Thin slices of fresh meat are immersed in a flavorful marinade for several hours and then dehydrated or baked to create perfectly textured homemade beef jerky.

Beef-Jerky-Recipe

 

Beef Jerky has been on our list of things to make for a longgg time now. We’ve made it in the smoker before, but now that we have our dehydrator…. things just got serious. Don’t worry—If you don’t have a dehydrator you can still match a batch in the oven, I’ve got the instructions in the recipe for that. 

Making this beef jerky is actually pretty easy, but there are some frequent FAQ’s that come up- (which way do you cut it? What kind of meat is best? How long do you dehydrate it?) I did some research and compiled some tips for you so that you can make the best beef jerky right at home.

Homemade beef jerky

Homemade Beef Jerky Tips:

  • The leaner the meat, the better.
  • Placing the meat in the freezer prior to slicing makes it easier to slice. Not for too long, but long enough for it to firm up a bit.
  • Cutting against the grain is best- this makes it easier to chew. Especially if the meat is a littler fattier. Look at which direction the strands of meat are going, and slice the opposite way.
  • 1/4 inch slices is what you should aim for.
  • Dehydration times can vary based on temperatures, moisture content of the meat, thickness of the cut, etc.

Is Beef Jerky good for your health?

-Beef jerky is a great snack between meals. It’s packed with protein so it will keep you satisfied longer, and it doesn’t raise your insulin levels, which is the hormone that tells your body to store fat.

-When you make it at home, you know exactly what’s in it. No chemicals or mystery meat… Bingo. (Not to mention, beef jerky at the store is so expensive.)

Homemade-Beef-Jerky

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Beef Jerky

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Marinade Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
5 from 5 ratings
Servings: 4
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Thin slices of fresh meat are immersed in a flavorful marinade for several hours and then dehydrated or baked to create perfectly textured homemade beef jerky.

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 2 lbs. of one the following meats: round roast, rump roast, or flank steak
  • 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

Using a dehydrator:

  • Slice the meat against the grain into strips ¼ inch thick.
  • Combine other ingredients together in a freezer bag and add the meat. Cover the meat all over with the mixture and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, the longer the better. (We gave ours just 2 hours and it came out very flavorful.)
  • Place the meat into the dehydrator. Ours took 7 hours to dehydrate at 150 degrees. Times can vary based on temperatures, moisture content of the meat, thickness of the cut, etc.

Oven Method

  • I haven’t yet tried this method, but I’ve heard that you can bake the jerky in the oven at 160 degrees for about 5 hours. (But check on it every 30 minutes after the first couple of hours.) Ideally, you would also leave the oven door cracked open a tad. You can use skewers to pierce the meat at the top and lay the skewer across the oven racks so that the meat hangs down.

Nutrition

Calories: 390kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 52g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 136mg, Sodium: 2741mg, Potassium: 1241mg, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 185IU, Vitamin C: 6.2mg, Calcium: 108mg, Iron: 6.9mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie

 

Source: Alton Brown/TheFoodNetwork

 

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