Beef jerky

There is no occasion where beef jerky is not acceptable! As a good snack, for lunch, out trekking, as part of a larger BBQ menu, or at night after a heavy night out and you sneak past the refrigerator door (after all, refrigerator manufacturers have equipped the refrigerator with lights for a reason no?) Beef jerky always taste good , and it is not difficult to make either, but it do take some time.

The meat
So what cuts are suitable for making beef jerky? Unlike a good steak, you should preferably find a cut of meat without too much fat and marbling. Since we are only going to dry the meat, the fat will only become rancid and tough if you use one piece with too much fat. Suitable pieces can be, for example, round steak, Round beef, etc. You can use the tenderloin as well, but with the price of the tenderloin this is pretty wasted in my opinion. I used 5kg of Round this time. (It may sound like a lot, but jerky tends to get eaten pretty quickly once you get going. So I recommend making a lot.)

Marinade
For beef jerky, you can use the marinade you like the most. Preferably teriyaki, chilli or similar. Just steer clear of marinades with too much oil, because then the meat will be very sticky. I make a simple marinade but it can be varied endlessly. The ingridients below is enough marinade for about 5 kg of meat, so feel free to adjust it accordingly.

Ingredients

• 3dl soy sauce
• 3dl worcestershire sauce
• 2Tbs chipotle spice
• 2Tbs honey

Preperations
Start with the meat. Feel free to put it in the freezer for an hour or so so that the meat becomes a little firm. The meatthen need to be cut into evenly thin slices across the meat fibers. The more uneven the thickness, the more variable the result. When you are done slicing, mix the marinade and place the meat with the marinade in a bowl or in a plastic bag. Put in the fridge overnight and turn the meat a few times so that it mixes evenly.

How to cook it
When you are ready to start smoking/drying the meat, set up the grill, smoker or oven at about 50 degrees C. Avoid having the temperature more than 70 degrees C, because then the meat will start to fry / cook. Place the meat with some distance between other and let the meat rest until it is done. This can take anywhere from 4-8 hours, depending on how thick your slices are. The jerky is finished when it is dry and can be bent without breaking. If the meat has light soft fields, this may indicate that they are not finished or have started to cook / fry. When the jerky is done, put them to cool in a box or open bag until the bag stop fogging up. Then put them in a closed box or bag in the refrigerator. Shelf life is not a problem here, it is empty long before they are no longer edible.