I decided to make some beef jerky.

I like the jack links stuff u can buy from woolies etc, but it has a f***load of sodium in it, and is f*****g expensive.

So I've got some strips marinating in the fridge atm. I went by this recipe. Just a random google result.

Anyone made their own jerky? any tips or secret recipes?

woo!

UPDATE:

It's in the oven as we speak :D

In the marinade:

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/9182/12117529ut6.jpg

On the paper towel:

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/3079/99656196io2.jpg

After being squshed with a rolling pin in between paper towels:

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/1725/39793795ze8.jpg

Layed out on the oven racks:

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/5969/68549711bk5.jpg

In the oven:

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/4509/16220460ue9.jpg

So now it sits in there for about 10 hours on 50 C till tomorrow morning.

I'm giddy with anticipation.

UPDATE AGAIN:

Well holy dooley it's good. I marinated it for so long (~24 hours) that it's just such an intence flavoursome jerky chewy smack!

Here's a photo I took this morning before I slammed most of them.

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8812/31098037jo4.jpg

Here's a single piece I ate just now:

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5360/87183415nc5.jpg

And here it is with a light underneath it so you can see how red and meaty it is :D Kinda transparent.

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1402/89679302un8.jpg

Next I'm gonna try rump steak, and experiment with different seasonings. Black pepper. Chilli powder. Maybe cummin. Maybe cajun spices or something.

I do highly recommend. And it really is dead simple. I don't know why I didn't try it sooner.

woo!

Beef Jerky

f*****g ROCKS!!!!

I rarely get to eat good jerky though, normally just get whatever's at the servo or 7/11.

biltong (south african jerky) is also equally orsm

no tips from me, but definitely repost to say how it went

Theres a shop in wynumm that does beef jerky and biltong....might be an alternative to buying it from s***** shops

u can get biltong on ebay too. apparently its the one to get but ive never had it

ew
first pics look like turds in a bowl..

must be pretty tasty though

Marinade the beef strips in hot chili sauce mixed with copious amounts of white and black pepper over night. Then chuck em in the evaporator (leave em all covered in sauce).

Makes a really sweet spicy beef jerky.

Edit: Oh ya, just remember that since you're making your own jerky (especially if you make it like above) it doesn't have a long shelf life (the proper bought jerky is better preserved n stuff). Eat it within 2 days or so of making it and you're gold though.

Come to think of it, the reason they usually use so much sodium in jerky you buy in the shops is probably mainly for a preservative...


last edited by icewyrm at 23:02:56 18/Jun/07

So now it sits in there for about 10 hours on 50 C till tomorrow morning.

you're gonna leave the oven on overnight? isn't that dangerous?

I accidentally left a pizza cooking in a oven at 200 degrees overnight once.

Once I cut away the 60% of it that had turned to coal (with a chisel), it was good eating.

Wow looks cool!

I'm in the middle of trying to work out how to make Chipotle. Is basically smoked dried jalepenos. There's a few recipes online, but are specific to the equipment they're made in.

Does anyone know the cheapest you can get an evaporator? Might be better ( read more economical ) than leaving the oven on for ages.

naaaaaaa pasta ftw
http://www.josh.net.au/images/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Random 256.jpg

Where's the finished product?

Might try this out this week if it tastes any good.

looks tasty as.
nice one duder

that first pic does look like something from ratemypoo.com

aside from that, looks tasty

I have never eaten Beef Jerky and i don;t thinki ever will after seeing that.

But its winter?!

1°C makes a difference between comfortable and cold!

updated the first post with the final result :D

thanks for that bargain! i love beef jerky as its a staple kind of thing to me so im going to give that a go

i'm going to give it a shot with my own secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.

Thats trade marked to the all mighty KFC lord, Overlord Sander.

Hopefully it doesn't get to 100% humidity.

FINISHED PRODUCT PIX C***.

His fault for not updating thread title.

edit: or did he?

i think the powders flavour would penetrate the meat more tbh. I thought about fresh stuff, but then i thought otherwise.

Ok update... 7 hour single strip at 80 degree's = success, perfect production, just the marinade flavour was off, nice but not as good as Jackslinks so far.

Friday will be full marinade overnight, at 12 - 14 hours at 50 degree's in oven.

1/4 of the strips will be hanging by coathangers in the garage shed, see how they dry out.

well I'm suprised at how fast they dry.

The oven I own (conventional), the dots start at 80 degree's... so it's very suss, and I cut the strips at 1/2 cm and flattened them with a spoon, got owned really quick. To the standard soy sauce/black sauce + onion/garlic/ginger/5 spice powdered... seemed just wrong... so I added some raw sugar, sweet chilli/hot chilli and a bit of fine peanut oil and the marinade seems to be going well.

I'm going to hang a fair amount up in the Titan shed, on a steel coathanger, directly under the whirle bird for 12+ hours and see how it goes (ultra thin mind you).

Anyway, 98% of the topside beef strips are marinating overnight. The 7 hour, low marinade at pretty high heat turned out nice (and didn't make me sick), so I assume the other will provide a big hit :D

If you want a totally kick ass rub for the jerky, look to Cajun food. Here's a rub I use all the time, especially when slow-cooking ribs. I would let it sit in the fridge overnight to drawn in the flavours of the rub, then brush the meat with a marinade of your choice both before and during the drying process.

# .25 cup firmly packed brown sugar
# .25 cup paprika
# 3 tablespoons black pepper
# 3 tablespoons kosher salt
# 2 teaspoons garlic salt
# 2 teaspoons onion powder
# 2 teaspoons cumin
# 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
# 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

I'm just not getting the right consistency.

Some parts are nice and soft, others are touch/crunchy as hell.

I'm not entirely satisfied with the past 2 lots, but all my friends/family are absolutely loving it.

Got another black sauce marinade lot going, got another one marinading too that's more indian with tandoori s*** and lime juice and other fun things.

^^ the women go crazy for it