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Dry Cured Beef Jerky Recipe

Dry Cured Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is a great snack, easy to prepare and by doing it yourself you get the satisfaction of great tasting meat at a fraction of the cost. I am using beef for this recipe however you may substitute beef for any lean muscle including Moose, Elk or Venison.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Beef
Keyword: Different, Fun
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 20
Author: Russell Bird

Ingredients

Instructions

Step by Step

  • Place the meat in the freezer for ½ an hour. This makes slicing much easier.
  • Mix the cure and seasoning together and set aside while the meat is firming up. If you have a shaker bottle this makes a convenient method to season the meat.
  • Remove the meat from the freezer and slice the meat in ¼ inch strips. You can slice with or against the grain. If you slice with the grain you will get a chewier bite and if you slice against the grain you will get an easier chew.
  • Lay the strips single layer on a baking sheet and blot dry with paper towel.
  • Apply ½ the seasoning, flip and reapply the other ½ of the seasoning. At this point place all the meat in a large bowl and mix. This will ensure an even distribution of seasoning.
  • Place the seasoned meat in a large zip lock bag and place in the fridge for 24 hours.
  • After the meat has been in the fridge, you are now ready to cook or smoke. If using your oven set to 200 degrees and place the meat strips on a rack. Place a sheet pan on a lower rack to catch any drippings. Keep your oven door open a crack and cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours. For a dryer product cook for an additional ½ hour or until you reach the desired result.
  • When using a pellet smoker set the dial to smoke and you should get your smoker to about 180 degrees. Any pellet will work however I like to use hickory or competition blend. Smoke for 1 hour then flip. Keep checking every ½ hour until you get the desired doneness.
  • Enjoy your homemade jerky.

Notes

Store your jerky in the fridge and it should keep for up to 2 weeks although it never seems to last that long. Homemade jerky makes a great Christmas present, simply find a nice sealable glass jar, wrap with a ribbon and give to your friends.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!