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How to make beef jerky
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Simple and Delicious Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is a wonderful snack, it is healthy, lasts a long time, and is relatively easy to make.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword beef jerky
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Marinate Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings 1 pound
Author Joe

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Flank Steak Other cuts of beef will work, such as london broil, but flank steak makes the best jerky.
  • 1 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2/3 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Liquid Smoke I prefer Pecan, but Hickory is also good.
  • 1 tsp Hot Sauce You can add more or less depending upon the amount of heat you would like. 1 teaspoon is barely noticeable.
  • 2 tbsp Onion Powder
  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • 2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes Again, you can add more or less to taste.

Instructions

  • Mix all the ingredients in a large glass container.  I prefer a rectangle Pyrex baking dish with a lid. 
    Beef jerky marinade
  • Add the sliced beef to the marinade.  See the slicing instructions below.
    Marinating beef jerky
  • Marinate for at least 8 hours.  I have marinated my beef for as much as 48 hours.  The longer it marinates, the stronger the flavor of the jerky.  My recommendation is to start with about a 24 marination and adjust according to taste.
  • Place the slices of marinated beef on your dehydrator drying racks.  Be sure to remove excess marinade from the slices.  I simply run my fingers along the strips to remove the liquid.  The more liquid that stays on the beef, the stronger the flavor and bigger the mess in the dehydrator.  Too much liquid left on the beef will be a detriment to flavor and the cleanliness of your dehydrator.  You can go as far as rinsing and drying the beef with a paper towel.
    Marinated beef jerky on the drying rack
  • Dehydrate the beef at 155 degrees for 6-8 hours.  This is dependent upon the climate and size of your beef slices.
    Beef Jerky