Original recipe courtesy of Men’s Journal, adapted by Alicia Corvino
Day 1:
Buy 2 pounds of meat. The leanest cuts are best. Note: 1 pound of raw meat will yield about ½ pound of jerky.
1.5 hours before marinating, trim fat and create ½ pound cuts of meat (try to keep long portions if possible), wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer.
Prepare marinade:
1 c soy sauce or Tamarind
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium jalapeno, diced with seeds (optional, I don’t use)
1 tbsp black peppercorns, ground
1 tbsp ginger powder
2 tbsp honey
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp cloves (optional, I don’t use)
Directions:
- Slice the meat: when meat is moderately frozen, slice along the long side of the cuts 1/8” – ¼” strips. Alternate cutting with and against the grain.
- Marinate: place strips of meat and marinade in a Ziploc bag, mix around so that meat is sufficiently covered and place in the refrigerator overnight. Let marinate for a minimum of 8 hours; 12-20 hours is best.
Day 2:
- Cook: place meat on dehydrator shelves and dehydrate for 12-16 hours. Times will vary based on your machine. Recommended temperature is 130-140 degrees.
- Finish the jerky: when the jerky is stiff and browned all the way through, you’re ready for fresh jerky snacking. Jerky will keep for months in an airtight container or Ziploc bag at room temperature.
