TexasMac's Low-cost, Fast, Jerky Recipe Using Ground Meat
This was especially written for those of you who have never made jerky but have always wanted to. It's quite simple and easy and relatively cheap with the correct tools. I've also added other data on jerky you may enjoy reading.
Wayne
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Introduction:
In various forms, dried cured meat has been a food staple for centuries. The Quechua, a South American tribe of the Inca's, are credited with introducing it around 1550. Meat was pounded between stones and then seasoned, cooked, and dried. They called it ch'arki. The Spanish later changed the name slightly to Charqui (chär-ke), of which jerky is a corrupted form.
Closer to home and more recently the North American Indians, explorers, and settlers made good use of jerky. Readers of western novels know that a cowboy out on the range wouldn't be caught dead without some jerky stuffed in his saddlebag. Today, jerky is sold by the ounce at every convenience store or grocery store as a low-fat, high protein, snack food. But due to processing costs it is quite expensive.
The Indians and early settlers smoked and dried prepared meat over open fires, or hung it in the sun to dry for many days. A quick Internet search will turn up hundreds of recipes. Most of these are based on sliced meat dried in a ventilated oven at low temperatures for several hours. I'd like to share with you my favorite recipe for making low-cost, excellent tasting, homemade jerky the easy way.
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The main items are a good food dehydrator and an indispensable tool called the Jerky Works. I evaluated several dehydrators and finally settled on one by American Harvest, sold at Wall Mart's and Sams Warehouses. It has stackable trays, works great, and is very easy to clean. Additional trays can be purchased separately to add capacity. Regardless of the manufacturer, I strongly suggest fan-powered units, which work much faster than convection only dehydrators.
The Jerky Works tool, also made by American Harvest, looks and functions like a large cake-decorating gun to form ground meat into uniform flat or round strips of any desired length. It can be mail ordered, but I found it cheaper at Wall Mart. I highly recommend the Jerky Works. It eliminates several steps in preparing the meat. It is not as messy as other techniques and cleans up easily. It also makes it easy to control the length of the strips to fit the drying trays.
The 'original'; jerky seasoning mix from American Harvest is very convenient and excellent (available from Wall Mart in small packages). Several other flavors are also available to experiment with. I suggest starting with no more than 1 to 2 lbs. of meat until you're comfortable with the technique and amount of seasoning mix to use. Using my recipe the American Harvest unit is limited to a maximum of 1 lb. of meat per dehydrator tray.
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Notes:
1) One of the keys to good jerky is using low-fat meat. I prefer venison, but very lean beef is certainly excellent. Use the leanest ground beef you can find, or better yet, have lean meat ground up after first removing all the fat. Most of the remaining fat will melt during the dehydrating process, collect on the top of the meat and periodically have to be cleaned off. In addition, fat left in the finished jerky will reduce the self-life. Fat turns rancid, resulting in a bad smell and taste if not refrigerated for long periods of time (weeks). When the jerky if finished but still hot from the dehydrator, clean as much excess fat off the meat as possible before storing.
2) A good practice to follow when using wild game meat is to freeze the meat for at least 30 days at 0°F or lower before using. This precaution kills any parasites that the animal may have carried.
3) As a precaution against the risk of salmonella when making jerky from the meat of domestic or wild turkey, chicken, or pork, be sure to heat it to a minimum of 160° (some recommend 180°) for at least 30 minutes. This can be done either before or after the jerky is made. If done after the jerky is made it will further dehydrate the meat, so plan for this step when determining how long to leave the meat in the dehydrator.
4) Drying time depends on many factors: the thickness of the meat, the room humidity, how heavily the dehydrator is loaded, the dehydrator temperature setting and/or wattage rating, will the jerky be subjected to additional heating to kill salmonella (in the case of turkey, chicken, or pork), and how hard you prefer the final jerky. Trial and error experimentation is the only way I have found to determine when to remove the jerky from the dehydrator. My recipe notes provides some guidelines. One thing to avoid is over-drying the meat, which will result in brittle and very hard jerky. Expect the finished jerky to become slightly harder and tougher after it cools down from the heat of the dehydrator.
