About Thursday, I decided I'd better make up a batch of beef jerky for the guys around here who all yakking about deer hunting. I'm not going this year (low on vacation time!)but people (mainly men!) really like home made jerky. Eye of round beef is lean and not much good for anything but jerky (in my opinion!) and cuts up well into strips of uniform thickness well. I marinate it in a salt, brown sugar, black pepper, liquid smoke, Worschester sauce, garlic, onion, red pepper, celery seed, and water mixture (Say all that in one breath once!). It's in the brine for overnight, refrigerated. I have an American Harvest brand dehydrator- buy no other! This 4 tier, fan powered dehydrator has worked well for me about 10 yrs, and it still probably only costs $60 bucks or so. I drained the meat well, sprinkling it with extra onion and garlic powder while still damp, and placed it on the trays as shown. 6 hrs later, perfectly dried beef jerky. Commercial stuff in stores sells for $15+ a pound. I made 2-1/2lbs for about 16 bucks ($6lb.). Rave reviews at work Monday! Also made this week end was a mushroom chicken spaghetti we're fond of. Sauce is the key (yours too, I bet!) with tomato sauce,olive oil, basil, oregano, fennel seeds, garlic, onion, red wine, pepper, brown sugar and parmesean- all simmered 2hrs before addition of cubed chix breast and sauteed mushrooms. Bread was Italian heated in oven, and dessert was a caramel brownie.
Enjoy your week!
22 comments:
wow, you're pretty serious about this jerky making! that first picture looks crazy. is that the dehydrator? oh goodness.
Pink- raw, marinated meat ain't pretty 'til it's done! Yup, that's the dehydrator...
excellent...I have been wanting a dehydrator for meat and to make fruit roll ups for the kid...that jerky looks great, is it still a little chewey?
DogB- I always cut with the grain of the meat to make sure it's good and chewy! I've used a dehydrator for meat, fruit, drying herbs, and fruit rollups!
hmmmm....you've got an awful lot of cooking toys there!!!
I've never had home made beef jerky.
Peace
I always wondered what beef jerky was! :)
I LOVE jerky! My dad usually makes some for his guy friends and I end up making off with my share.
Let me know when the house next door is vacant. I'm moving in!
It all sounds gorgeous, but what is liguid smoke????
odat- I guess I do have alot of cooking toys... But like any spoiled kid- I want more!
Ake- Old joke time- What do you call a Bull masturbating? Beef Jerky (or Beef Strokin off..)
R.L.L.- People ask how long will beef jerky last- I tell them "I don't know, everyone eats it gone within 3 days"...
Queenie- Liquid Smoke is literally liquid smoke! Imagine smoke in a very high heat and humidity chamber- it will sort of condense from steam to a smoke flavored liquid. Use sparingly- it is strong stuff and tastes bitter if not diluted by the brine.
I love beef jerky... do you have to have a real dryer to do it of can you do it in the oven??
my son would LOVE you Buff!!! he is CRAZY for jerky!!! and that stuff IS expensive..I gotta get one of those dehydrator thingies...
awesome--my uncle always makes jerky from venison (after hunting). Looks good--the pasta does too! I've not used a dehydrator--but I hadn't even thought of fruit roll ups and other cool things to do with one...hmm ;)
Thank you chef..
mmm...i love jerky. Pemmican used to be my favorite brand.
what kind of dehydrator did i buy? ah well...it works...
Jerky ... it isn't just for breakfast anymore.
kate- if you can get your oven temp low enough, 180-190F is good.
Beth- the price of store bought jerky bugs me, but the generally superior quality when making your own will convince you!
tavolini- Welcome to the blog! Jerky, dried herbs, dried fruits, etc. makes a dehydrator a good thing to have!I've made beef, buffalo, and venison jerky- with beef winning the taste test!
Queenie- You really ought to see my spice & cooking supplies cabinet- If it ain't in there, you don't need it!
Tanya- I've always wanted to try making real pemmican! Kind of like jerky and trail mix in one bite...
Paul- Brought some to work, and it was gone by 9am!
The dehydrator sounds so interesting. Sometimes too much water just spoils the dish!
I wonder if they have one in our Indian market. Gotto check that one...
Good Morning Buf! I hope you have been doing well!
Tut, tut, Buffalo (giggles behind hand)
I have always wondered how you make that stuff. Given my lack of a dehydrator (and I have never seen one as you describe for sale in the UK) how do you reckon I would get on hanging this in the heat above a woodstove?
Is that an invite?
mona- Hope you find one- they're kind of fun to use....
Ake- Name the category, and I've got a joke- once in awhile they're even funny!
meredic- burn hardwood, keep the temp over 165F under 200F try and rig up a box to hang it in and the smoke to go through and you get jerky!
Queenie going through my drawers....How come you and I always end up talking like this!??
wow home made beef jerky? You're so cleaver!
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