Anyone here make their own jerky?

renegadegeek
renegadegeek Posts: 24 Member
in Recipes
I'm thinking of making my own jerky for a high protein snack. I haven't found a commercial one I like the flavor of, that doesn't have some weird additives or that doesn't upset my stomach. Ideas? Has anyone made their own? If so, can you offer tips?
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Replies

  • SuperC_85
    SuperC_85 Posts: 393
    Where I am from its called Biltong :smile: :smile:

    I usually buy a rump steak and season it as I want (salt and a bit of braai spice) Then hang it up to dry.
    My boyfriend now has a biltong rack that has its own little fan to dry it out, within 2 days its done.

    Heres a nice link to an awesome BILTONG recipe http://www.markblumberg.com/biltong.html
  • renegadegeek
    renegadegeek Posts: 24 Member
    Thanks!
  • geewizzamanda357
    geewizzamanda357 Posts: 36 Member
    I have made jerky before using a dehydrator and whatever cheap cuts of beef I could find. The butcher may slice it thin if you ask.
    For seasonings, I like to use Dale's meat mariande. It is super salty, but so delicious. Sometimes I will just coat the meat with a mixture of spices, like garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, red pepper flake, etc.
    It's super easy and definitely cheaper than store bought. I never really like the flavor of store bought jerky either :/
  • CitizenXVIII
    CitizenXVIII Posts: 117 Member
    I make venison jerky sometimes. I can't remember the exact recipe, but I know we use some soy sauce and liquid smoke plus some dry spices. I marinade it overnight before putting it in the dehydrator. Stuff is addictive as sin.
  • Guinness80
    Guinness80 Posts: 39 Member
    We make homemade jerky all the time. Get whatever is on sale from the store that looks good, slice relatively thinly (you can play around with thickness and see what you prefer) and then marinade it in mixture of spices from home, and dehydrate. You really can use almost any spice that you like. We use a lot of garlic and spicy mixtures (chili powder, cayenne, etc) or even southwest seasoning. You don't need preservatives you find in the pre-mixes as long as you make what you can eat in a couple weeks.
  • dawny17
    dawny17 Posts: 77 Member
    I make venison jerky sometimes. I can't remember the exact recipe, but I know we use some soy sauce and liquid smoke plus some dry spices. I marinade it overnight before putting it in the dehydrator. Stuff is addictive as sin.


    I make this as well usually from deer, but have made moose as well. I put the roast in the freezer for a bit , usually for 3-6 hours depending on how big my cut is. I wait until it has started to form ice crystals. This makes it easier to slice your self. I cut up a few steaks the first time I had made it. Don't forget you will have some shrinkage....I ended up with pieces the size of shoe laces. Tasted great, but small....we had to laugh at our kids, other children were running around the neighborhood with bags of chips, our kids had bags of jerky. :)
  • Myfitfutureself
    Myfitfutureself Posts: 34 Member
    Venison is best and most lean but flank steak sliced thick will do. I marinate in teriyaki or roll in black pepper after hitting it with some italian dressing (lightly). Oven set at 150F and leave the door cracked or use a cheap dehydrator. Done! and tasty.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,589 Member
    I make beef jerky all the time.

    Take 500 g of thinly sliced beef. I buy pre-sliced beef for Korean bulgogi in the frozen section of the Asian supermarket. Alternatively you can ask a butcher to slice a roast beef thin for you on the machine used for cold cuts, as for carpaccio. If you have to do the slicing yourself, buy a silverside or topside joint and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes first to make it easier. Slicing the beef thin is the only part of the recipe that is hard work, if you have to do it yourself.

    Marinate overnight in a few glugs of soy sauce, a rounded tablespoon of brown sugar, some garlic powder and some hot sauce. Add any other flavourings you like (for example smoked paprika powder, worcestershire sauce, or liquid smoke).

    Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Dry in a very low oven (50C) fan assisted for about 4-6 hours, turning every few hours. The idea is to dehydrate the meat, not to cook it.
  • butters1
    butters1 Posts: 1,540 Member
    bump for ideas. thanks!
  • renegadegeek
    renegadegeek Posts: 24 Member
    Wow guys, thanks so much. I can't wait to give it a try. I'll hit the store tomorrow!
  • wonca
    wonca Posts: 81
    I use the Alton Brown recipe and my dehydrator. Use top round.

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/jerky-recipe.html
  • trijoe
    trijoe Posts: 729 Member
    I slice a beef flank steak extra thin, then marinade overnight in soy sauce (gluten free), garlic, ginger, lime juice, a little extra salt, and sriracha. The next day I drape it over a kitchen rack, and put a large baking pan on the rack underneath. To catch the drippings so they don't land on the stove bottom. Then I bake at as low as our stove goes - I think it's 175 - till the meat is dried out.

    God, I love beef jerky.

    I hope this helps.
  • Alsvic
    Alsvic Posts: 93 Member
    Put aluminium foil in the bottom of your oven then set the oven to the lowestsetting you can.

    Take thinly sliced meat any thing will work venison, beef, goose breast, wild turkey breast, any thing.

    Stick tooth picks through one end of the meat slices and hang the marinated meat from the top rack in the oven. In two or three hours your good to go.

    Fyi be repared to run out as every one will want a couple of slices.
  • california_haley
    california_haley Posts: 220 Member
    My grandpa made his own deer jerky, it was the best thing on the planet, would wait all year just to get bags of it.
    i know he made a marinade, would season it, then dehydrate it. but i was so young i couldnt tell you how he actually did it all.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    I make beef jerky all the time.

    Take 500 g of thinly sliced beef. I buy pre-sliced beef for Korean bulgogi in the frozen section of the Asian supermarket. Alternatively you can ask a butcher to slice a roast beef thin for you on the machine used for cold cuts, as for carpaccio. If you have to do the slicing yourself, buy a silverside or topside joint and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes first to make it easier. Slicing the beef thin is the only part of the recipe that is hard work, if you have to do it yourself.

    Marinate overnight in a few glugs of soy sauce, a rounded tablespoon of brown sugar, some garlic powder and some hot sauce. Add any other flavourings you like (for example smoked paprika powder, worcestershire sauce, or liquid smoke).

    Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Dry in a very low oven (50C) fan assisted for about 4-6 hours, turning every few hours. The idea is to dehydrate the meat, not to cook it.

    I've used this lovely ladies recipe and can vouch for it being delicious. My husband said he doesn't want bought jerky ever again and wants this all the time.
  • debbie7373
    debbie7373 Posts: 370 Member
    Bump (for reading later)
  • HappyTravels
    HappyTravels Posts: 22 Member
    Bump For Biltong
  • Ideabaker
    Ideabaker Posts: 508 Member
    Thanks for a great question, and for the recipes! Looking forward to trying this out myself soon.
  • chadya07
    chadya07 Posts: 627 Member
    i use an eye of round roast and have the meat counter slice it 1/8 thick with the grain.

    . i make mine kind of korean, half a bottle liquid smoke, soy sauce, sambal oelek (chili paste, just a tiny bit), sesame oil (a splash) marinate an hour. i use a dehydrator but if i dont have one i use the oven. i hang them directly from the (cleaned) the racks of the oven with foil under to catch drips.

    i have also made turkey jerky and salmon jerky in it. both were good.

    my problem though is i make it and i want to eat all of it at once.

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