The delicious taste of jerky has been enjoyed for Centuries. It is perfect for camping, hiking, or just lounging around the house.
Drying and/or curing meat is an age-old method of preserving meat, going back centuries.
The word derives from the word “ch’arki”, which means ‘to burn’. Fortunately, we won’t be burning any meat today, but we will be using similar techniques to dry the meat.
History of Jerky
Jerky in particular comes from a South American tribe called Quechua, originally part of the ancient Inca empire.
The oldest evidence of jerky has been found in Egypt. Thousands of years ago Ancient Egyptians were drying mass amounts of meat perhaps by laying strips of meat out in the sun. Archeologists made this discovery when they found dried foods preserved in tombs. Meat in jerky form is not subject to decay or insect infestation and could have been stored for long periods of time–especially in a tomb.
Best Meat To Use For Jerky
Steak” or “London Broil,” this cut comes from the round primal region. It’s an excellent source of lean, economical large-cut meat for beef jerky. It’s also the most popular cut used by commercial jerky companies. It’s extremely lean and affordable, but it’s not the most flavorful or tender.
Bottom Round—Also called “Bottom Round Oven Roast” or “Round Roast,” this cut comes from the same area as the top round. It’s a little tougher but still makes great beef jerky. Overall, it’s pretty similar to the top round but a little less tender.
Eye of Round—Also found in the round primal area, eye of round comes from the elongated muscles located in the center. It’s more expensive, but it’s also more tender and a little more flavorful than top and bottom round.
Sirloin Tip—Also called “Knuckle” or “Round Tip,” this is a less popular cut from the round primal but is still a great option. It’s in the middle as far as cost goes, and it has more flavor than the other cuts listed above but is also less tender.
Lifter Meat—Also called “Blade Meat” or “Cap and Wedge Meat,” lifter meat comes from the rib primal and is meat from the outside of the ribs. This cut is a little less lean and has medium marbling, making for more tender, flavorful beef jerky at a slightly higher cost.
Flank Steak—Also called “Beef Flank” or “Plank Steak,” flank steak comes from the flank primal. It’s a lean cut with long grains. It has little fat and marbling. This cut is less tender than lifter meat but has much more flavor. It’s also one of the most expensive cuts for beef jerky.
Pectoral Meat—Also called “Special Trim,” pectoral meat comes from the chuck primal. It’s slightly fatty and has decent marbling. This cut is extremely tender but less flavorful. Pectoral meat is a great affordable option, especially for first-time jerky makers.
Deer Meat—You can also make great jerky with deer meat. It’s usually very tender, lean, and flavorful. It’s a great choice for those that love the game flavor.
Elk Meat—This meat is also very lean and great for making jerky. It’s extremely tender and has very little game flavor, unlike deer meat
Pork Loin & Tenderloin—This meat is slightly fattier but works well, especially for sweeter jerkies. It’s full of flavor, relatively inexpensive, and super tender.
Salmon -Salmon jerky is high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids and high in protein. Omega 3 fatty acids are one of the ‘good’ types of fat that may help reduce the risk of heart disease, depression, dementia and arthritis when eaten as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Chicken jerky is a savory light snack to have on hand all winter long. It takes a while to slow-cook in the oven, but then it’s so easy to throw together.
Drying Methods
Take a look at five ways that you can dry meats into jerky: sun-dry, oven-dry, dehydrator, microwave, and smoker. Each method has its pluses and minuses. Perhaps the easiest, most consistent method is using the oven.
Sun- Drying Method
This jerky “cooks” in the sun all afternoon and comes out quite spicy because of all the goodies in the marinade. For those living under cloudy skies, there are directions for oven drying at the end of the recipe.
Good For:Lean Beef, Young Lamb, or Venison
Directions: Expose to hot sun until thoroughly dry but still somewhat pliable (6-7 hours). Arrange cheese cloth over the jerky strips while they are drying to protect from insects. Do not leave your jerky strips out over night. If they are not done at the end of the day, finish drying them in the oven.
Caution: Sun drying is not recommended if you have less then triple digit temperatures and if you don’t have a very arid desert like climate . There is a real risk of food poisoning if using the sun drying method especially under situations taking more then 6 to 7 hours for drying. Use your best judgment to avoid food poisoning and spoilage.
Oven – Drying Method
Using the oven to make beef jerky is a very easy, simple, and cost effective toway to make great tasting jerky.
Good For: All types of jerky
Directions: Line two large baking sheets with aluminum foil, and place wire cooling racks on top of each sheet. Lay the strips out in a single layer on the wire racks. Bake until the beef jerky until it is dry and firm, yet still a little bit pliable, about 4 hours, flipping the beef jerky once about halfway through.
Microwave Drying Method
Good For: All Types of Meat
The microwave drying method is a quicker way to set jerky. The microwave method introduces steam in a sealed environment to soften jerky quickly. The liquid transfer method slowly introduces moisture into the jerky over the course of 12-24 hours.
Directions: Place meat in shallow pan. Combine all ingredients and pour over meat slices. Let set overnight in the refrigerator. To cook: Lay out strips on microwave bacon rack. Cover with paper towel. Cook on high power for 2 1/2 minutes. Turn strips. Cook 1 1/2 minutes. Turn strips. Cook 1 1/2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before eating. Cooking time may vary with thickness of meat. Store in airtight container.
Smoker Drying Method
Smoking is the preferred cooking method for meat by many seasoned and experienced pit masters. When compared to grilling, smoking typically offers better flavor .
Bring the temperature up to 180°F to 200°F and add a handful of wood chips to the smoker. Before adding the wood chips, soak them in water for about 10-15 minutes. Smoke at this temperature until the wood chips have quit smoking (about 30 minutes to 1 hour). A blue smoke should be coming out of the smoker if the wood is burning at the right temperature. If the smoke is a heavy white, increase the temperature of the smoker. This white smoke can give the meat a bitter taste and ruin the jerky.
Place the top metal rack on the highest slot in your smoker, and hang your strips.
Jerky on Metal Racks
Open the top vent on the smoker 100% and dry for 1 ½ hours at 170°F. *Do not put water in the water pan when making jerky if you soaked your strips in a “wet” marinade. If you used a dry rub to season your meat without any liquid, put a little water or vinegar in the pan during this 1 ½hrs.
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