There’s just something about a new kitchen appliance that inspires me. It is a little bit like having a new hammer—everything starts to look like a nail. In this case, it is a new dehydrator. There is nothing exotic about it, just a simple Nesco American Harvest 4-tray model with one knob for temperature control. On-sale fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains, and meats take on new meaning when you own a dehydrator and you know how to use it.

Nuts, sprouted grain, and fruit all turned out successfully, so it was time to try my hand at beef jerky. Jerky was more intimidating—the cut of meat, marinade or dry rub, safety considerations, flavors—but it was the next challenge on the list. It was difficult to find a straight-forward recipe for a first-timer like me, so I collected meat advice from a local butcher at Ranch Foods Direct, combined directions in the dehydrator booklet with some I found on-line, and used a recipe by Alton Brown that looked promising.

It was easier than expected and turned out GREAT savory, sweet, mildly peppery jerky we all liked. For jerky enthusiasts looking for step-by-step instructions and a basic recipe, here’s what I did:

Print Recipe

Beef Jerky

Chewy dried beef with a savory bite of spice.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time1 hr

Marinating Time6 hrs

Total Time2 hrs

Course: Snack Food

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8

Author: Judy Purcell

Ingredients

Start with:
Dehydrator with temp range up to 160°
2 lbs London broil , or a very lean cut of meat
Marinade:
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup Yoshida's Original Gourmet sauce , or 1/3 cup soy sauce & 2 rounded tbsp honey
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

Put beef in freezer for 1 hour to partially freeze; this will make it easier to slice evenly. Slice beef, with the grain, into thin slices; place in a Ziploc bag. Mix the marinade ingredients and pour over the sliced beef, making sure it is well coated. Refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.
Remove beef from the bag and spread out on paper towels. Blot meat with paper towels to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Spread out strips of meat on a baking rack set over a pan. Place meat in the oven at 170° for 1 hour to be sure the meat has reached that temperature. Jerky requires a minimum 160° for food safety before the drying process begins.
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Remove the meat from the oven and evenly space the strips of beef on the dehydrator trays so the meat does not overlap. Set the dehydrator at 160° for approximately 6 hours (drying time will depend on the thickness of the slices). Periodically blot the jerky with a fresh paper towel to remove any oil that accumulates (2-3 times during the process).
To determine if the jerky is done, let a piece cool to room temperature. Bend it in half. If it bends without cracking, it needs more time. If the jerky cracks or snaps in half, it has dried too long. If it cracks without breaking, it is just right. Once the jerky is done wrap it in paper towels and let it stand for a couple of hours. The paper towels will absorb excess oil, which will extend shelf life.
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Notes

Jerky can be stored in a glass container or vacuum seal for long-term storage. Homemade jerky will keep for 1-2 weeks unrefrigerated (there are differing opinions on this). Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition

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For more info about jerky, check out these sites:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/jerky_and_food_safety/index.asp
http://www.jerkyfaq.com/
http://www.fabulousfoods.com/index.php?option=com_resource&controller=article&category_id=16&article=18430
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/docs-best-beef-jerky/Detail.aspx
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-make-your-own-jerky/

Comments

Jim says
May 3, 2019 at 7:49 am

Made this a couple times now, so good!
Susan says
May 16, 2017 at 3:09 pm
This is like the dehydrator my grandparents used to use to make dried fruit. Wish they had done this with beef jerky now though, haha. I’m sure it would have been delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Will have to try it out!
- Judy Purcell says
  May 17, 2017 at 6:37 am
  Oh, I hope you come back and let me know how you like it when you do try it. Thanks for taking the time to say hi!
Mary Schoenecker says
January 5, 2012 at 7:49 am
Judy,
Do you think I sould lower the temp in our oven to 160 and use it as a dehydrator? Thanks for your feedback,
Mary
- Judy says
  January 5, 2012 at 9:57 am
  Yes, you can! I cannot get mine to go below 170° so I had to go with the dehydrator, but I have heard from several people with older ovens that will allow them to do so. Let me know how it goes for you.