It is time to dispel the notion that jerkies aren’t healthy. Try asking those workout freaks on your nearby gym about this matter. They will certainly clear things for you.
Jerkies are nutritious treats. They are a great source of protein and other essential minerals like iron and zinc. These nourishments are crucial for maintaining a lean and active body. Of course, they are the reason why a lot of builders munch this delicacy during and after their workouts.
Your family can enjoy jerkies even at the convenience of your home. Serving this treat during leisure moments and activities can uplift anyone’s mood and appetite. Do you want to learn how to make a simple jerky recipe? Then you should read on!
How to Make a Simple Jerky Recipe
Ingredients:
- Beef top round (2 pounds)
- Soy sauce (3/4 cup)
- Ground pepper (2 teaspoons)
- Worcestershire sauce (3/4 cup)
- Onion powder (1 teaspoon)
- Garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
- Red pepper flakes (1 teaspoon)
Tools:
- Oven
- Food dehydrator or gas smoker (alternative)
Instructions:
- The first thing you need to do is to slice your beef into thin strips. The thinner the slices, the better. This would allow you to dehydrate the meat at a faster rate. Make sure that you cut across the grain so that you save your time in this process.
- After slicing, set aside your meat strips for awhile. For the meantime, you need to focus on creating your marinade. Fortunately, doing this is easy. Just take a large bowl and pour all the ingredients there (except for the meat). Use a spoon to stir the mixture until you can achieve its desired taste.
- Once done, you can already add the meat strips in the mixture. You need to coat the meat with the marinade thoroughly. You can use your hands in doing this process. Just make sure you clean them first. After marination, cover the bowl with a clear cellophane and store it in your refrigerator. Let it stay there for 6 to 12 hours.
- After refrigeration, remove the meat from the bowl. Place them on a tray and use clean paper towels to wipe off the liquid on their surface. You have to make sure that the meat is dry before you put them on your heating device. Alternatively, you could also dry the meat by putting them back in your refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- When all things are set, put the strips in an oven with a preheated temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit. This particular temperature guarantees that your meat will be dehydrated without cooking or frying them. If you are using an oven, make sure that you leave a small opening on the door. In this way, the internal moisture can escape, which would eventually optimize the dehydration process.
With this heat range, your meat could be fully dehydrated after 4 to 6 hours. But of course, there is no way you can tell the exact time for this. Therefore, you need to check the meat themselves.
Try bending the meat. If it bends but doesn’t break or crack, then it is already a bonafide beef jerky. Cracking is a sign that the meat has been over-dehydrated. If there are still visible liquid in the flesh of the meat, it is still not yet fully dehydrated.
- If you are already finished, remove the jerkies from the oven. Let them cool for awhile before you start eating them. You could partner this treat with smoothies and your favorite fruit juices. They are such a great tandem!
Conclusion
Making a jerky is simple. As long as you got the necessary ingredients and tools, this particular recipe is very easy! Since there are no artificial preservatives involved in this food, you can guarantee that this is a healthy treat. In fact, many Paleo diets have this recipe on their slate! You can never become a jerk with jerkies!