How to Make Beef Jerky

Jerky, or jerked meat is a dried long thin strips of meat, commonly beef but can also be prepared from elk, buffalo, moose, caribou, fish, or deer (venison). The traditional method of drying is under sun, which is probably one of the oldest methods of preserving food. In earlier days, the meat used to be dried over a small fire or under sun after being soaked in brine, a mixture of salt and water. However, nowadays there are different sophisticated ways of drying meat like an oven, a smoker, or a dehydrator.

Oven Style
To prepare beef jerky in an oven you will require: 2 lbs lean beef (chuck or round), your favorite seasonings like olive oil, Worcestershire sauces, vinegar sea salt, etc.

Procedure: First remove the meat fat as it may spoil the jerky fast and slice the meat in to very thin strips. To make the cutting easier, you can freeze the meat 4 - 5 hours before slicing. Marinade the meat strips with your favorite seasonings and refrigerate for 10 - 24 hours so that the meat absorbs the flavor. Preheat the oven at 150F or 65C. The intention behind heating is not to cook the meat but to dehydrate it. Now keep the prepared meat on a wire rack and heat it in the oven for about 4 - 6 hours or until it is not raw, from inside.

In a Smoker
To prepare beef jerky in a smoker you will require: 2 lbs lean beef (chuck or round) and your favorite seasonings like olive oil, Worcestershire sauces, vinegar sea salt, etc.

Procedure: Start by removing the meat fat as it may spoil the jerky fast and slice the meat in to very thin or inch slices. To make cutting easier, you can freeze the meat 4 - 5 hours before slicing. Marinade the meat slices with different spices or marinades, that appeal your taste or simply sprinkle salt and pepper all over it. For smoking jerky, you will need low temperature and a little smoke. Ideally, the temperature should be below 150 F and if you are using an electric smoker, you'll require very less smoke. But if you are smoking over a charcoal or hardwood fire, you will require plenty of smoke. To dry the jerky completely, it may take 12 - 72 hours, depending upon the climate as well. However, the meat can absorb the smoke flavor in about 3 - 4 hours and hence if time is a consideration, you can take the jerky out of the smoker and complete the rest of the process in a food dehydrator or an oven.

Beef Jerky with Ground Beef
To prepare beef jerky with ground beef you will require:1 pound extra lean ground beef, tsp onion powder, tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp ketchup and 1 tsp kosher salt.

Procedure: In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, and salt. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours or until well-chilled. Keep the ground beef mixture using a tbsp in between pieces of plastic wrap. With the help of a rolling pin, flatten the mixture into rounds less than 1/8 inch thick. Now place meat rounds on the cookie sheet and cook in an oven at 150 F for 3 - 4 hours or until it is cooked from inside.

These were some simple instructions without a dehydrator rather using an oven or a smoker. So, what are you waiting for? Try making beef jerky at home, store in plastic bags and refrigerate until you are ready to eat.