How to Make Beef Jerky Home

It's so easy to make beef jerky at home, you'll be surprised at the results. Try different flavors and make sure to buy enough meat to make a decent sized batch, because the meat will shrink down quite a lot as it dehydrates.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Food dehydrator
• Appx. 3 lbs. flank steak, London broil or beef brisket
• 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke (optional)
• 2-3 tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional)
• 2-3 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Sharp knife
• Glass dish or plastic bag with a seal

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a glass dish or large plastic bag with a seal. Add any optional ingredients. You can really get creative with these ingredients and add just about any flavor you enjoy. You can also buy prepared jerky flavor mixes in different flavors, and then create your own when you decide which flavors you like best.

2. Slice the meat with the grain, about 1/8 inch thick. Place the meat in the dish or bag, and place it in the refrigerator. Allow to marinate overnight. Make sure the meat is totally covered with the marinade, and if it isn't turn the meat frequently (about every two to three hours), to coat evenly.

3. The next day, remove the meat from the marinade and dry well.

4. Place the meat on the racks in your food dehydrator and follow the manufacturer's directions for the dehydration time. It will probably take about four to six hours to dry, depending on the thickness of the meat and your dehydrator's settings.

5. Remove the meat from the dehydrator and enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• Perfectly dehydrated jerky should be firm and dry, but not brittle. If it breaks easily or a lot, it's too dry.
• Make sure your jerky is dry enough. If it's still too damp, it will grow mold or mildew, and it may not be cooked all the way through.
• You can use ground meat for jerky, too, but you should never marinate ground meat. Mix it with your favorite dry rub instead.

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