SPICY BEEF JERKY

Spicy beef jerky

Yields about 40 pieces

At first, making jerky might seem like a complicated task, but it’s actually really simple. It takes quite a bit of time though, but big batches are easy to make all at once. Here are some helpful tips:

• Choose a lean cut of meat and trim off any remaining fatty tissues to ensure that the resulting jerky won’t spoil.
• Cut the chosen piece of meat into really thin slices. For this, a really good chef’s knife helps a lot.
• Placing the roast in the freezer until it’s partially frozen also helps in cutting the meat into really thin slices.

The meat is usually marinated in a salty mixture to give it taste, but also to draw moisture out of the meat and to help the jerky stay good for a longer time. Many recipes also call for a sugary component, but sugar has no use other than to add taste so there won’t be any added sugar in our healthy jerky recipe.

In this recipe, the jerky is roasted at a very low temperature instead of slowly dried. This roasting requires a special attention in order not to overcook the meat and end up with pieces of wood. The jerky is ready when it doesn’t break, but still bends. It’ll stay good for about 3 weeks, but should be refrigerated.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 lb lean top round or sirloin beef roast, fat trimmed and partially frozen;
2. 2 tbsp water;
3. 1 clove garlic, finely chopped;
4. 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper;
5. 1/4 tsp sea salt;
6. 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper;
7. 1 tsp chili powder;
8. 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce;

Preparation

1. With a good knife, cut the roast into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick.
2. Combine the water, garlic, cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper, chili powder and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.
3. Add the beef slices to the mixture, cover and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to penetrate the meat.
4. Place the beef slices, without their marinating liquid, side by side on baking sheets and roast in a 175 F oven for about 3 hours.
5. Turn the meat over and roast for another hour or two, until the meat is dry but still bends without breaking.
6. Enjoy and place the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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