You can make jerky from tenderized strips of meat or ground beef.
Jerky is a modern manifestation of an ancient food. As far back as ancient Egypt, people dried meat to preserve it before the invention of refrigeration. Removing the moisture makes microorganisms largely incapable of feeding off the jerky, resulting in a food that will last for months. When prepared in a marinade of sauces and spices, jerky can also be a tasty snack food that can go just about anywhere. You can make jerky at home with any kind of meat, although beef is the most common type of jerky made in the United States.
Instructions
Strip Meat
1. Freeze the meat.
2. Remove the meat from the freezer the day you want to use it and let it sit at room temperature until it is slightly thawed. Do not let it thaw completely, as partially frozen meat is easier to slice.
3. Trim all the fat off the meat.
4. Cut the meat into strips 4 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Cut across the grain.
5. Pound each strip lightly with a meat tenderizer until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
6. Combine 2 tsp. each of black pepper, chili pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and onion powder. Add 1 tsp. liquid smoke, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup hot sauce.
7. Add the meat to the marinade, making sure that each slice is covered with the sauce. Cover the marinating meat and refrigerate it overnight.
8. Preheat the oven to 160 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil.
10. Place the meat strips on the cookie sheets, making sure they do not overlap.
11. Bake the meat for six hours, turning over each strip after three hours.
12. Remove the strips when they are completely dry. Consume the jerky within one to two months.
Ground Meat
13. Prepare the marinade as you would for strip meat.
14. Crumble 4 lbs. of lean ground meat into a bowl. Pour the marinade over it.
15. Mix well until there is no standing liquid.
16. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
17.Form the meat into strips on a sheet of aluminum foil.
18. Place waxed paper over the meat and flatten the strips with a rolling pin until they are 1/8 inch thick.
19. Put the meat into the oven on the foil, leaving the door ajar to let the moisture escape. This will cause the oven temperature to drop, so adjust the temperature as needed to maintain it at 160 degrees.
20. Check the jerky after one hour. If it is dry and shiny, remove the aluminum foil and place the strips directly on the oven rack with the dry side facing up.
21. Bake another 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the meat is completely dry. Consume the jerky within one to two months.
Using a Dehydrator
22. Prepare the jerky as you would to cure it in the oven.
23. Heat the meat in the oven until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160 degrees. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer.
24. Transfer the meat onto the dehydrator's drying racks.
25. Dry the meat on the highest setting for one hour.
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Pat the oils off the jerky with a paper towel. Turn over each piece and continue drying.
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Repeat this process several times until the jerky is completely dry. The process can take from two to 15 hours, depending on the humidity in the room and the amount of meat on the dryer.
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Remove the jerky when it is completely dry. Wrap it in paper towels to absorb the oils. Let it sit for two hours before storing it. Consume the jerky within one to two months.
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