Beef Jerky

My son and I have found we love making beef jerky!  I really had no idea how simple it actually was and I'm so glad a co-worker suggested it. 

We have made it twice in the last two weeks.  The first batch, obviously, was our test batch.  We figured out what we did wrong and right, so the second batch was very good!  We made two kinds.  One was a marinade, the other was more of a rub (this was Dominic's version and it was spicy). 

Ingredients for my version:

Beef (the first batch, we used a roast beef from the cow share.  The second batch, we used two london broils from the cow share.  Honestly, I don't think it mattered on the cut).
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce (Home made version, which I will post next week)
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garlic powder

(the original recipe called for onion powder instead of garlic powder and also 1 teaspoon liquid smoke - I didn't have either of these).

Cut the steak very thin - you need either a very sharp knife and pounding mallet (or else a meat slicer).  Or slice it when it is still almost frozen.  (Our first batch was WAY too thick, but it was trial and error).  It doesn't matter the size of the pieces they can be one inch long or seven inches long.

Place all ingredients into a 1-gallon zip-loc bag and marinate.  Our first batch only marinated over night.  The second batch marinated for a little over 48 hours - that is the key!!!

Place strips on to a dehydrator.  We borrowed my dads/sisters old dehydrator (This picture shows the type).  It is an old one and the dehydration process took 12 hours.  You only just plug it in.  There is no switch or temp. gauge.  If you have a newer/better one, the process may only take 4 or 5 hours.  We had to move the trays around a few times (top to bottom, etc). 

Prepare to eat.  I have no idea how to keep them as they went so fast, there was no savings them! 

I will post Dominic's recipe for the rub tomorrow.  I couldn't eat Dominic's version, but I don't eat anything too spicy.  But the men in the family loved Dominic's version!