Beef Jerky – a Savory and Healthy Alternative
A light snack, perfect for any moment or wherever you are. It can be the post-gym reward or the food portion for a long car journey.
For those who prefer a healthy and easy-to-carry snack, we present a simple Beef Jerky recipe. It represents a delicious and nutritious alternative to unhealthy pre-packaged snacks.
Meat snacks are available in various forms, but Beef Jerky has gained popularity in Romania only in recent years because they taste like authentic meat – simply extremely good.
What makes a quality Jerky
Dried meat is a source of high-quality protein that contains only 3% carbohydrates. Therefore, Beef Jerky is a healthy snack. It is perfect for athletes and “low carb” diets. Unfortunately, industrial manufacturing processes include preservatives, colorants, and artificial flavors. These are used to give the meat a natural appearance and aroma.
Good meat is the foundation for good Jerky, and Dry-Aged Beef Jerky is a gourmet snack. Dried beef not only has a more intense flavor but also has lower moisture content. This ensures a more efficient and faster process. With the help of the DRY AGER meat maturing refrigerator, you can determine the individual level of maturity of fresh meat and have maximum control over the quality of beef Jerky.
Three steps to perfect Jerky
Step 1: Choose the flavor you want Jerky to have
Select a lean, matured piece of meat without tendons and with low fat content. Freeze the meat for a bit before slicing it into strips about 5 mm thick and 2 cm long with a bread or meat slicer. In a ziplock bag, marinate the strips. Whether it’s smoked salt, honey, or fruit curry – depending on each person’s taste. Mix the strips well in the marinade and leave them in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours (or even better, overnight). After marinating, the meat should have a gray/black color.
Step 2: Drying technique
Drying is best done in a food dehydrator. But even a regular household oven is okay. Regardless of the technique you choose, the meat must be heated for at least five minutes at a base temperature of 72°C at the beginning of the drying process. Only then is it truly germ-free and protected against botulism, mold spores, and bacteria.
Depending on the device and the thickness of the meat, the process takes between 4-8 hours. Check the consistency at least every hour. This is an important step. When the Jerky no longer feels wet and soft, then it’s ready. The meat strips should not break when bent. If this happens, the meat has been left to dry for too long. Let the Jerky cool and then place the meat strips in a bag to compensate for moisture.
Step 3: Packaging
After resting, Jerky needs to be well packaged and stored in a dry, dark, and cool place. In ziplock bags, Jerky lasts at least six months. Vacuum-packed, the storage period doubles, or store the dried meat in a jar with a lid.
