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From: jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: Beef jerky
Message-ID: <376@rtech.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 11-May-85 02:32:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: rtech.376
Posted: Sat May 11 02:32:51 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 14-May-85 20:38:05 EDT
References: <352@ttidcb.UUCP>
Organization: Relational Technology, Berkeley CA
Lines: 52

> Does anybody out there have a recipe for beef jerky.  You can no
> longer buy the "real" stuff in stores (with a few exceptions like
> Meadow Farms in	Bishop,	CA), it's all "chopped and formed", YUK!
>    Pete Bellas

I own a Luhr Jensen Little Chief smoker.  Basically, it is a tin box with
racks inside and a heater on the bottom.  You put wood chips into a little
pan that comes with it, and put the pan on the heater.  It's just hot enough
to make the wood smoulder.  I highly recommend this product; it works well
and is easy to use.

I have had *great* success with the following recipe, which comes from the
cookbook that comes with the smoker.  The result is ***FAR SUPERIOR*** to
any jerky you can buy, and it costs a lot less.

"Little Chief" Beef and Game Jerky

Marinade/Brine in

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt (I use kosher salt.  Table salt measures differently.)
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup red wine
1/2 tsp onion powder (I have used chopped or pureed onion to good effect)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I have used minced garlic)
1/2 tsp tabasco sauce

Trim all fat from meat.  Slice meat with the grain about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch
thick.  The meat slices nicely when semi-frozen, or your butcher will slice it
for you in his machine.  Place meat in the cool marinade and leave overnight,
or for no less than 8 hours.

Remove from brine and allow to air dry without rinsing.  Smoke in your "Little
Chief" for 12 to 16 hours, depending on how dry you like your product.  Use 3
panfuls of Hickory or Cherry "Chips 'n Chunks" (Note: this is Luhr Jensen's
brand of wood chips for smoking) in the early stages of the drying cycle.

Notes:  The Little Chief isn't very big, so it's hard to make a lot of jerky
at one time.  When I want to make lots of jerky, I make hooks out of bent
paper clips, and hang the meat from the top of the rack.  You can get a lot
of meat into it that way.

Also, see my posting about types of wood (and other things) to use for
smoking.
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
aka Swazoo Koolak

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