Brendon and I are excited to be contributing some of our favourite recipes over at Fresh Off the Grid. Of course, starting with one of the most popular backcountry snack – Beef Jerky. You can find the original recipe here at –> Fresh Off the Grid.
When Brendon and I first starting adventuring together we were finding it difficult to eat healthy. Most of the stuff we would bring was processed or loaded with preservatives. It was this that lead us to making our own meals and snacks and how we came to making our own jerky.
Making your own jerky not only tastes better but is also better for you and your wallet. The cuts of meat we use vary depending on what is available or what is on sale. Ideally, you want a lean cut of meat as free from fat as possible; the more fat, the shorter the storage life of your jerky.
When slicing the meat, it helps if you partially freeze as this makes it easier and helps in getting thin, even pieces. You can cut any visible pieces of fat off at this time too. Cut with the grain for chewier jerky and cut against the grain for tender but more brittle pieces.
Once you have made the marinade and poured it on to the slices, put it in the fridge and let it marinate. You can leave it overnight or up to 36 hours. Rotate the strips every now and then to ensure even and thorough coating. We like to leave it as long as we can because we find it gives it the best flavour.
Once you are ready to dehydrate, shake off any excess marinade and spread the strips in a single later on your dehydrator trays. The drying time can vary depending on how uniform and/or thick your slices are on the dehydrator. We recommend checking your dehydrators manual. Properly dried jerky should crack, when bent, but not break. Be sure to test using a cooled piece.
The recipe has been adapted over time from a basic recipe we had found online. Each time we would slightly alter the ingredients to suit our tastes until we got it just right. We have experimented with other jerky recipes but this is the one that we always come back to.
Jerky is our go-to snack for any outdoor adventure. Whether packing food for an overnight camp trip or multiple day backpacking trip we always make sure we bring some.
- 1 1-2lb beef roast (lean cuts are best & will keep longer)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon meat tenderizer (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons natural hickory liquid smoke
1. Thinly slice the roast.* Cut off all visible fat.
2. Pound slices with a meat tenderizer mallet until pieces are uniform thickness (aprox nickel width).
3. Layer beef strips in dish.
4. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over beef. Lift layers with fork to ensure that all beef is covered.
5. Cover and marinate for 12-36 hours. Turn strips over several times to ensure thorough coating.
6. Spread the meat in a single layer on the dehydrator trays.
7. Dry at 165F/74C for 6-10 hours, occasionally blotting off any fat droplets that appear on the surface. Test using a cooled piece. Properly dried jerky, when bent, should crack but not break.
8. Package jerky, into individual portions, in air-tight containers (like ziplock bags) or vacuum seal. Store in a cool, dark and dry place.
*Partially freezing the meat helps make it easier to get thin, even pieces. Cut with the grain for chewier jerky and cut against the grain for tender but more brittle pieces.
