The Jerky Times

Recipes


Almost any type of sauce can be used on meat before drying. Bar-B-Q sauce, bottled marinades, and even some salad dressings can add a certain something to the flavor of your finished product. But beware, for there are certain drawbacks to using some pre-packaged sauces.

1. Try not to use sauces that contain oils. This will extend your drying time and can cause your finished product to spoil or become rancid unless refrigerated. Also, this type of sauce can reduce the shelf-life of your Jerky. One example of this is regular Italian dressing.

2. If your sauce does not contain vinegar, then the Jerky will once again have a reduced shelf-life. Vinegar acts as a preservative and keeps the dried meat fresh.

3. Some of the ingredients are just not what you want in your Jerky. Some sauces have an entirely different flavor when dried out. If you want to try a sauce, you will have to go by trial and error.

 

Even when you have just the right marinade for your meat, there are times when you may want to add spices at the begining of the drying process. Sprinkling onion, garlic powder, pepper, or even oregano and thyme can give your Jerky a special zip!

 

The following recipes for marinades are to marinate up to one pound of meat. The meat should be placed in a sealed container in the refrigerator and allowed to soak for at least 6 hours, preferably 24 hours, especially for thicker sliced meats. You may not want to use a plastic container, the marinade may stain it or leave an odor behind. These recipies work well with beef, chicken, turkey, or pork. I have not tried them with fish yet, but they may work well with them too.

 

Regular

Hot

Teriyaki

Low-Carb

This will produce Jerky that is extremely low in carbs, almost non-existant. Approximately 5 carbs per half pound of cured Jerky.

Guest Recipies


Contributed by Gregory K. Collins on December 09, 1996

This recipe is for venison jerky. He says that beef can be substituted for venison (for those unfortunate enough not to have any venison), but venison works best because of the low fat content and lesser drying time. If you do use beef, use the leanest cuts you can find (top or bottom round) and remove all the visible fat.

Cut partially frozen meat into 1/4 inch thick slices. Combine all ingredients and marinate meat in refrigerator 24 hours. Arrange strips of meat in dehydrator, dry to desired doneness.

Give this a try and Greg guarantees you will come back for seconds.

 Back