Beef Jerky: Healthy Snacks You Can Make at Home

Author: Angie Goeser

Most people don’t think of beef jerky when they are trying to come up with a healthy, filling, low calorie snack. Beef jerky is also high in protein and low in fat. Best of all, you can make your own in 5 simple steps.


STEP 1: Select Meat Choosing a lean cut of beef is best for ease of preparation and flavor. You can’t go wrong with sirloin, top round or eye round. But don’t forget! Although jerky is traditionally made using beef--turkey, chicken, deer and fish make a delicious jerky snack you won’t want to pass up!


STEP 2:
Slice Meat Cut the meat into slices approximately 1/8” thick, trimming off all of the fat as you go. You can cut with or against the grain of the meat…some say cutting strips against the grain make a jerky that easier to chew. And here’s a trick of the trade! Freeze the meat for 20-30 minutes before slicing to make this step a breeze!


STEP 3:
Marinate Meat This is my favorite step…get creative! Place the meat in a container and coat it with whatever you want! Try a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, fresh ground pepper and water for a sweet jerky or kick it up a little with your favorite bottle of spicy marinade, some
cayenne pepper flakes and a good 20 shakes of Louisiana Hot Sauce! Place in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours to allow the meat to absorb the flavor. Check out http://www.good-oil.com/index.php?search=Recipes for Beef Jerky for some great flavor ideas.


Step 4: Dehydrate Meat Preheat your oven to 150 degrees. Place strips of meat on a wire rack over a foil-lined cookie sheet and place in the oven.
Keep the oven door cracked a bit while drying to let out any extra moisture. If you are making your jerky in a dehydrator, place meat evenly on racks, making sure the strips are not touching. Now remember…this step takes time. The perfect jerky can take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours to complete…but trust me--it’s worth the wait!! Begin to check the jerky frequently after 6 to 7 hours. Your jerky will be done when it appears firm and dry. It should bend so it cracks a bit, but should not snap in half.


STEP 5: Store Meat If you are anything like me and will eat up your jerky in a matter of days, you can store it in a sealed container or Ziploc baggie
at room temperature. Also, placing jerky in plastic bags and storing it in your refrigerator or freezer will ensure freshness for several months!


STEP 6: ENJOY!! I know, I know! I said “Five Easy Steps” and I actually have six! But this one doesn’t require any work at all! Enjoy your jerky…whatever kind you make! And don’t forget that it’s healthy! High in protein and low in fat. So whether it’s a for an afternoon snack, a munchie to pack with the camping gear or an ‘extra’ in the kids’
lunchbox...after you make your own jerky, all you have to do is enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!

About the Author:

Angie has her Doctorate in Pharmacy and writes for several pharmacy-related journals. She is a beef jerky enthusiast and in her free time, writes articles and blogs for http://www.jerky.com/

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com
- Beef Jerky: Healthy Snacks You Can Make at Home

Beef Jerky Recipes

Author: Robin Wood

Jerky recipes include, but are not limited to:



• Beef jerky recipes


• Alligator and Crocodile jerky recipes


• Kangaroo fillet steak jerky recipe


• Emu steak jerky


• Deer and Venison jerky recipes


• Duck, Goose, and Turkey jerky recipes


• Turtle soup recipe


• Jerky sweet n’ sour


• Jerky hot n’ spicy


• Cured jerky


• Teriyaki jerky


Use the following list whenever you are making your favourite jerky related dish to ensure a favourable result every time:


• Always dry your jerky at a temperature between 140 and 150 degrees. Do this for at least four hours to keep it from spoiling over the long term.


• Ensure that your jerky has consistent thickness. The size of each strip is very important; the slices should be 5 inches long by 2 inches wide. The thickness should be a ¼ of an inch.


• Always cut slices against the grain. This helps to ensure for lean cuts of meat. Otherwise the overall consistency of your jerky batch will be too variable.


• Marinate the meat for up to 8 hrs. Do so in the refrigerator, while consistently poking it well with a fork. After you have done this, partially freeze the jerky. Remember, you don't have to marinate the meat before drying.


• Always flip the slices in the marinade to ensure even distribution.


• If you think that you have over dried your jerky, then keep it in a plastic bag and add a few slices of bread to the bag. The moister from the bread should increase the moisture content in the jerky.


• Jerky can be stored for over two years if it is kept in zip-lock bags or other some other airtight container.


You also have a lot of other ways of relishing jerky. Find a variety of flavours available for beef jerky. You can order it and relish the different flavours.

About the Author:

Author is a renowned chef in Australia. He has authored many cook books and starred in food network television programs.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com
- Beef Jerky Recipes

Beef Jerky - A Healthy Snack For an Active Lifestyle

Author:
Warren Ransom

For a healthy, portable snack, one needs to look no further than the nutrient dense, low calorie, and filling treat, beef jerky. Jerky has been an important part of many people's lives for centuries, but with the advent of modern agriculture and food distribution, it has been relegated to a small niche on a supermarket shelf. While most people associate beef jerky with the old west, this healthy food is readily available, and makes an excellent snack anytime, especially with our busy modern lifestyle. It is a perfect on-the-go food for outdoor activities, and is easily carried in a bag or pocket for an anytime snack.

