Homemade Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is my absolute fave. Spicy, Mesquite, BBQ, Peppered, any flavor, any brand. Each piece is a little slice of heaven. It's great for when I'm out all day on the bike as it doesn't spoil. It's also a great substitute for meal and health wise is really not bad for you. The only down turn? It gets a little pricey. Like $7 a bag pricey. So I decided to make my own. There are plenty of recipes on the net but I chose this one and added some of my own creativity to the mix (my notes are in parenthesis), it came out great.

Ingredients:

- 5 pounds of beef (any cut, preferably brisket as it is the leanest)

- 5 ounces of liquid smoke (find it in the spices aisle with the BBQ sauces, it's there I promise, just keep looking)

- 15 ounces of Lea & Perrins OR Worcestershire 15 - 20 ounces of teriyaki sauce

- 15 - 20 ounces of soy sauce (didn't have any so I just doubled the Worcestershire)

- 2 - 4 Tb. of garlic powder (used real garlic, minced)

- 2 - 4 Tb. of dark brown sugar

- 2 - 4 Tb. of onion powder (didn't have any, didn't use)

- 2 - 4 ounces of molasses OR dark corn syrup

- 2 - 4 tsp. of cayenne pepper (don't over do it, I like things spicy too but too much will just kill the meats precious natural flavor)

Directions:

- Cut meat and mix ingredients for marinade. (slice as thin as possible, freeze the meat for a 1/2 or so to help slice. Make sure to trim as much fat off as you can first as it wont dry like the beef and spoil)

- Cover and put meat in the refrigerator and let marinate for 24 hours.

- Cover oven rack with foil and place the meat across racks. (cover the bottom rack with foil to catch the drippings. Lay the meat on the top rack without foil so it dries from both sides. Use some Pam on the rack so you can clean it off easier when your done)

- Set oven to lowest temp 130 - 150 degrees. After the meat has stopped dripping, turn each piece over. (I didn't turn it over, doesn't matter really. But just make sure the meat is drying, not cooking)

- Cook for about 8 - 12 hours depend on what you like and remember to leave the oven door slightly open for ventilation. (Definitely leave the door open the whole time. Good jerky is made with slight heat and air flow so the meat is dried out, not cooked. I started at around 8 pm so I could have fresh jerky for breakfast)

- Enjoy (store in a Ziplock in the fridge as homemade jerky doesn't have the preservatives store bought jerky has, yet it still last a long time)

Remember ladies, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Fill that stomach with homemade jerky and that love will last a long time, just like the jerky.

Posted By: Daniel