Tips on Making Home Made Beef Jerky
For those of you that enjoy making your own beef jerky or want to try, below are some helpful tips on making beef jerky at home.
- Be sure to learn about the different cuts of meats before you start.
- Choose lean cuts of meat. Once you have your cuts, be sure to trim off the excess fat. The fat causes your jerky to spoil faster.
- Jerky doesn't just come from beef. It can be made from virtually any type of red meat, including beef, venison, elk and bison, as well as chicken, turkey, pork or fish.
- Remove any tough parts of your meat. This includes the fat, tendon, gristle and the membraneous tissue. These parts of the meat have the ability to turn RANCID and should be avoided.
- Familiarize yourself with the procedures for hadingling raw meat by the US Dept of Agriculture.
- To keep your beef jerky from sticking, spray dehydrator trays with non-stick cooking spray
- Partially freeze your meat prior to cutting it. This makes your meat firm and easier to cut.
- Cut your meat into uniform strips that are about 1/4 of an inch thick. Be sure to keep the strips of beef at a reasonable length too!
- For lots of flavor use a jerky marinade and marinate your meat in the refrigerator, not out at room temperature.
- Keep your beef jerky bacteria FREE! Your meat cuts should be kept in the refrigerator throughout the entire marination process. and use each batch of marinade only ONE time. Your meat should be heated to around 160 degrees Fahrenheit/71 degrees Celsius.
- Don't keep your beef jerky for a long time. While the pre-packaged jerky that you buy lasts about a year, the beef jerky that you make at home lasts about 2 months. Be sure to keep sealed in an airtight container or bag.
- Don't forget to marinate. A good and simple beef jerky marinade can include liquid smoke, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and brown sugar.
- Add some dusting to your jerky! In a bowl add a little bit of salt, pepper, cinnamon and chipotle pepper. Mix and sprinkle!