Folks have sought after new and revolutionary ways to consume and enjoy meat for as long as we have been around. A very common format in which 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 make your own healthy version of jerky right in your own home and you can be sure that it is much healthier than those found 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. Try to cut the strips against the grain so that the jerky will be much easier to chew. Be sure to trim off as much fat as possible because the fat will not dry and can ruin the 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. Remember that the more you marinate, the more time it will take to dry. You can use whatever seasonings you prefer as a meat coating. Some popular ones are cracked pepper, garlic, and brown sugar. Now you can 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 put the meat right on the rack with a cookie sheet underneath it. The heat is not to cook the meat but dry it out nicely.
Once you have the meat slices, marinated and seasoned, put them either in the oven or the dehydrator and now you wait. This is a slow process but well worth the wait. 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 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. After you have gotten the hang of making your own jerky, you will probably want to make it regularly. Never forget that it makes a wonderful present for family and friends, especially at the holidays.
You can make your own healthy version of jerky right in your own home and you can be sure that it is much healthier than those found 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. Try to cut the strips against the grain so that the jerky will be much easier to chew. Be sure to trim off as much fat as possible because the fat will not dry and can ruin the 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. Remember that the more you marinate, the more time it will take to dry. You can use whatever seasonings you prefer as a meat coating. Some popular ones are cracked pepper, garlic, and brown sugar. Now you can 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 put the meat right on the rack with a cookie sheet underneath it. The heat is not to cook the meat but dry it out nicely.
Once you have the meat slices, marinated and seasoned, put them either in the oven or the dehydrator and now you wait. This is a slow process but well worth the wait. 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 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. After you have gotten the hang of making your own jerky, you will probably want to make it regularly. Never forget that it makes a wonderful present for family and friends, especially at the holidays.
About the Author:
Nothing tastes better than making all natural jerky right at home in your own kitchen. Check out a beef jerky dehydrator or a beef jerky maker today.
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