I know somewhere on the board we spoke about beef jerky and this is one of the more popular items in the house and among our friends. I have been using the same recipe for over 15 years and though I have tried others, this is the recipe I keep coming back to. Originally we used a Ronco dehydrator, it’s one of those round stacker models. One day I was watching an infomercial and was sucked in for $120 Canadian after shipping. But that was not all I got a handy dandy apple slicer and three extra trays, how could I resist. Barb said I was suffering from depression, because no idiot in their right minds could ever use such a piece of crap. Well I used it several hundred times and this thing lasted up to a few years ago when a buddy had borrowed it and had it finally had a melt down.

  


Now I have a 180 LTR machine about the size of an keg fridge. Whose is laughing now, I can do 25 pounds of jerky in one go and believe me, that’s a lot of jerking. Speaking of jerking my meat, (that sounds so dirty) I start with a base recipe.

1 ltr of Soy Sauce
1 cup of liquid smoke 
2 cups of brown sugar
1 cup worchester
 
From here you add you own spice preference

1 tbsp granulated garlic
1 tbsp granulated onion
1 tsp chile pepper
1 tsp of cayenne pepper

    

We use eye of the round, I try not to get any fat in our product, it just does not dehydrate well, really it is disgusting and Barb would toss the batch in a heartbeat. We aim for about 2 inches wide and 1/8 of an inch thick. I have used slicers and all different types of machines but the best cut, in my opinion, is hand cutting ( or Barb says a hand job). We use about 10 pounds of beef but have done up to 25 pounds. However the recipe I have given you is for about 10 pounds. I used to make a few horizontal slices across each piece, to make it easer to break or bite, but I have gotten really lazy since then. Put your meat and marinade into a very large ziplock ( 2 gallon) which you can now get at Wally World and let it soak for 24 to 48 hours giving it a good mix every 12.

 

Into your dehydrator for your recommended time, my old machine took three to four days, the new one will do it in 16 hours, really who is laughing now...

If your a jerky lover, I really recommend getting a dehydrator, we do fruit, spices, chili peppers  and even our smoked habanaros. Just do not order it your machine off the television, you will never live it down.