Jerky is a low-fat, low-cholesterol, high-protein food.
Curing meat for beef jerky inhibits the growth of some types of bacteria that cause the meat to spoil more quickly. Properly cured and prepared beef jerky is not cooked; it is dried of as much moisture as possible. Jerking beef as a food staple is practiced all over the world and has been used to preserve meat for centuries. There are many recipes for curing beef to make into beef jerky and everyone has their favorite. Individuals who are just getting started curing and jerking beef can start with a simple recipe and refine it to their personal taste as they gain experience.
Instructions
1. Use top round steak or beef flank steak that has been trimmed of all visible fat for best results.
2. Slice the meat 3/8-inch thick and cut into thin strips 1-inch wide or less. Slice the meat with the grain, not against it.
3. Cure the jerky by adding 2 pounds of salt to 10 cups of water that is approaching the boiling point and remove it from the flame.
4. Continue the curing process by dropping each strip of meat into this solution and leave them until they take on a whitish color. Remove the strips of beef from the solution and sprinkle both sides with pepper.
5. Place a cookie sheet in the bottom of the oven to catch drippings. Remove all oven racks except the top one.
6. Pierce the ends of each strip of beef with a toothpick and place the toothpick across the wires of the oven rack so the strips of meat are suspended straight down.
7. Put the oven rack into the oven that has been preheated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Prop the oven door open for approximately 2 to 4 inches to allow moisture from the meat to escape to facilitate drying to about 65 percent moisture loss. This process requires from 10 to 24 hours, depending upon how much jerky is being processed. The internal temperature of the meat should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit, as measured with a meat thermometer. Another indication that the jerky is done is when you can bend a test strip of meat and it cracks without breaking.
8. Allow the meat to come to room temperature and place it in zip-loc bags from which as much air as possible has been removed. One method is to place a straw in the bag at one end and zip the bag closed up to the straw. Suck out as much air as possible and zip the bag closed as the straw is being removed.
9. Use a marker to label the bag with the item that it contains and the date that it was processed. The meat should last 2 weeks in the refrigerator and can be frozen.
Tips Warnings
Firm up the meat for more exact slicing by partially freezing it.
There are many curing and seasoning solutions available commercially.
Curing wild game requires a different process than curing beef.
Cured dried beef can be stored out of refrigeration for up to a week, but if there is no need to do so, it makes more sense to refrigerate it.
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