Beef jerky is an excellent source of lean protein, which promotes a feeling of fullness, and is a perfect choice to help sustain a person through the day. The low fat content helps keep calories down, and means it is healthier than many other snack options. For those on low carbohydrate diets, beef jerky is a perfect treat to help satisfy your craving for food without the accompanying carbohydrates. A celery stick doesn't seem an exciting option for many of us, and a savory snack such as beef jerky is satisfying without being a dieter's nightmare. It should come as no surprise to hear that supermodels have been known to nibble jerky throughout the day to help them feel satisfied and avoid the cravings that can come from dieting.

A 1 ounce serving of beef jerky can have as little as one gram of fat and, supplying the body with much needed nutrients without the sugar, fat, and preservatives that seem prevalent in every snack food these days. The ultimate portable food, beef jerky is easy to carry, store, enjoy, and share. While some commercial beef jerky products may be high in sodium, low salt options are readily available. If you can't find it at the grocery store, beef jerky is amazingly easy to make at home, without the need for special equipment. While dehydrators are not expensive, beef jerky can easily be made in a conventional oven with little effort. And jerky is not limited to beef, just about any meat can be made into jerky, and just about any flavor may be added to a variety of meats, with surprisingly good results.

Real beef jerky comes as strips of dried meat, firm yet pliant and ready for the road. It can be stored for indefinite periods of time, and is both pocket and shelf stable. Certain mass produced jerky sticks are not the beef jerky of yore, and often contain many other things that meat (fillers and preservatives). Many faux-jerky products come in special packaging, and leave behind a oily wrapper that must be disposed of. Real jerky is easy to carry, dry, so there is no transfer of oil or moisture, and a convenient way to take a small meal with you without having to worry about any preparation. There truly is no better food for an easy snack away from home.

If you are looking for beef jerky recipes for dehydrator, jerky making tips, and easy how-to instructions, The Jerky FAQ at http://www.jerkyfaq.com is a complete guide to making jerky at home, or finding beef jerky online. Making your own favorite jerky is easier than you think, and this satisfying snack has been hiding in plain sight for too long.

About the Author:

Warren Ransom is a personal chef and manages a number of websites devoted to food and dining.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com
- Beef Jerky - A Healthy Snack For an Active Lifestyle

Making Beef Jerky at Home - Simple, Inexpensive, & Delicious!

Author: Warren Ransom

Beef jerky is nothing more than
dried meat, a shelf stable and nutritious, tasty treat. As moisture is
removed, flavors concentrate, and any additional seasonings added to
the meat take on a life of their own. Making beef jerky at home is an
incredibly simple process, and requires no special equipment. Beef
jerky can be stored for long periods of time without going bad, and
makes for a healthy, tasty snack any time. Most people think beef jerky
is only found in hermetically sealed bags in the grocery store, however
making jerky at home, out of any meat, is accomplished with just a few
steps and may be tailored to any taste you prefer, from smoky, to
sweet, to spicy.

Before modern food processing, man made jerky out of any
available meat, with no more than the sun or a campfire. As long as the
meat is lean and prepared properly, it can easily be made into jerky.
These days, a person can better tailor the results to any taste
preference, and making jerky at home is as easy as preparing the meat,
marinating it and setting it out to dry. These days, jerky is
surprisingly popular, and every grocery store seems to carry some. It
can be found in convenience stores, and in some areas it is even sold
by the side of the road. Store bough jerky can be an expensive item,
however, and often the meat has been treated with additives. Also, any
time you buy a prepared item at the store, you should expect to pay a
premium over home made items. An easy way to keep costs down, and
ensure your jerky is just the way you want it, is to make it yourself.
Jerky is also an easy way to preserve game meat such as venison or elk,
which many people may hunt and find themselves with an abundance of
meat.

Making jerky at home is easy.
There are a few simple rules of which you should be aware to ensure
both a safe and tasty product.

Most importantly, the meat should be lean. Fatty meat will go
rancid and will not dry properly. Fat in the meat will result in a
subpar product that won't last very long out of the refrigerator (or
even in it). Commonly, beef is used for jerky, in which case the best
cuts to use are flank steak or round steak. Various game meats such as
buffalo, elk, venison, caribou, and many others can also be used as
long as lean cuts are chosen.

Some people swear by a dehydrator, which is a multi-tasker
than can be used for much more than just drying meat. While a
dehydrator can make excellent jerky, it is by no means necessary and an
oven will easily suffice. A smoker can also make excellent jerky, while
imparting a stronger smoky taste, which many people appreciate. Sun
drying is possible, but risky if proper safety measures are not taken,
and can also take a much longer time to dry your meat effectively.

The easiest way to prepare the meat is by freezing it to the
point of firmness but while it is not yet fully frozen. Cut the meat
into strips no more than a quarter of an inch thick, half to three
quarters of an inch wide, and six to eight inches long for the perfect
working size. You should cut the meat across the grain to ensure a
proper finished texture, and again, make sure than all visible fat and
gristle has been removed.

