Thai Curry Jerky Recipes

THAI STYLE RED CURRY BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Soak dried chillies and galangal in warm salted water for 15 minutes. Allow to drain.
• Seed the chilli if desired (I left seeds in place) and then chop along with galangal.
• Place all ingredients except beef in a food processor and process until a rough paste.
• Cut meat into thin slices cutting with the grain running length-wise. It's easier to cut if partially frozen, and easier to hang on the rack as below if you leave the beef in relatively long strips (say 15cm / 6").
• Rub curry paste into beef, it is thick so do this by hand. Also flatten the meat with your hands at the same time.
• Put on a plate or shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap and leave overnight.
• Place foil on a lower rack in the oven to catch fat / marinade.
• Put a toothpick through each end on the beef and use it to hang the meat from the top rack without the meat touching the rack.
• Cook for 6-8 hours at 70°C (160°F) with the oven door ajar until dried to desired taste.
• The door only has to been open a little to let out steam so just pry open a little with a fork or similar.

THAI CURRY JERKY

Steps:

• Trim the steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up. Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips. Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, shifting the contents at least once to ensure the strips get evenly marinated. Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. IF USING AIR FILTERS: Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. IF USING OVEN RACKS: Place the box fan so that it is blowing air upwards, elevated at least 1 foot off the surface it is on. Place paper towels over it, and then place the first of the oven racks on the paper towels. Fill each rack with jerky strips, stacking them so there is room for airflow between the individual racks. Once finished, place another layer of paper towels over the last rack to keep dust out. Make sure they are well secured; wrapping them under the racks works well. Turn the fan to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions. Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.

THAI BEEF JERKY (NUA SAWAN)

Steps:

• Put the cumin seeds in a 9-inch skillet and dry-roast over medium-high heat, sliding the skillet back and forth to ensure even roasting until the seeds are fragrant, about 45 seconds. Remove to a plate to cool.
• Add the coriander seeds and Thai peppercorns to the skillet and dry-roast for about a minute or less, until they exude a pleasing aroma.
• Transfer to the plate with the roasted cumin seeds.
• Cool the seeds, before they grind in an electric spice or coffee grinder.
• Transfer the ground spices to a large shallow pan and add the palm sugar and soy.
• Add the beef, stir well to coat thoroughly, cover, and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
• Put the marinated steak on wire cooling racks and dry in the sun for a day, turning occasionally to ensure even drying.
• Alternatively, dry the marinated steak in a 150 degree F oven for at least 8 hours, until they are dry and leathery.
• Store in the refrigerator.
• To serve, shred and deep-fry in hot oil until crispy.