5) For additional safety precautions and guidelines please refer to the attached article by Mary Bell. I copied it from THE DRY STORE Internet site, which is no longer in existence. This site also has additional information and supplies for making jerky.
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Preparing the seasoning mix: (This following is for 1 lb. of meat - use twice as much for 2 lbs. of meat, and so forth):
If using the jerky seasoning mix from American Harvest, the directions suggest using one envelope of seasoning and one envelope of curing salt per lb. of meat. When used with ground meat, I have found that ¾ envelope of both the seasoning and salt works fine per pound of meat. Pour the ingredients in a bowl, add the desired amount of cayenne pepper, and mix thoroughly. For a light spicy taste add 1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper. For medium spicy taste add 1/2 tsp., and for hot spicy jerky add 3/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper. Of course, this is to my taste. I recommend that you start out using 1/4 tsp. or less of cayenne pepper per lb. of meat.
Using ground meat: (If using game meat see note 2 above on page 1.)
This is my favorite recipe. It is based on using very lean ground meat and has several advantages. Meat slicing is eliminated. The marinating process is not necessary. The jerky is not as tough as in recipes using whole meat. The formed meat strips dehydrate at the same rate and are uniform for easier packaging and long-term storage.
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Using the Jerky Works tool:
1. Blend the prepared seasoning and ground meat. I mix it by hand by squeezing the seasoned meat through my fingers for a few minutes. Expect the meat to turn a darker color during the mixing process. It will be sufficiently mixed when the darker color is uniform and there are not areas of brighter red meat. The mixture will also become smoother and "gummier" in the process.
2. Using the Jerky Works tool squeeze out the strips on the dehydrator trays.
3. Dehydrate for several hours (around 4 to 7 hours at 145°F is usually sufficient - see note 3 above). If the meat has a substantial amount of fat, check every hour or so and pat the meat with a paper towel to remove any surface oil that has collected. Depending on the fat content, it may be necessary to turn over each piece and remove the surface oil from both sides.
A slower but quite satisfactory method:
1. Prepare the meat as previously instructed.
2. Place the prepared meat between two sheets of waxed paper.
3. Roll out to desired thickness (3/16 inch to 1/4 inch thick works best for me).
4. Remove the top layer of wax paper.
5. Using a sharp knife cut meat into strips of desired length and width by cutting completely through the meat and bottom layer of wax paper.
6. Grabbing the ends of the wax paper strips, lay the strips on the dehydrator trays meat down and peel the wax paper off.
7. Dehydrate for several hours as previously noted.
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Some of my results:
Drying time note - my dehydrator is a 550-watt unit. I use the meat setting, which is 145 degrees and the maximum setting. Many dehydrators are preset for a temperature of 145 degrees but have lower wattage heaters therefore drying times will be longer. The drying time for a 250-watt unit will be over twice the times I've noted below.
Using 6 lbs. of ground venison (the maximum my 6-tray dehydrator will hold)
· 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper per lb.
· 1 envelope of American Harvest spice and 1 envelope of salt per lb.
· Formed meat into two different flat strips (using the hand press and the jerky gun). Also formed the meat into round strips using the jerky gun.
· Drying time: 5&1/2 hrs. for the flat strips, 6&1/2 hrs. for the round strips (should have dried the round strips for another hour).
Results: good taste, pepper just right. Prefer the flat strips using the jerky gun. Could probably get by with 3/4 envelope of spice and salt per lb. of meat, i.e. four envelopes of spices and salt per 6 lbs. of meat.
Using 6 lbs. of ground venison
· 2 rounded tsp. of cayenne pepper for 6 lbs.
· Mixed 4 envelope of spices and salt with 6 lbs. of meat (3/4 package per lb.) Used a mixture of American Harvest spices consisting of 1 Cajun beef, 1 pepperoni beef, and 2 original flavors.
· Formed meat into flat strips using the jerky gun. In order to have enough room using 6 trays I had to make sure the pieces were as close as possible.