Seasonings are multiple and varied. In the olden days, beef
was merely treated with salt and pepper and dried, which actually
results in quite a satisfying end product. Meat is more commonly
marinated these days, however, but there are still many dry rubs and
other methods used that can make great beef jerky. Some folks engage in
what is called a 'quick cook' method to start the process, whereby the
meat strips are dropped in a pot of boiling water for a minute or two,
which may kill any bacteria that may be on the meat and prepares the
meat for a dry rub. While this is one method, often simply marinating
the meat for a period of time results in more depth of flavor and is
just as safe; however both choices produce tasty beef jerky.

Making Beef Jerky

Most dehydrators will come with instructions for drying jerky,
and they usually vary from machine to machine. For most people, the
oven is a convenient way of making jerky at home, and is simple and
readily available. For this, you will need a wire rack for the meat to
dry on and a cookie sheet or low pan underneath to catch the drippings.
Generally speaking, set your oven to 140 degrees and let it get to
temperature. Prepare and marinate the meat according to your
instructions (a great, simple beef jerky recipe will follow this
article). Place the strips of meat on the wire rack and place in the
oven above the sheet or pan and leave the door of the oven open a
crack. The beef jerky should be ready in six to eight hours, and you
will know when it is done when it has turned very dark, and when it is
bent, it will slightly crack but not break.

If you happen to have a smoker, this is a good option as well
since the additional smoke flavor from the smoker will enhance the
taste of the jerky in a way that liquid smoke just can't. Only a small
handful of coals should be fine or eight bricks of charcoal if you
don't have any wood handy. Remember to keep the heat down to about 140
degrees as you are not trying to cook the beef, just dry it out. You
may have to add some coals as time goes on, as it should take six to
eight hours for the beef jerky to be ready.

Storing your jerky

When your jerky has dried, let it cool completely before
removing from the rack. Then place it in zip-lock bags or air tight
jars. It will keep many weeks in the refrigerator, and will last years
in the freezer. Just grab a piece for an anytime snack, or put it in a
pocket or bag for an on-the-go treat. Beef jerky is simple and
inexpensive to make at home, and a highly nutritious treat for anyone,
anywhere.

Easy Basic Beef Jerky Marinade:

1 1/2 lb Lean Boneless Beef

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

1 ts Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 ts Onion Powder

1/4 ts Ground Black Pepper

1/4 ts Garlic Powder

1/4 ts Liquid Smoke

Vegetable oil cooking spray for rack

In a medium-size glass, stoneware, plastic or stainless steel
bowl, combine soy sauce, Worcestershire, onion powder, pepper, garlic
powder, and liquid smoke. Stir to dissolve seasonings. Add meat and mix
until all surfaces are thoroughly coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate
for at least 6 hours or until next day, stirring occasionally; recover
tightly after stirring. Dehydrate according to instructions above.

If you are looking for beef jerky recipes, jerky making
tips, and easy how-to instructions, The Jerky FAQ at
http://www.jerkyfaq.com
is a complete guide to making jerky at home, or finding beef jerky
online.

About the Author:

Warren Ransom is a personal chef and manages a number of
websites devoted to food and dining.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com
- Making Beef Jerky at Home - Simple, Inexpensive, & Delicious!

Beef Jerky Recipe - Organic Beef Jerky

Organic Beef Jerky

Author:
Robin Wood

What is organic beef jerky?

Organic beef jerky is one of the healthiest options for a tasty, any-time snack. It is easy to store and does not go bad easily as it is resistant to bacteria-related contamination.

How does organic beef jerky differ from regular jerky?

While regular jerky is made from regular beef, organic beef jerky is made from high-grade organic beef. Organic beef comes from cattle that are fed only natural foods, such as grains and grasses. Additionally, the cattle that are used to make organic beef are not given any growth hormones or antibiotics.

In fact, there are various stringent criteria that must be met in order for beef to be certified as ‘organic’. Normally, the standards used to differentiate organic beef from other kinds of beef are:

• Organic beef must be procured from cattle that are born and raised on a farm that has a certified organic pasture.

• Organic beef must be procured from cattle that have not been administered with antibiotic medication.

• Organic beef must be procured from cattle that have not received any form of growth hormones or growth hormone-related products.

• Organic beef must be procured from cattle that have been fed using only organic grains and grasses.

• Organic beef must be procured from cattle that have unrestricted outdoor access.

• Organic beef must be procured from a facility that upholds standards pertaining to the ethical treatment of animals.
So there you have it! Now you are aware of the time and effort that goes into ensuring that a product is certified ‘organic’. Perhaps this has given you an insight into why organic products often cost more then their non-organic counterparts. Ensure that brands that advertise themselves as ‘natural or semi-organic’ do not fool you. Make sure you read the labelling fully in order to determine whether a product is in fact, organic.

Beef Jerky Recipes

About the Author:

Author is a renowned chef in Australia. He has authored many cook books and starred in food network television programs. www.mrspalmersjerky.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Organic Beef Jerky

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