Did you know that jerky dates back thousands of years? The Ancient Egyptians used to make them by laying strips of meat out in the sun. Archeologists have even found them in tombs!
Fast forward to today and they’re just as popular. In the United States alone, they’re consumed by approximately 160 million people on a regular basis.
Thinking of making your own? Looking for an easy beef jerky recipe? If so, you’re at the right place.
We’ll be going over a couple of different methods on how to make yummy homemade beef jerky below. Keep reading to learn more!
Making Beef Jerky In The Oven
Start by preparing the meat (you can use any lean cut of beef such as top round, bottom round, skirt steak, flank steak, or sirloin tip). Slice it so that it’s between 1/8” and 1/4” thick and trim away any fat (fat will make the jerky spoil faster).
Next, marinate the meat. For example, you can use soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce with a bit of smoked paprika and brown sugar. If you want, you can also add some beef jerky seasoning.
Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and add in the meat slices. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Pat the slices of beef dry and skewer them so that there’s an inch between each piece. Preheat the oven to 300°F and line the bottom with aluminum foil—that’ll prevent the marinade from dripping onto the oven.
Place the skewers across the oven racks so that the meat hangs down and bake for about 10 minutes at 300°F. Turn the oven to the lowest temperature setting afterward and continue to dry the jerky for 6 to 8 hours.
Making Beef Jerky With a Food Dehydrator
As always, you want to remove as much fat as possible from the meat. Slice it against the grain and marinate it in a bowl or ziplock bag. Place them in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Pat dry the jerky strips and remove any excess sauce. Once you’ve done that, place the beef on the racks of the meat dehydrator. Make sure that the strips aren’t overlapping or touching; that’ll allow the air to circulate better, which will help with the drying process.
Set the dehydrator to 165°F and let it run for 4 to 6 hours, until the beef jerky reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Be sure to check on it periodically as you don’t want it to overdry.
The jerky will be done when it cracks and bends but doesn’t break in half. You’ll also see white fibers within the beef.
Making Your Own Beef Jerky At Home
As you can see, there are a couple of ways that you can make beef jerky. Why buy processed ones from stores when you can make your own with fresh ingredients, right?
Did you enjoy this post? Looking for more cooking tips? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our food and drink section!
