Do it yourself jerky?

[brooklyngirl]

Does anyone ever make their own jerky? I'm constantly trying different kinds of jerky to find ones I like (most I don't love) and the ones I do like are expensive! I just paid $18.45 for 2 3oz bags the other day while I was driving back from NY so I could have driving friendly protein packed snacks. That equates to roughly $50 per pound! I could get some fancy ass steaks for that kinda money! I was in the "Beef Jerky Outlet" a few weeks ago and they had some good stuff, not as dry as the stuff in the convenience/grocery stores, and tons of different flavors, but equally expensive. I would just give up on the whole idea of jerky, but I'm going to be eating lots of meals in my car while driving starting in a few days and jerky is super convenient in that it's dense protein, doesn't need to be refrigerated, and it's not messy.

I saw this on the food network ages ago and just thought of it http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/beef-jerky-recipe.html
Any thoughts? Does anyone have a dehydrator they'd recommend? I'd like to make chicken or turkey, but I feel like I'd be asking for trouble with salmonella and such. Maybe I'm overthinking once again

 

[Elizabeth N.]

You obviously need a better source: http://shop.hicountry.com/authentic-jerky-c4.aspx

(Look at their other products, too.)

 

[KathyF]

One of the reasons jerky is so expensive is because a dehydrated piece of meat is a lot smaller than it started out as. I occasionally have my son-in-law make jerky for me. Bought a slicer and dehydrator for it and it is really good... except he tends to like his jerky crispy and I like mine to be a little more chewy. Just make sure the meat you buy is totally lean. You don't want any fat in it. Dehydrated fat is not tasty and will go rancid over time.

 

[southernlady]

Costco has steak slices that are chewy not thin like jerky. Even dh who hates jerky liked it.

 

[brooklyngirl]

Costco has steak slices that are chewy not thin like jerky. Even dh who hates jerky liked it.

What brand are they? And are they carby? A few of the ones that I like the taste of have way too much sugar for my liking.

 

[brooklyngirl]

One of the reasons jerky is so expensive is because a dehydrated piece of meat is a lot smaller than it started out as. I occasionally have my son-in-law make jerky for me. Bought a slicer and dehydrator for it and it is really good... except he tends to like his jerky crispy and I like mine to be a little more chewy. Just make sure the meat you buy is totally lean. You don't want any fat in it. Dehydrated fat is not tasty and will go rancid over time.

And yes, I found that out the hard way about the fat. Bacon jerky can be NASTY

 

[southernlady]

It has Kirkland on it. Called Steak Strips.

One oz is 9 grams protein, 5 grams of carbs (4 is sugar). I usually have one mid afternoon.

 

[brooklyngirl]

Thanks Liz

 

[bearmom]

Oh yes the Kirkland steak strips are nummy. Reading this reminded me I had an unopened bag of them in my kitchen. I've been crunching veggies out of the yard, and need some protein and something less fartogenic, as a ton of raw veggies has real potential to cause gas.

I've been thinking about making my own jerky as well, in part because as I eat increasingly more meat products like bacon, I'm having to search sometimes if I want nitrate free. As much as I eat, I really should be targeting nitrate free stuff.

No matter how much it costs for me to make my own, it can't possibly be anything near what I've been paying for the nitrate free stuff.

 

[bearmom]

Almost forgot why I was responding in the first place (got so distracted going to get the steak strips, lol).

I'm hoping to find a decent recipe that I can make some jerky on a low convection oven setting. I sent my industrial dehydrator to Goodwill not long before my DS, and I'll be darned if I'm going to go get another one.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

The Kirkland steak strips do NOT keep without refrigeration for more that 24-48 hours or so once the package is opened. Much shorter unrefrigerated shelf life than jerky. But they are yummy and not horribly sweet.

I adore the Hi Country pepper jerky and their sausage snacks, which have similar shelf life to the Kirkland steak strips. You can cheerfully take a baggie of them to work, but don't expect them to live in your car for a month in summer.

 

[southernlady]

The Kirkland brand says refrigerate after 3 days. But they've been a fantastic option while on the road.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Yup. What I do with it is to put the whole bag in the fridge, then take out what I want to put in my bag. If I forget it's there, then I chuck the baggie regardless of whether or not it is green when I remember it.

 

[brooklyngirl]

Ok, good to know about the shelf life because I probably wouldn't have even thought that it needed to be refrigerated. And yeah, I don't need to keep a big bag in the car, but knowing I can toss a bag in my purse and not worry about it being funky in a few hours would be good. @bearmom I saved a few recipes that sounded good....
http://www.chow.com/recipes/12200-spicy-turkey-jerky
http://foodpreservation.about.com/od/Dehydrating/fl/How-to-Make-Jerky-from-Ground-Turkey.htm
http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/assets/pdf_Files/Making_Safe Jerky_in_a Home_Dehydrator3.pdf
http://thehealthyfoodie.com/home-made-beef-jerky-in-with-the-yummy-out-with-the-nasty/

 

[Munchkin]

The chewier the jerky, the shorter the shelf life. And I don't recommend NOT refrigerating or freezing the homemade stuff. I always keep mine in the freezer and take out one package at a time. The key to making great jerky is to remember you always start your marinade with an acid like vinegar, or lemon juice. I usually marinate mine for at least 24 hours. If you are slicing your own, start with the meat still sort of frozen and always slice across the grain. Use a really good sharp knife. Remove all visible fat while the slices are still close to frozen. If you want your jerky peppered, grind your own. The stuff you buy already ground is too contaminated to use!

I know several of you live in or around SLC. Is Kellersburgers still there? It was just around the point of the mountain in Bountiful. They used to make the BEST jerky. The burgers were really good too. Worth the trip if they are still there.