Jerky is believed to be one of the first food products made by humans, and the process of making jerky is among the earliest known successful attempts at preserving food in ancient times. The process of making jerky, particularly when using traditional methods, is simple and calls only for a means by which to dry or smoke the meat and two ingredients: meat and salt. While beef jerky is the type most commonly seen today, meats from a variety of both wild and domestic animals have been used throughout history and are still used today, including kangaroo, kudu, alligator, turkey, emu and salmon.
The potential for bacterial growth is the wagyu beef online primary concern when making jerky. To guard against this possibility, it is necessary to include salt in the production process and to dry the meat quickly to prohibit bacterial growth. When preserved properly, beef jerky – as well as other types of jerky – can be stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.
With companies around the world making a wide array of jerky products, it is easy and convenient to either buy beef jerky online or purchase it through local retail establishments. However, making your own beef jerky at home can be a rewarding endeavour and a fun activity to do with friends or family members. To assist those who are interested in making homemade jerky, the following information provides a basic understanding of the ingredients and production process.
How to Make Beef Jerky: Common Ingredients
As mentioned above, jerky can be made with just meat and salt. However, it is most common that modern jerky makers will marinade the meat in a mixture of ingredients that will give each batch of jerky a unique flavour. Some of the most common ingredients used in making jerky today include soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, sugar, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and paprika.
How to Make Beef Jerky: Selecting and Preparing the Meat
It is possible to make jerky using ground beef, and some people prefer this method as a way to achieve a more tender jerky or to use scraps of meat that are too small for other jerky-making methods. However, most homemade jerky aficionados prefer dried meat snacks made from whole-muscle meats, which are thinly sliced to quicken the preservation process. Regardless of which type of meat you use, excess fat should be removed during the preparation process.
If ground meat is used, it should be mixed with your chosen ingredients, covered and kept in a refrigerator for a minimum of several hours, but preferably overnight. It should then be thinly pressed or rolled out with a rolling pin before drying.
If whole-muscle meat is used, it should be sliced thinly with the grain of the muscle. Prepare your chosen marinade recipe and pour it over the meat in a bowl or plastic bag. Allow the meat to marinate overnight, and then pour off the excess fluid prior to drying or smoking the beef jerky.