Healthy Methods for making Jerky?

[OCD Solutions]

I'm putting this in the health section because it's about diet and health. Mods pls move it if you feel it belongs in Off topic.

Like many others on here, I am very concerned with what i put into my body. I am looking to make my own Jerky, (so i can control the ingredients), to take on ride days/weekends and was wondering what smokers, dryers or dehydraters others may be using. I have never been a big fan of dried or dehydrated fruits so i don't think i need that as a future consideration.

Anyway, if you have any suggestions for devices or good recipes please let me know.

Thanks

 

[GDFL]

I used to make a ton of deer jerky in the oven. I always just used Dale's marinade and lots of pepper for flavoring, although the Dales is probably a regional thing and it's very high in sodium. Very tasty though.
For the oven: if it's a small batch, just lay it on the oven racks or on some cooling racks. Fold a pot holder in half and put it in the oven door where the light switch is. Turn the oven on WARM and it'll usually take overnight to do it's thing. For a larger batch I've put one oven rack in the highest position and hung the jerky meat from toothpicks placed through one end of the strip of meat. You can lay foil on the lower rack to catch the moisture if you'd like. Dehydrators are nice, but they can be a pain to clean. The oven method always worked for me and it only costs you toothpicks and doesn't take any room to store. Go with a simple steak type marinade and make sure you use lots of black pepper and whatever you do will turn out nice.

 

[OCD Solutions]

Growing up my Father used this method with great success but when I discussed this with my g/f I was met with great resistence to doing any such thing in her "spotless" oven. :biggrin:
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[ger87410]

If you can't do it in the oven, get a dehydrator. They're cheap.

Other then that, there's nothing to it. Get a recipe off the net and marinade overnight. Cut the meat thin for fastest cooking.

 

[GDFL]

Growing up my Father used this method with great success but when I discussed this with my g/f I was met with great resistence to doing any such thing in her "spotless" oven. :biggrin:
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then do it like I said with hanging from the top rack with foil over the bottom rack. Nothing touches and nothing gets dirty. Very cost effective and easy.

 

[ger87410]

then do it like I said with hanging from the top rack with foil over the bottom rack. Nothing touches and nothing gets dirty. Very cost effective and easy.

x2
Always cook stuff in the oven over aluminum foil.

 

[Idok]

Growing up my Father used this method with great success but when I discussed this with my g/f I was met with great resistence to doing any such thing in her "spotless" oven. :biggrin:
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with THAT attitude she will never become a wife!




whats she gonig to say when you want to bake a 61x cylinder to remove the sleeves!?!?!?

 

[OCD Solutions]

Haha, She keeps a clean home and I am okay with that. I am allowed to do whatever I want in the garage, shed or the back yard and she never says a word. Trust me, she's wife material!
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[ger87410]

Haha, She keeps a clean home and I am okay with that. I am allowed to do whatever I want in the garage, shed or the back yard and she never says a word. Trust me, she's wife material!

Let us be the judge of that. Post a pic. :bump:

 

[OCD Solutions]

Let us be the judge of that. Post a pic. :bump:

Did I mention she rides too? :biggrin:

 

[Moondance]

Hope this generates some good ideas. I too like jerky, but am very careful about what I buy due to the sodium AND sugar content. It's the hidden ingredients that make it so dang good though!! Garrett, your method sounds better than a dehydrator due to the fact that it probably doesn't dry out & get tough as easily.

Any suggestions on a good cut of meat?

 

[GDFL]

it still gets tough and chewy, but you can control that. I was watching a show about jerky and they recommend getting your butcher to thin slice (about 3/16") the meat for you and then you can turn those into strips. The important thing to reduce chewiness would be to get it cut across the grain. It'll be more brittle, but also more tender. I think rump roast or any cheaper crock pot type cut will work well. That's what some of the bagged jerky companies do and it seems to work.

 

[ger87410]

I read pounding the meat helps the toughness.

 

[yankeeboy]

We also make our deer jerky in the oven, hanging from tooth picks just like GDFL instructed. You can make more, faster, in the oven. Marinated overnight in a family steak recipe. Yummy.

 

[ger87410]

1 more thing: better cuts of meat usually makes better quality jerky.

Try a steak. :bigok:

 

[WildBill69]

If she want let you use the oven in the house,get you a oven for the garage.....problem solved!!!!!

 

[smoofers]

Chuck Norris only has to look at his meat and it turns to jerky.....

 

[Idok]

next time you bring the jerky, jerky!

 

[OCD Solutions]

next time you bring the jerky, jerky!

Teriyaki, honey garlic or Original?

 

[JetManiac]

spicy jerky