BEEF JERKY RECIPES

There’s so much talk in the news about how bad red meat is for us. We’re told to avoid it to help lower and control our cholesterol, but most people can afford to have a bit of red meat every now and again. One especially delicious way to include red meat in your diet is with beef jerky. With all the beef jerky recipes out there you can customize one to make it please your taste buds perfectly.

A few years ago there was a big dehydrating fad. Everyone was buying a food dehydrator to make dried fruits, nuts and jerky. The problem with these machines was that it seemed to take forever and you had to follow a list of detailed instructions including the beef jerky recipes that came along with the machine. However, anyone can make beef jerky at home without a specially designed food dehydrator.

All you really need is an oven. You also need the ingredients to make the actual jerky itself. The majority of beef jerky recipes call for flank steak. The reason for this is that it’s one of the least expensive cuts of meat and there is little waste. When you see it on sale at the market, purchase extra so you can make beef jerky when the mood strikes.

The spices are where your creativity can kick in. Some people love spicy food and for them they should consider beef jerky recipes that have extra heat. The best thing to do when you are first making jerky is to purchase a spice packet that is made for beef jerky recipes. It will contain exactly the amount of each spice you need and will also specify exactly how much steak the spice is designed for.

Once you’ve got all the things you need together, you’re ready to start making jerky. Cleanliness is vital when touching any food and it’s especially true when you’re handling raw meat. What I do whenever I’m cooking with meat is to slip on a pair of disposable latex gloves. It keeps contamination to a minimum and all I need to do when I’m done is toss the gloves in the trash.

Season the meat as per the spice package directions. Don’t over spice as this can ruin the finished product and you really don’t want to throw any jerky away. Remember to season both sides of your steak. You don’t want to forget this step. Put the meat in the refrigerator, overnight preferably. Your beef jerky recipes will tell you exactly how much time is needed to leave the meat resting before cooking starts.

Cooking the jerky is the easiest part. You’re going to use a really low setting and place the beef jerky on a cookie sheet to dry. Refer to your recipe to see how long it advises you let the beef jerky dry. Once that’s done it’s ready to eat!