Beef jerky is marinated strips of dried, cured or smoked meat with salt and seasoning. The fat is cut off the strips of meat before the drying process, where the beef is dried quickly to avoid cooking it. Beef is a popular meat to make jerky because of its availability, price and acceptance of many flavors. Slim Jim, Jack Links and Pemmican are popular brands of beef jerky sold in the United States.
Cuts of Beef
Beef jerky is made from lean cuts of meat because fattier meat becomes rancid faster than lean meat. Cuts of beef should be lean but still relatively inexpensive. Flank steak is the most commonly used cut of meat. It is easy to slice in thin strips perfect for beef jerky. If flank steak is unavailable, round steak, rump roast, London broil cuts and brisket flats are all good options. Make sure to trim the fat before you slice your meat for jerky.
Drying Methods
Jerky is dried to remove moisture so enzymes cannot react and produce bacteria. Sun-drying and adiabatic (shade-drying) are two methods of natural drying, but should only be used if you live in an arid, sunny and windy area. Even with these conditions, you run a greater risk of food poisoning. It's best to use a food dehydrator, which operates between 140 degrees Fahrenheit to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and eliminates moisture. Smoking is another form of drying which tends to preserve more flavor and offers a softer jerky.
Avoiding Food-borne Illnesses
Food-borne illnesses are a concern when cooking beef jerky. Food dehydrators have fans to eliminate liquids so microorganisms are unable to grow. Even so, some dehydrators only operate at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or less and the USDA recommends heating meat to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The USDA recommends steam heating or roasting the meat to 160 degrees Fahrenheit prior to the dehydrating process. As with any unprepared meat, keep it refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below and defrost frozen meat in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Marinade and Seasoning
Beef jerky can be marinated and seasoned to tenderize and add flavor. Marinate it in the refrigerator and don't reuse marinades. Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion powder, fresh ground black pepper and seasoning blends are commonly used ingredients. Seasoning blends come in a variety of flavors, such as mesquite, hickory, pepper, Cajun, barbecue and teriyaki. Alton Brown of the Food Network show, "Good Eats," recommends marinating the strips of meat in a 1-gallon plastic bag. Refrigerate the jerky for three to six hours.
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