Homemade Beef Jerky: 3 Questions For You

J

JakeStratham

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I'll cut to the chase:

I'm making jerky. I've tried Alton Brown's recipe, opting to use my oven rather than the fan-and-filter method. His recipe is very good, but I want to simplify things.

One option is to use a brine instead of a marinade. So, here are my first 2 questions for you jerky makers:

Have you used a brine? If so, how did it turn out compared to marinades you've used? (Past threads - here, here, and here - did not mention brines.)

3rd question:

If you've used more than one recipe, what is your favorite one thus far?


Lastly, pictures (not mine):


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So, got a good recipe? :)
 


I use about half soy sauce and half Worchestershire sauce with onion powder and ground pepper. Maybe a teaspoon of each for every pound of meat roughly?

Soy sauce is the most common base by far, but you have to use something to counter how salty it is. Worchestershire sauce works well, but a good alternative to try is brown sugar. I've heard of people using honey as well, but that's kind of a pain in the ass.

I made some for my dad for his birthday that used powdered chipotle and papryka like what you get at the store for $1.50 a shaker since he likes things hotter and more spicy than I do, and he absolutely loved it. I tried some, and it was pretty good, but I don't handle anything remotely spicy well.

Overall, the basic way of making a marinade for this sort of thing is you can take a base of soy sauce, add something sweet to mask the saltiness and then add whatever spices you want.

Edit: I just looked at the recipe you linked to, and it's basically how I was taught to make it by my uncle growing up with the soy sauce/Worchestershire sauce base with a bunch of other random shit thrown in.

It's worth noting that your final yield will usually be about half the weight of the beef that you start with.
 
potentialeight said:
I use about half soy sauce and half Worchestershire sauce with onion powder and ground pepper. Maybe a teaspoon of each for every pound of meat roughly?

Soy sauce is the most common base by far, but you have to use something to counter how salty it is. Worchestershire sauce works well, but a good alternative to try is brown sugar. I've heard of people using honey as well, but that's kind of a pain in the ass.

I made some for my dad for his birthday that used powdered chipotle and papryka like what you get at the store for $1.50 a shaker since he likes things hotter and more spicy than I do, and he absolutely loved it. I tried some, and it was pretty good, but I don't handle anything remotely spicy well.

Overall, the basic way of making a marinade for this sort of thing is you can take a base of soy sauce, add something sweet to mask the saltiness and then add whatever spices you want.

Edit: I just looked at the recipe you linked to, and it's basically how I was taught to make it by my uncle growing up with the soy sauce/Worchestershire sauce base with a bunch of other random shit thrown in.

It's worth noting that your final yield will usually be about half the weight of the beef that you start with.
Click to expand...


I love spicy stuff, and used chipotle chile powder in my last batch. I don't do soy or wheat, so I've been using coconut aminos in the place of soy sauce (far better-tasting in my opinion):


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The problem is, it's expensive (about $1 an ounce) and a pain to buy since few grocery stores carry it.

For my next batch, I'm going to try a brine - kosher salt and water - with a ton of brown sugar and chipotle powder. It's cheaper, easier, and hot enough to scare off folks who'd otherwise raid my stash. :)
 
I usually just throw stuff in and taste the mix I make. Usually in it are:
Chilis- flakes, or the red thai ones cut open
Cloves
Onion flakes
Soy Sauce
Worchester sauce
Brown Sugar
Black Pepper


Variables:
maggi.jpg

Brown Sauce like this one^^
Terryiaki Sauce
Beef Broth
Fish Sauce
Cilantro
Mint
Hot peppers, or different ones like cerrano, chipotle, ghost, etc


Basically some salty base and then add some strong flavors as the front taste, and something mild with the aftertaste.
 
I've personally found it's cheaper and a lot more affordable to just purchase 1-2 lbs off ebay. By the time you buy the meat, take the time preparing it and everything you really start to wonder if it was worth it.

Other than to experiment and make your own special blend, it's hardly worth it.. just my 2cents
 
ShadowCaster said:
What? People sell food on ebay? I wouldn't even risk buying clothing there.
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Yeah there are a shit-ton of food products for sale on ebay. Everything from Jerky, to cookies and home cooked items. I've only ordered jerky off ebay and never had a problem with delivery or the product. There are actually a lot of small independent jerky shops that utilize ebay, rather than create their own site because it's easy for them to manage everything.
 
imbo55 said:
I've personally found it's cheaper and a lot more affordable to just purchase 1-2 lbs off ebay. By the time you buy the meat, take the time preparing it and everything you really start to wonder if it was worth it.

