Beef jerky is a delicious, protein-rich, and energizing snack every workout enthusiast and meat lover have tried at least once. Whether are you fond or not too much into dried beef meat, you probably found yourself enjoying this special dish. You don’t have to be a cooking guru to prepare the jerky, however, there are plenty of ways to prepare it. This is why we will talk about how to make the best beef jerky in Australia.

In this comprehensive article, we will reveal the hidden tips and tricks behind the energizing snacks various sportsmen consume for their working out needs. There are many brands that sell the jaw-dropping quality of jerky, but that shouldn’t stop you from being creative and experiment with your own DIY beef jerky. Below, you can see how.

Purchasing It

Beef jerky is available for purchase from various brands. However, some of them can’t offer the best quality for the price. You should avoid meat that is sodium-rich. Of course, the alternative would definitely be to buy your own cut of beef and then make it on your own. The perfect results on the first try are not guaranteed, but you will for sure get better with the time.

The Preparation Process

If you are going for the DIY jerky, make sure to ask your butcher to free your cut from all the fat, so that you can smoothly and uninterruptedly prepare it further. Make sure that you have all the necessary equipment to prepare your lean cut of meat. Our personal recommendation for jerky is brisket, but you are not limited to this cut, though you shouldn’t buy meat that is too tough and hard to cut.

Trim and slice the meat as much and as precise as you can. If the meat is too tough, try making two slices of it, and then hit it with the kitchen hammer till it flattens, or becomes more tender and easy to slice. If you have been blessed with the less tough cut, you can slice them into small, tender slices of 0.5” thickness at their best. Try to aim for the less tough cuts, but even a thicker slice of meat won’t kill you if you can make the slicing easier.

Make the best Marinade

The beef flavor that oozes from the jerky leaves the beautiful aftertaste. Regardless of what you prefer eating with the jerky, the sauce/marinade is a mandatory addition to this delightful dish. You don’t have to be too hardcore, it is ok to cope with the simpler recipes and try out new things later on after you get used to making beef jerky. You know best what you should choose, but keep in mind to always make it salty, spicy, and juicy.

There are many things that you can choose  Depending on what you prefer, the liquid base has a large selection. You can mix various ingredients, but the most popular ones are soy sauce, apple cider, beer, teriyaki sauce, and much more.

The best marinate is the one that is spicy. This is why you should search for the taste-evoking combinations, together with seasonings and flavorings such as fish sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and much, much more. There are many hot sauces available that make great additions to jerky recipes.

If you are a fan of the sweet sauces you can always go with sugar, honey, or syrups to make it more flavor-rich, if not, the seasonings and spices are just enough to make you enjoy to the fullest.

Dipping and Bathing of the Jerky

Before you start the last preparation before the drying process, make sure to find one large plastic bag that you will use for the marinate. You put the strips of meat inside and let the juice absorb the flavor of the marinade. A proper marinade that is done professionally can last up to 24 hours, so don’t hurry if you want to get the best out of your jerky. After 24 hours, the jerky will not only be richer in flavor but also softer, which is great.

Drying

After heating up your oven, make sure that you place the foil so the meat doesn’t drop. The best preheat temperature is around 170 F. After that the jerky strips are ready to be placed in the oven, keeping in mind that the strips shouldn’t touch each other.

You can freely close the oven while you are drying, but it won’t hurt if you leave it slightly opened. The jerky should spend around 6 to 8 hours drying, the proper air circulation works its way to remove the water from the meat, and thus dry it. If the air is not circulating properly, you will be greeted with the cooked strips of beef.

How to know that the jerky is ready? After 6 to 7 hours you should pull out a strip and check its’ texture. If it is crunchy and cracks after you bend it, it is ready to be served as a high-protein snack. Don’t forget to let it cool off after pulling it out, and in order to preserve it, try to use the airtight container. For more recipes and jerky reviews check out The Jerky Joint.