Beef Jerky Your Way

My Dads beef jerky.  Photo by Rob Robitaille

I have been addicted to beef jerky since before I can remember.  When we went on vacation, Mom always bought me a big package of jerky for the trip and I would munch on it the entire way.  And I was really thirsty when we got to our destination.  One thing is that is a bummer though, is that it is kind of expensive, and unfortunately can contain things that I don't really want to eat.  Some even have MSG, which can be a big problem for people sensitive to MSG, which many Westerners are.  So, what is my normal solution in a case like this?  Make it yourself.  It's fun.

You can buy the beef jerky cures in some grocery stores and almost always in sporting goods stores like Cabelas.  They work well and I have used them in my early days, but now like to make my own flavors.  So, all you really need is some curing salt and your favorite spice mix.  Curing salt is almost impossible to find in stores, so I like to use Morton Tender Quick because it is easy to use and available in most grocery stores where you find the salt and seasonings, usually on the bottom shelf and comes in a bag.  In this article, I will use this method.  There are other great methods as well.  A lot of people use wet marinades and get great results.  However, this is what I do.

What you will need

• A lean beef roast around 2.5 to 3 pounds.  I like the eye of the round roast because the grain runs the length of the roast and it is really lean.  Perfect for jerky.
• Morton Tender Quick (TQ)
• Your favorite spices or seasonings.  It can even be a wet seasoning like Thai Chili Garlic Sauce, however, you need to wait until after the meat cures to add it.
• A really sharp, long knife
• A large zip top bag
• A sheet of freezer paper (optional)
• An old spice bottle with holes for shaking the spices on the meat
• A piece of tape that is not transparent like masking or electrical
• A dehydrator (I use a Nesco with a temperature control)
• Bags or an air tight container for storing the finished jerky

Day 1

• Trim any fat or sinew from the meat
• Weigh the meat and write the weight down.  This is important so you can measure the correct amount of TQ.
• Place the roast in the freezer until it firms up.  This will help with slicing.
• Slice the meat with the grain (my dad cuts across the grain so it is easier to chew) about 1/8" thick.
• Lay the slices out on a sheet of butcher paper on your counter.  Butcher paper works well because you want all the pieces in one place without overlapping.
• Measure out the correct amount of TQ for the weight of the meat (usually 1 TB per pound)
• Place the TQ in your shaker bottle
• Place the piece of tape at the half way mark of the depth of the TQ in the bottle.
• Shake half of the TQ evenly over all the slices of meat.
• Season your meat with dry seasoning at this point as well.  If you are using wet seasoning, you will apply that on day 2.
• Flip each piece and repeat with the remaining TQ and dry seasoning.
• Stack the meat back up and place in a zip top bag.  Squeeze out as much air as possible and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours or more.  Longer doesn't hurt, especially if you have some thicker slices.  You just need to time this so that you have enough time the next day to dehydrate it, which can take 5 hours or more depending on how thick you cut your meat.

Day 2

• Remove the meat from the bag.
• If you are using a wet seasoning, separate the slices and place them in a large bowl.  Add your wet seasoning and mix it in well with your hands.
• Place the meat on your dehydrator racks being careful not to overlap any pieces.
• Dehydrate, checking occasionally until the jerky is dry.  It should be leathery but should not break when you bend it.  If it does, it is too dry.  You can still eat it, but it won't be as good.
• Remove from the dehydrator and place in plastic bags or an air tight jar.  In theory, this stuff should last quite a while at room temperature if you keep it dry, but mine never lasts longer than a couple weeks.  It can also be vacuum sealed and stored in the freezer almost indefinitely.

There you have it.  A  bit of work, but it is fun and worth it in the end.  So now you have a high protein snack, or, you can rehydrate it with some boiling water and use it to make almost anything you can make with beef (as long as your seasoning will go with it).  This is great for camping.

Cooks Note:  You don't need to use any seasoning if you don't want to.  You can make beef jerky with TQ only.  TQ does have a bit of sugar in it, so you will end up with a pleasant dried beef, which may work even better for camping meals.