Beef jerky recipe
In warm climates drying is the traditional way of preserving meat. One of the best-known examples of this preservation method is the popular and tasty snack, jerky. Any lean meat can be preserved in this way, but perhaps the best-known is beef jerky.
Beef jerky is typically made from topside of beef and is sliced into thin strips before being dried. Jerky is usually marinated in various flavourings before drying to add a little kick to it. Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, pepper, paprika, onion, and a little salt and sugar are examples of the flavourings that can be added to the marinade.
Keep It Lean
The leaner the meat the better; fatty meats have a tendency to become rancid over a short period of time especially when exposed to warmer temperatures. It is important when making jerky to remove any visible fat from the meat before drying. This is why jerky made from cuts of venison and quality cuts of lean beef are so popular.
Drying the Meat
In the past jerky was dried by leaving meat to hang over a wooden frame to dry in the warmth of the sunshine. Nowadays drying is usually carried out in an oven or dehydrator. Drying jerky is a reasonably simple process. It can be achieved in an oven set at a low temperature – around 50°C (120°F) – with the door left slightly open.
Jerky Essentials
You can substitute any other lean meat for the beef specified here. Sugar is used extensively in the modern-day commercially produced jerky, and personally, I think the addition of a little sweetness can be a good thing but ultimately it comes down to personal taste.
The meat needs to be marinated for 24 hours in addition to the specified prep time.
Ingredients
- 1 kg topside of beef
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp onion powder or half a grated small onion
- 5 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp sugar or honey (optional)
Details
- Cuisine: American
- Recipe Type: Snack
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 300 mins
- Serves: 12
Step-by-step
- Preparing and marinating the meat: use a sharp knife to remove visible sinew and fat from the meat. Cut the meat into thin strips. To make the finished jerky easier to chew, cut across the grain of the muscle.
- It is easier to slice the meat when it has been partially frozen as it tends to hold its shape better. Partially frozen meat can usually be passed through a meat slicer to get really thin and even slices. But you may prefer (as I do) to cut the strips by hand as this saves on cleaning a machine.
- Mix all the ingredients of your chosen marinade recipe together in a bowl and add the strips of beef. Mix well to coat them completely. Cover with clingfilm and allow the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- To dry the meat: remove the meat from the marinade and arrange the strips of beef on a wire rack, keeping them separate from each other and as flat as possible.
- Set the oven at 50°C and place the loaded wire racks in the oven. Keep the door of the oven slightly open to allow the moisture in the meat to evaporate. This should take about 4 to 5 hours to complete. The drying time will be quicker if you use a fan oven.
- Check the meat every half hour and rearrange the racks so the meat dries evenly. You’ll notice as the meat dries, it darkens in colour and shrinks a little.
- Your jerky is done when it is dry to the point where the meat shows some resistance to bending but does not snap. If the meat snaps, this indicates that it has become over dry.
Smoking, Curing & Drying - The Complete Guide for Meat & Fish by Turan T. Turan, with photography by Simon Pask. Published by Apple Press, £12.99.
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