· Drying time was 7 hrs.
Results: good taste, pepper just right. I prefer the original flavor by itself.
Using 6 lbs. of ground venison
· 1/2 flat tsp. of cayenne pepper per lb.
· Mixed 4 envelopes of American Harvest original flavor spices and salt with 6 lbs. of meat (3/4 package of each per lb.)
· Formed meat into flat strips using the jerky gun. In order to have enough room using 6 trays I had to make sure the pieces were as close as possible.
· Drying time was 6 hrs.
Results: Great. No more pepper than this.
Yield: Weighing the prepared meat and resulting jerky from several batches, ground up deer meat will yield around 42%. Therefore should expect approximately Made 2.5 lbs. of jerky from 6 lbs. of lean ground venison. If using lean ground beef I expect the yield to be less, likely in the 35% range. Of course the yield depends on several factors such as fat content, moisture content and how long the jerky is dehydrated.
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JERKY SAFETY, By Mary Bell
Copied from THE DRY STORE Internet site (
http://www.drystore.com/book-just-jerky.shtml) which in no longer in existence.
IS IT OK TO EAT?
Jerky is generally raw meat that's been flavored and dried. This often raises fears that may, in fact, be unfounded. If the plan is to stuff unrefrigerated meat in a backpack, jerky is safer to eat than cured ham, smoked turkey breast or a roast beef sandwich.
Once the internal temperature of meat reaches 145 degrees F. and stays at that temperature for at least ten minutes, salmonella, E-coli and trichinosis are no longer threatening, according to Dr. Art Maurer, professor of poultry products technology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Maurer says jerky has an overlap of three safety factors going for it. First, most dehydrators--and most means those capable of sustaining a temperature of 145 degrees--are hot enough to kill most bacteria. Second, salt levels in jerky are higher than in other uncooked meats. Third, the drying process eliminates more than 90 percent of the water, the medium that bacteria needs to grow.
Although rare, trichinosis has been found in pork products and game meats such as bear and walrus. To eliminate the parasite trichinosis, a constant temperature of 135 degrees for five to 10 minutes is sufficient. Freezing also destroys the parasite if the raw meat is held at -20 degrees F. for six days.
Making jerky engages the senses. You smell the marinade, feel the meat's texture for dryness and, to ensure shelf-life safety, you rely on sight. If jerky is not dried enough, it can develop mold, though. When mold is found on jerky, all foods stored together in the same container must be discarded. Don't confuse a white ash on the surface of dried meats as mold, though. During the dehydration process, liquid components come to the surface and dry. That white ash film is apt to be crystallized salt, which is not a hazard.
A teaspoon of salt added to a pound of meat is no more than flavoring. However, when the meat is dried, that teaspoon of salt inhibits bacteria. Salty ingredients--soy, Worcestershire, pickling and curing salt--become preservatives.
It's best to use pickling and curing salt rather than table salt. Avoid rock salt, which contains too many impurities. Table salt has iodine, which may cause an avoidable chemical reaction if the meat marinates in an aluminum container.
SAFE STORAGE
According to Maurer, the shelf life is dependent on moisture content, packaging and storage temperature. The water activity in dried jerky will be very low, so most bacteria, yeast and many molds will not grow. The better the package, the longer the shelf life. The colder the temperature, the longer the shelf life. So it appears that a properly dried jerky product with good packaging should have a room temperature shelf life of at least half a year, Maurer says.
Like any other dried food, jerky lasts longest when stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. Airtight containers include jars with tight-fitting lids or sealable plastic bags. Even though our ancestors dried meat and fish and kept it from year to year without refrigeration, I recommend storing jerky in the refrigerator or freezer, especially if you want to keep it longer than one month. Storage life can be affected by humidity and temperature of the storage area. I have kept jerky in a jar on the counter for several months. It doesn't taste as fresh as when I keep it in the refrigerator or freezer. This is especially true for thicker pieces of jerky. When jerky contains fat, it has more potential to turn rancid and shouldn't be stored at room temperature.
