The Country Cats Beef Jerky Recipes

THE BEST HOMEMADE BEEF JERKY RECIPE

Steps:

• Slice the meat between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick with the grain. (If the roast is too thick to slice easily, cut it in half horizontally before slicing.)
• Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, meat tenderizer, black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder, and garlic powder. Whisk until evenly combined and the sugar is dissolved.
• Add the meat to the marinade and toss until all of the pieces are evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to a large ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. Toss the meat (or flip the bag) once or twice to be sure the meat marinates evenly.
• Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Place a wire rack over each pan. Preheat the oven to 175°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.
• Arrange the marinated meat on the wire racks in a single layer. Bake, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom midway through, until the meat is dried out, 3 to 4 hours. To determine if the jerky is thoroughly dried out, take a piece out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature. It should be dry to the touch, leather-like in appearance, and chewy but still somewhat tender.
• Store the jerky inside an airtight plastic container, Ziploc bag, or airtight glass jars. Properly dried jerky will keep at room temperature for about one week. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
• Note: Pop the meat in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours before slicing; it will be easier to cut.
• Note: Meat tenderizer contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down meat tissue. You can find it in the spice section of your supermarket. (I use McCormick.)

BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Slice the beef with the grain into strips about 1 inch thick by 3 inches long. If the strips appear too large, they likely are the correct size, as they will shrink significantly during the cooking process.
• In a mixing bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Liberally season the beef with this spice mixture, being sure to use it all. Cover the beef and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Put the beef strips on a baking rack-lined sheet pan. Arrange the meat so that the strips are not touching or overlapping. This allows for even drying. Bake for 6 to 7 hours, until fairly dry. If you prefer your jerky on the chewy side, remove it after 6 hours. Otherwise, leave it in for the full 7 hours to dry it out some more.
• Divide the jerky among bags. Store the bags in an airtight container at room temperature; the jerky should keep for several months.

BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Slice the meat into strips against the grain, 1/4-inch thick and 1-inch wide. (If necessary, freeze the meat for up to 2 hours to facilitate slicing.)
• In a large, wide bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Place the meat in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate to marinate overnight, turning occasionally.
• Preheat the oven to its lowest setting, between 145 and 150 degrees F.
• Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and top with 2 heavy wire racks. Drain the meat, pat dry, and arrange evenly on the racks without touching. Place in the oven, leaving the oven door open a crack for air circulation. Leave in the oven until dry, but still firm (not spongy or brittle), 10 to 12 hours, depending upon the thickness of the meat, turning once or twice during the process.
• Remove from the oven and store in waxed paper at room temperature for up to 2 days. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate to store for up to 1 week.

OVEN BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• For the BBQ jerky: Stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, garlic powder and paprika in a bowl. Thinly slice the frozen beef against the grain. Coat the meat in the mixture. Marinate the meat, refrigerated, for 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set a baking rack on top.
• Lay the slices of meat flat on the baking rack in a single layer. Bake until the jerky is completely dried, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• For the teriyaki jerky: Stir together the soy, sugar, sriracha, Worcestershire, garlic, ginger and lime juice in a resealable plastic bag. Thinly slice the frozen beef against the grain. Place the meat in the bag and marinate the meat, refrigerated, for 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set a baking rack on top. Lay the slices of meat flat on the baking rack in a single layer. Bake until the jerky is completely dried, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.