How to Make Jalapeno Beef Jerky

Jalapeno beef jerky is delicious, nutritious and a good source of protein. Jalapeno beef jerky can cost a lot if purchased in a grocery store. Fortunately, it is possible to make your own homemade jalapeno beef jerky from scratch right in your own kitchen. Making homemade beef jerky will also allow you to avoid the preservatives and additives found in commercially-produced beef jerky.

Things You'll Need

• 2 lb. lean steak
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. jalapeno juice
• 1 tbsp. jalapeno peppers
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 2 1-gallon Zip-loc bags
• Knife

Instructions

1. Prepare the meat. Put the steak into a Zip-loc bag and place it into the freezer for one hour, or until it is stiff. Use a kitchen knife to slice the meat very thin--around 1/8 inch thick. Slicing the meat slightly thicker will result in a a piece that may be too thick to bite through easily once dried. Be careful not to slice the meat too thin, or it could cause the jerky to fall apart into shreds.

2. Marinade the meat. Once all of the meat is sliced, place it all into a 1-gallon Zip-loc bag. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, honey, soy sauce, jalapeno juice, chopped jalapeno peppers and onion powder. Shake the bag well to distribute the juices all over the meat, and place the bag into a refrigerator for four hours. The acids in the Worcstershire and soy sauces will soften the meat, and will enable the flavors of the other spices to penetrate the meat. The longer the meat is in the marinade, the more flavorful the jerky will become.

3. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees F. Remove the meat from the marinade Zip-loc bag and dab it dry with a paper towel. Lay the pieces of meat onto a cookie tray about 1/4 inch apart. Place the cookie sheet into the oven, leaving the oven door open slightly. Allow the meat to remain in the oven for two to four hours, depending on altitude and climate. Remove the jerky from the oven and place it in an open container to keep moisture from accumulating on the meat.

References

• Jerky Recipe
• Jerky Baking Temperature