Homemade Beef Jerky Video

[Wingman115]

Here's a video I made showing you how to make homemade beef jerky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nLwtW0TnOk

[Nicodemus]

That was a pretty good video, Wingman. Thanks for sharing it.

There's way too much sugar in that recipe for me, but it does sound really good and I may try a small small batch next time I make jerky.

If you want jerky that will store longer, try flank steak, top round and your other "london broil" cuts. These tend to have less fat especially if you pick through looking for the super lean packages. With less fat comes a longer storage life. Depending on your recipe for curing and care in dehydrating you can typically store jerky from six months in plastic container set in a cool dry place to year vacuum packed and up to two years vacuum packed and frozen. I've talked to a few folks who have eaten jerky they've made after five years of storage. My jerky would never last that long, so I wouldn't know about that.

[Wingman115]

That was a pretty good video, Wingman. Thanks for sharing it.

There's way too much sugar in that recipe for me, but it does sound really good and I may try a small small batch next time I make jerky.

If you want jerky that will store longer, try flank steak, top round and your other "london broil" cuts. These tend to have less fat especially if you pick through looking for the super lean packages. With less fat comes a longer storage life. Depending on your recipe for curing and care in dehydrating you can typically store jerky from six months in plastic container set in a cool dry place to year vacuum packed and up to two years vacuum packed and frozen. I've talked to a few folks who have eaten jerky they've made after five years of storage. My jerky would never last that long, so I wouldn't know about that.

Great info thanks for sharing! I learn so much by making these videos and posting them up to let people respond.. Thanks for watching.

[SWNH]

My jerky would never last that long, so I wouldn't know about that.

+1

I have a saying about beef jerky:  "It'll keep, but it won't last."

[nelson96]

Anyone have experience using some kind of vinegar in your marinade to aid in preservation?  It mkaes sense, but I'm not sure what it'll do to the flavor.

[sdcharger]

That is a pretty good video - thank for sharing.

I will make a video one day showing my own process.  I use an electric smoker to make my jerky and I promise you it is the next "step" to greatness versus the dehydrator.  Electric smokers rock for jerkey and smoked fish.  I use instacure #1 in my brine and combined with the natural smoke you get a seriously "shelf stable" product with unbelievable flavors.  Instacure#1 is a salt/nitrate product.  Nitrates are the key to long term preservation of meats.

Nicodemus hit the nail on the head as far as using "top round".  Lean is best with jerkey.  When I see london broil on sale at the market I buy about 20 lbs and make a batch of jerkey.

[rogersorders]

Are curing salts really necessary?

I've made a few batches without and they've turned out fine.

I don't have a death wish but I also don't want to be ingesting chemicals. For me, one reason for making jerky at home is to get away from the nitrates in the store stuff.

Let me know if I'm playing with fire here.

[nelson96]

Are curing salts really necessary?

I've made a few batches without and they've turned out fine.

I don't have a death wish but I also don't want to be ingesting chemicals. For me, one reason for making jerky at home is to get away from the nitrates in the store stuff.

Let me know if I'm playing with fire here.

It's a safe bet that 99% of people making homemade jerky only use some form of salt (by way of a salty brine or actual salt).  A population that size can't be too wrong.

[sdcharger]

Nitrates can be a useful component to curing meat as can the application of actual smoke.  Salt and drying alone are certainly a useful method but the application of nitrates can make the product last, taste, and store longer.  Is it necessary for a safe product?  No, of course not.  Can you create a product with a longer shelf life?  Yes.

[NorIDhunter]

Anyone have experience using some kind of vinegar in your marinade to aid in preservation?  It mkaes sense, but I'm not sure what it'll do to the flavor.

Vinegar is a main ingredient in making biltong (South African dried meat), so yes it can be using in meat preservation. I'm using 150 ml red wine vinegar +  50 ml Worcestershire sauce in my first batch .

[nelson96]

Nitrates can be a useful component to curing meat as can the application of actual smoke.  Salt and drying alone are certainly a useful method but the application of nitrates can make the product last, taste, and store longer.  Is it necessary for a safe product?  No, of course not.  Can you create a product with a longer shelf life?  Yes.

It not being necessary is what I key in on.  Using it kind of defeats the purpose of making it homemade.  IMO it doesn't need to store long, because I'll just make more when it's gone.  But it stores long enough simply using salt, drying it very dry, and storing it in a similar way to my other preps.

Sodium Nitrate can cause serious health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, neurological problems, and intestinal problems.

[sdcharger]

It not being necessary is what I key in on.  Using it kind of defeats the purpose of making it homemade.  IMO it doesn't need to store long, because I'll just make more when it's gone.  But it stores long enough simply using salt, drying it very dry, and storing it in a similar way to my other preps.

Sodium Nitrate can cause serious health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, neurological problems, and intestinal problems.

Nitrates can help prevent food poisoning and improve the color, flavor, and texture of meat.  For thousands of years, nitrates have played a crucial role in preserving meats.  I'm not going to go back and forth about this here and ruin the thread.  I will start a more detailed discussion, when I have a chance, and we can discuss the pros and cons of nitrate.