Other than to experiment and make your own special blend, it's hardly worth it.. just my 2cents
Click to expand...


With the brine I have planned, I can make a pound of jerky for under $8.

- $3/lb for London broil (shrinks to approx. 50% of its original weight)
- salt's practically free
- brown sugar is $3 a box (I'll use 1/2 of the box)
- chipotle powder is $2 a box (I'll use about 1/8 of the box)
- might use garlic powder, also $2 a box (I'll use far less than 1/8 of the box).


The offerings I'm seeing here:

Homemade Beef Jerky | eBay


... are priced far higher.

My other issue, as mentioned earlier, is that I don't do soy or wheat (which is found in most types of store-bought soy sauce). Many of the eBay sellers seem to use soy sauce, and some don't list their ingredients. To be honest, I'm not sure I trust the ones who do (it's my nature to distrust those I don't know).

EDIT: I buy a ton a meat at one time and throw it all into the freezer. I can get through prep quickly. Give me a 2-lb. slab of London broil, and I can remove the fat, cut it up into 1/6" slices, and bag it in 10 minutes. So I'm good there.

@potentialeight - you're right about working with honey. It's a pain. Having said that, I just ate a plate of oven-baked bacon - the only way to cook it - that I drizzled with honey. Finger-lickin' good!


@accord96: mint... never considered that for jerky. Thanks for the idea. :)
 
Fatbat said:
I so badly want to make my own jerky, this might just be the thread to push me over the edge.
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Here's how my first experience went:

I researched the heck out of it (ingredients and process). I wanted to make sure I didn't screw it up.

I finally did it, and screwed it up royally.

But I took notes, and my second batch came out with perfect texture and taste. The problem is, the ingredients I used are expensive since I mow through jerky. (It's my favorite snack while working.)

Do it Fatbat. Take a stab at it. The first time is going to suck, kinda like sex. But once you know how to do everything, it's awesome. ;)
 
imbo55 said:
I've personally found it's cheaper and a lot more affordable to just purchase 1-2 lbs off ebay. By the time you buy the meat, take the time preparing it and everything you really start to wonder if it was worth it.

Other than to experiment and make your own special blend, it's hardly worth it.. just my 2cents
Click to expand...
I don't know where you're getting that from. It usually runs about $25/pound on eBay, and I typically make batches of 3-3.5 pounds (final yield) for about $20 total.
 
JakeStratham said:
With the brine I have planned, I can make a pound of jerky for under $8.

- $3/lb for London broil (shrinks to approx. 50% of its original weight)
- salt's practically free
- brown sugar is $3 a box (I'll use 1/2 of the box)
- chipotle powder is $2 a box (I'll use about 1/8 of the box)
- might use garlic powder, also $2 a box (I'll use far less than 1/8 of the box).
Click to expand...

That is hella lot cheaper. Last time I made it, I think I must of spent at least $14 on the meat alone, and after it was made into jerky had a little over a pound.

potentialeight said:
I don't know where you're getting that from. It usually runs about $25/pound on eBay, and I typically make batches of 3-3.5 pounds (final yield) for about $20 total.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's about that. I think I spend right around $24 a pound if I buy it off ebay. I also like to try other flavors, so I have bought a ton from various jerky stores online.. I am not saying you will come anywhere near the costs if you make it yourself. I've just found the time it takes to

a) buy the ingredients
b) freeze the meat
c) cut the meat into strips
d) make the sauce
e) marinate the meat for 24hrs in the sauce
f) finally make the meat into jerky

Takes a hella long time and considering the fact that you need 50% more meat since it shrinks. It's really not worth the time and effort, unless I want to experiment with different flavors and such.

Either way, if you make it yourself or buy it fresh off ebay. Once you taste fresh jerky over Jack links or similar products that have a 1yr shelf life, there is no difference.
 
for the marinade I have used: Worcestershire + a reduction of my family's home made bbq sauce (has a kick, not sweet) and add fresh herbs from my herb garden.

went thru a huge phase last year of making jerky and ate about 1/4 pound a day for months on end...first time in years DR told me I had high cholesterol!
 
I have a little over 4 pounds of roasted pork(char siu) in the fridge that we'll probably make into Bao aka Manapua tomorrow. Homemade everything is great.

Making food is never really about cost effectiveness, you can eat at fast food restaurants and spend slightly more than if you made it yourself. Factory food won't ever change though, so you limit your experiences and risk health issues..

When you actually start tasting food, that's where you start to appreciate the recipes and the nuances of preparation that people take pride in.

I just noticed the tag fags, cute, but stupid.
 
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