How to Make Jerky – Sliced and Marinade Style
Sunday, 4. October 2009
How to make jerky
Step 1 – Selecting a cut of meat.
It is preferable to select a lean cut of meat with minimal marbling, as excess fat has a tendency turn rancid during storage sooner. To make beef jerky: a flank steak is a superb choice; although, the bottom and top round roasts are a more cost effective choice. It is important to note that when selecting some meats such as pork, chicken, turkey, etc. you should choose precooked and processed meats.
Step 2 – Trim excess fat.
You should trim any portions of fat from the meat. This should leave you with a good lean meat for making jerky. By trimming the excess fat,you will minimize the time required to dry the meat and reduce its risk of spoiling during storage.
Step 3 – Slice and Prepare the Meat Strips.
Meat for jerky is often sliced into thin strips. A good thickness of approximate 1/4″ is very acceptable. The meat can be sliced with the grain or across the grain. Typically a meat such as a flank will be cut with or along the grain; while, a bottom round roast is often sliced across the grain. Both methods create a different texture and you should determine your favorite for each meat you choose. This simple tip will give you your own personal brand of homemade jerky.
Jerky can also be made from ground meats that you form into jerky strips or sticks. Often this requires the use of meat grinders and a jerky gun or press. You can read more on this in my article “How to Make Jerky -Ground and Press Style”
Step 4 – Marinate Meat.
Marinating the meat in the brine solution is where the magic is. This marinade solution should contain a salt or vinegar. Additional spices and seasonings or store purchased marinades can be added as well. Black pepper, red pepper, garlic, curry, ginger, basil, oregano are just a few common spices that can be added to marinades. You can also use”store purchased” cures and marinades. The meat should be marinated for 6 to 8 hours. It is advisable to marinate the meat inthe refrigerator although some people choose to marinade at room temperature.
Step 5 – Season Meat.
Additional seasoning can be added after the meat is removed from the marinade. This is an optional step and is only used to add a bold flavor or spicy kick, pepper being the most common.
It should also be noted, that some people prefer to reduce the saltiness of the jerky by removing excess marinade before drying.
Step 6 – Dehydrate (drying).
Meat should be dried at 150°F. The drying time is effected by many factors,the thickness of the meat, the quantity of meat loaded in the dryer(dehydrator), and the humidity of the surrounding air. But you could expect the drying time to take anywhere from 6 to 18 hours. Periodically during and after the drying process you can pat the jerky with a paper towel to remove excess oils from the surface of the jerky.
Dehydrators are truly the easiest way to dry jerky. They are designed to remove humidity and maintain the required temperature.
Step 7 – Storing the jerky.
Although jerky can be kept at room temperature for a up to a few weeks, it is best to keep jerky stored in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life. If you wish too keep jerky for longer than a few weeks, you can store the jerky in vacuum storage bags and place in a freezer for up to6 months.
Step 8 – Enjoy.
My favorite step and the reason I make jerky. Have fun, enjoy and share with friends and family. Now you know how to make jerky and how simple it can be. Thanks for reading
