Creativity is what truly makes great beef jerky. You can learn how to make beef jerky easily. But learning how to make great tasting, one of a kind beef jerky with take some time and experimenting.
You can try all different types of combination in search of making truly great beef jerky. For example, don't just stop at beef...try and switch it up by using turkey or bison meat. You may be pleasantly surprised at how great tasting it may end up being.
Let's start letting our imagination go and use some red wine in our beef jerky. Yes, you heard me right. We are going to use your favorite red wine and make come red wine beef jerky. However, remember to use the wine in small amounts because we do not want to get the jerky too wet because then it will be hard to dry.
Just a word of caution. The first batch of jerky you make will probably not be very good. It's just like learning anything and it will take some time to master. But the more you make, then better you will get and in turn your beef jerky will also taste better.
Now, first things first. The meat. What do you choose? That's truly a personal preference, but we recommend Sirloin Tip for the best results. If you wish to experiment with other cuts, go right ahead. We just prefer the sirloin for its initial tenderness. If you are buying it from a big box store, you will be cutting it up yourself, so do this is really thin slices " about 1/8" thick but, partially freeze it to make it easier to cut. At 1/8" thick, it drys faster in the dehydrator. If you happen to still buy your meat from a butcher, get them to cut it for you " with the grain for tender final results.
All cut and ready to go? Did you remember to take off all the fat, or as much as you can? This isn't because you want to make it leaner or to cut down on calories, it's because fat does not dry out and will go rancid. Okay let's say you are going to marinate your slices of meat. This is where the creativity comes alive. Get that bottle of wine and here is what you do with it.
For your red wine marinade you will be using 1/2 cup of wine, 2 crushed garlic cloves (wooo- powerful mojo), 1/2 cup soy sauce (salt free), 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic peppercorns, and if you're a bear for punishment, add some crushed red pepper for extra zing to taste. If you don't want to be putting out flames later, take it easy on the red pepper. Pop all these ingredients into a large, zippered plastic bag along with the sliced meat, sling it in the fridge and leave it over night.
Once the meat has finished marinating it is now time to put it in the dehydrator. It will usually take around 6 - 12 hours to completely dry and you will want to keep a close eye on it to make certain you do not over dry it. Once you reach the 6 hour mark, take a piece out and cut it to check if it is ready. Continue doing this every so often until it is ready. Once it is done it is time to take a bite and see how your beef jerky turned out. - 16650
You can try all different types of combination in search of making truly great beef jerky. For example, don't just stop at beef...try and switch it up by using turkey or bison meat. You may be pleasantly surprised at how great tasting it may end up being.
Let's start letting our imagination go and use some red wine in our beef jerky. Yes, you heard me right. We are going to use your favorite red wine and make come red wine beef jerky. However, remember to use the wine in small amounts because we do not want to get the jerky too wet because then it will be hard to dry.
Just a word of caution. The first batch of jerky you make will probably not be very good. It's just like learning anything and it will take some time to master. But the more you make, then better you will get and in turn your beef jerky will also taste better.
Now, first things first. The meat. What do you choose? That's truly a personal preference, but we recommend Sirloin Tip for the best results. If you wish to experiment with other cuts, go right ahead. We just prefer the sirloin for its initial tenderness. If you are buying it from a big box store, you will be cutting it up yourself, so do this is really thin slices " about 1/8" thick but, partially freeze it to make it easier to cut. At 1/8" thick, it drys faster in the dehydrator. If you happen to still buy your meat from a butcher, get them to cut it for you " with the grain for tender final results.
All cut and ready to go? Did you remember to take off all the fat, or as much as you can? This isn't because you want to make it leaner or to cut down on calories, it's because fat does not dry out and will go rancid. Okay let's say you are going to marinate your slices of meat. This is where the creativity comes alive. Get that bottle of wine and here is what you do with it.
For your red wine marinade you will be using 1/2 cup of wine, 2 crushed garlic cloves (wooo- powerful mojo), 1/2 cup soy sauce (salt free), 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic peppercorns, and if you're a bear for punishment, add some crushed red pepper for extra zing to taste. If you don't want to be putting out flames later, take it easy on the red pepper. Pop all these ingredients into a large, zippered plastic bag along with the sliced meat, sling it in the fridge and leave it over night.
Once the meat has finished marinating it is now time to put it in the dehydrator. It will usually take around 6 - 12 hours to completely dry and you will want to keep a close eye on it to make certain you do not over dry it. Once you reach the 6 hour mark, take a piece out and cut it to check if it is ready. Continue doing this every so often until it is ready. Once it is done it is time to take a bite and see how your beef jerky turned out. - 16650
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If you would like to learn more about how to make your own homemade beef jerky then take a look at our free beef jerky recipes. We have a vast list of recipes for making beef jerky including our favorite, the spicy beef jerky recipes. Start making your own jerky today.