Moisture content is jerky's biggest contamination factor. There's greater surface contamination with poor packaging. Botulism is very rare, although it's found in fish once in awhile, says Maurer. However, botulism only grows in the absence of air. Jerky is not prone to botulism unless it's vacuum packed improperly, then not refrigerated. Many commercial jerkies are vacuum packed.
When making jerky, it's always a good idea to label jerky packages with name and date of drying process. I write the type of jerky on masking tape, put it on the marinating container, and then transfer it to the drying trays. When the jerky is dry, I put this same label on the storage container.
When packaging jerky that feels oily, wrap it in paper towels and let cool for a couple of hours. The toweling will absorb excess oil. Discard the oily paper toweling and wrap again in clean paper towels. Place the wrapped jerky in a container. This will help prevent rancidity and encourage longer storage. If it smells rancid or if mold forms in the container, discard it.
SAFE TEMPERATURES
All raw meats must be dried at temperatures of 145 degrees and above. The internal temperature of the meat pieces must remain at this temperature for at least 10 minutes. Check to make sure your dehydrator runs continuously at the same temperature. If you have a dehydrator that does not have a temperature control, you can still use it to dry jerky. However, once the jerky is dry, it's a good idea to put it in the oven at the lowest temperature setting. When drying precooked foods, temperature isn't as important.
SAFE TIMING
Jerky generally dries in 4 to 20 hours. Time varies depending on the type and wattage of the dehydrator or oven. Many factors must be taken into consideration: the amount of jerky you're making, the number of trays in a dehydrator, water content of wet jerky, size of pieces (generally 1/4-inch thick and 4 to 5 inches long), humidity in the air and the temperature used. Faster drying can be accomplished by increasing the temperature. If jerky becomes too crisp, it was dried too long or the temperature was too high.
SAFE COOKING
If your dehydrator doesn't have a temperature control and there's no way to determine the drying temperature, as a safety precaution you may want to precook foods to be made into jerky.
Cooking includes steaming, braising, baking or simmering. Strips of meat or fish, including ground meat strips can be placed on cookie sheets, put in the oven for 20 minutes at 150 degrees F., then dried in a dehydrator or smoker.
Benefits of cooking prior to drying include:
Cooking releases moisture, which shortens the drying process. Cooking helps eliminate fat. Cooking lengthens the storage life. Cooked jerky is a more stable product. Cooked jerky reconstitutes faster and has a better texture. Jerky can be made from leftover cooked meat and fish. Cut up cooked Thanksgiving turkey or Easter ham into cubes or strips and place in a drying environment.
IS IT DRY YET?
Jerky darkens and shrinks when it's dry. One pound of raw meat or fish generally dries to between 1/3 and 1/2 pound of jerky. When testing for dryness, always feel cooled pieces-warm pieces feel more pliable. It's safer to over dry than to under dry.
"Dry" has many different meanings to people. Here's a look at how a variety of sources describe their methods for knowing when jerky is dry:
Squeeze a piece of dried jerky between your thumb and forefinger-you should not feel any moisture or soft spots in the jerky.
Dry until firm, but not as crisp as a tortilla chip, and not so dry that it shatters.
When folded in half, jerky breaks.
Jerky bends like a green willow.
It won't snap clean like a dry stick.
Jerky is hard to cut with a regular knife. A serrated knife or kitchen scissors work better.
FATTY ITEMS
Fat or oil does not dry. During the drying process, it beads up on the surface of the jerky. That's why it's important to cut off as much fat as possible when preparing meat and fish to make jerky. When making jerky from pork, it must be cooked and the fat removed before being dried. When you remove fat, you help eliminate more of the gamy taste.
Dog, chum and pink salmon are the least oily salmon and are best for drying in a dehydrator or oven. Any oil that beads up during drying in a dehydrator or oven must be patted off. On the other hand, when making smoked fish jerky, choose a fatty fish because oil has a tenderizing effect during smoking. In a smoker, the oil drips off and burns away.
