half of the trays with cayanne pepper. Even the youngest loves it hot!

Any old food dehydrator works. I think ours was $20 new, 10 years ago!

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

I hear you. When I used to work for a startup they had free snacks and that included slim jims. I had to swear them off when I started packing on the pounds. They are mighty tasty thats for sure.

Free food seems to pack on the lbs. no matter what it is.

 

[Adjuster]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

This recipe and method is now internet famous.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/beef-jerky-recipe/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIK4DVLHf7Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfI0NKl-Kq0

 

[i386]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

This recipe and method is now internet famous.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/beef-jerky-recipe/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIK4DVLHf7Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfI0NKl-Kq0

This makes 2 times now someone has told me about this recipe. I JUST put a batch in the dehydrator using this recipe (minus the fan and filters). It smells wonderful in my kitchen right now. Can't wait to taste it later!

 

[i386]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky

Y'all might want to try the recipe that Adjuster posted. It's gooooood!

 

[i386]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky (Disaster Update)

So I put my jerky in a plastic container and left it on the counter last night. While we were asleep, the cat must have jumped up on the counter and pawed it into the floor like she often does with anything light enough for her to move. Then of course the damn dogs helped themselves to a nice savory beef treat. It's all gone.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Homeade Beef Jerky (Disaster Update)

I'm sorry man, but I can't help but laugh. The pets must have thought Santa had come early