[pct-l] Beef Jerky Recipe

[Stephen Adams]

Some friends I met on the JMT in July had their jerky go bad on them.  I wonder what they did wrong.  Some tips on not having dried meat spoil in re-supplies and on the trail etc would probably be helpful to folks new to it.  Just a thought.
On Nov 14, 2009, at 7:27 PM, eckert wrote:

> I had the following tucked away on an old hard drive from the late 
> 90's.  None of the four recipes are difficult, so it would be easy to 
> try a couple to see what you think.  You can also modify the basic 
> ingredients to taste.  For example, I like a /lot /of garlic.
> 
> eckert
> 
> *Jerky*
> 
> 
> Jerky is the name given to raw meat that has been sliced thin, seasoned, 
> and dried.  It is eaten dried and will not reconstitute when water is 
> added.  Home-dried jerky is far superior to commercial jerky and usually 
> costs from $2 to $3 per pound compared to $12 to $18 per pound for 
> commercial jerky.  Four pounds of lean, fresh meat will make about 1 
> pound of jerky.  Jerky was a staple in the diet of the pioneers and is 
> still a popular food for camping and backpacking, and is a nutritional 
> snack for everyone.
> 
> 
> *Types of Meats to use for Jerky*
> 
> 
> Any /lean/ meat will make good jerky, but some cuts are better than 
> others.  Rump roasts, sirloin tip roasts, the round, and the brisket all 
> make excellent jerky.  Flank steak is so good that it has earned the 
> reputation of being the "filet mignon" of jerky.  Watch the meat 
> specials in the store and try to get the best value.
> 
> 
> It is also possible to use less expensive cuts of meat such as chuck 
> roasts; but with the higher fat content, there is less jerky per pound 
> of meat, and the jerky will not keep as long without freezing or 
> refrigeration.  Fully cooked boneless ham may also be made into jerky, 
> but must be stored in the freezer or refrigerator if you plan to keep it 
> for more than a week or two.
> 
> 
> *Preparation for drying*
> 
> Cut the meat across the grain in slices about 3/16 inch thick. (I 
> prefer to slice it a little thinner, 1/8" or so). The butcher will 
> frequently cut the meat for you without additional charge.  If you slice 
> it yourself, partially freezing it makes it easier to slice evenly. 
> 
> 
> 
>   Remove excess fat.
> 
> 
> 
>   Marinate the sliced meat in one of the following recipes overnight in 
> the refrigerator in a lightly covered container.
> 
> * *
> 
> *      Drying*
> 
> 
> 
>   Jerky should be dried at a temperature of 140º to 160ºF. to prevent 
> bacterial growth.  (I dry my jerky in a toaster oven with the door 
> propped open 1"-2").
> 
>   Dry the jerky in single layers until a piece cracks but does not 
> break in pieces when you bend it.
> 
>   As it dries, blot it with paper towels to remove any excess beads of 
> oil that may collect on the top
> 
>   Cut the jerky into smaller pieces with kitchen scissors and remove 
> any visible fat.
> 
>        Let it cool and store it in an airtight container
> 
> 
> 
> *Marinade recipes*
> 
> 
> 
> *Spicy*
> 
> **
> 
> 	
> 
> *Teriyaki*
> 
> **
> 
> 	
> 
> *Hot 'n Spicy*
> 
> **
> 
> 	
> 
> *Sweet 'n Sour*
> 
> **
> 
> **
> 
> 2 tbs. water
> 
> 	
> 
> ½ cup soy sauce
> 
> 	
> 
> 2 tbs. water
> 
> 	
> 
> 1 tbs. soy sauce
> 
> 1 tbs. A-1 sauce
> 
> 	
> 
> ¼ cup brown sugar
> 
> 	
> 
> 2 tbs. Worcestershire
> 
> 	
> 
> ½ cup vinegar
> 
> 1 tbs. Worcestershire
> 
> 	
> 
> 1 tsp. ground ginger
> 
> 	
> 
> 2 tbs. A-1 sauce
> 
> 	
> 
> ½ cup pineapple juice
> 
> 2 tbs. soy sauce
> 
> 	
> 
> 2 clove crushed garlic
> 
> 	
> 
> ½ tsp. liquid smoke
> 
> 	
> 
> ¼ cup brown sugar
> 
> ½  tsp. liquid smoke
> 
> 	
> 
> ¼ tsp. pepper
> 
> 	
> 
> ¼ tsp. pepper
> 
> 	
> 
> ¾ tsp. salt
> 
> ¼ tsp. pepper
> 
> 	
> 
> 
> 	
> 
> 1 tsp. salt
> 
> 	
> 
> ¼ tsp. pepper
> 
> 1 tsp. salt
> 
> 	
> 
> 
> 	
> 
> ¼ tsp. cayenne
> 
> 	
> 
> 1 tsp. onion powder
> 
> ½ tsp. onion powder
> 
> 	
> 
> 
> 	
> 
> ½ tsp. onion powder
> 
> 	
> 
> 1 clove crushed garlic
> 
> 1 clove crushed garlic
> 
> 	
> 
> 
> 	
> 
> 2 clove crushed garlic
> 
> 	
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mary Kwart wrote:
>> Howdy fellow backpackers:
>> 
>> Does anyone have a favorite recipe for making beef jerky? I want to make some for next season's hiking.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> Fireweed
>> _______________________________________________
>> Pct-l mailing list
>> Pct-l at backcountry.net
>> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>> 
>> 
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l