Jerky Recipes

(I picked up the main collection below years ago from another scout web site, and have used them without fail. Some are better than others - your mileage may vary. I'd love to give the original people credit, but their site went down some time ago, and I don't have any notes on who they were.) - JEI

All of the recipes below are good for 1 to 1.5 pounds of meat. Since dehydrators have a tendancy to soften all the flavors but salt, I tend towards the 1 pound side when doing calculations. In other words, if I'm doing 4 pounds of meat, I multiply the measurement for salt by a little over 3, then everything else gets multiplied by 4 (which actually makes a lot of the numbers easier to work with).

Standard directions...

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except meat. Stir to mix well. Place meat 3 or 4 layers deep in a glass, stoneware, plastic or stainless steel container, and spooning mixture over each layer. Cover tightly. Marinate 6 to 12 hours in frig, stirring occasionally and keeping mixture tightly covered.

Western Barbecue Jerky

	1 teaspoon salt
	3 tablespoons brown sugar
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	1/3 cup red wine vinegar
	1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
	1/3 cup ketchup
	1 teaspoon onion powder
	1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
	1 teaspoon dry mustard

Hot & Tangy Jerky

	1 teaspoon salt
	2 garlic cloves, crushed
	1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
	2 tablespoons A-1 sauce
	1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
	3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
	1 teaspoon onion powder
	1/2 teaspoon paprika

Hawaiian Jerky

	1 teaspoon salt
	1 garlic clove, crushed
	1 teaspoon ground ginger
	1/4 cup pineapple juice
	1 tablespoon brown sugar
	1/4 cup soy sauce
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Fiesta Jerky (hot and spicy!)

	1 teaspoon salt
	1 teaspoon onion powder
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
	1 tablespoon chili powder
	1 teaspoon garlic powder

Middle Eastern Jerky

	1 teaspoon salt
	1/4 teaspoon turmeric
	1/8 teaspoon pepper
	1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
	1 1/2 teaspoon coriander
	1/4 teaspoon chili powder
	1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Korean Jerky

	1/2 teaspoon salt
	1 tablespoon dry sherry, if desired
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	2 tablespoons sesame seeds
	2 teaspoon sugar
	1/4 cup soy sauce

Follow standard directions (above), but leave out the sesame seeds. Those get sprinkled on as the wet meat is put into the dehydrator.

Teriyaki Jerky

	1/2 teaspoon salt
	1 garlic clove, crushed
	1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup soy sauce
	1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
	2 tablespoons brown sugar

Mild Mexican Jerky

	1 teaspoon salt
	1/2 teaspoon oregano, crushed
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	1 teaspoon paprika
	1 teaspoon chili powder
	1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Frontier Jerky

	1 teaspoon salt
	2 tablespoons
	liquid smoke
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	1 teaspoon garlic powder
	2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Curried Jerky

	1 teaspoon salt
	1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
	1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
	1 teaspoon ground ginger
	1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
	1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Sweet and Sour Jerky

	1 teaspoon salt
	1 tablespoon soy sauce
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	1/4 cup red wine vinegar
	1/2 teaspoon onion powder
	1/4 cup pineapple juice
	1 garlic clove, crushed
	3 tablespoons brown sugar

Great Jerky

	3/4 teaspoon salt
	2 tablespoons soy sauce
	1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
	1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
	1 tablespoon brown sugar
	1 garlic glove, crushed

Klimacek Jerky

	1/2 cup dark soy sauce
	2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
	1 tsp monosodium glutamate (optional)
	1 tsp onion powder
	1 tsp garlic powder
	1/4 tsp powdered ginger
	2 Tbls. freshly ground black pepper
	1/2 tsp Tabasco
	1/2 tsp liquid smoke seasoning

Drying your meat:

Slice meat into long strips approx. 1/4 inch thick. Uniform slices will shorten the drying time, so use a meat slicer or have your butcher do it. If you slice the meat without an electric slicer, partially freeze it first to make cutting easier. Cut across the grain and remove excess fat. Once marinated, place meat on drying racks. Do not overlap the strips. For the dehydrator use a temp. setting of 140 to 160. The temp may be lowered to as low as 130 after 4 hours. (I just leave it alone at the high setting). Occasionally blot the meat with paper towels as it dries to remove beads of oil. (Sometimes I do this, sometimes I don't).

Dryness test:

Test jerky for dryness by cooling a piece. When cool it should crack when bent but not break. There should be no moist spots. (I just dry it to how I like it. Usually it only take over night for my dehydrator, yours will probably be different.)

Storing jerky:

Storage is affected by the curing preparation used and the humidity and temperature of the storage area. Jerky containing salt and cured without a commercial curing preparation may be stored at room temperature for 1 to 2 months. If the air humidity is low, the container should have a loose-fitting lid or one with wholes punched in it. Good air circulation keeps the flavor fresher. If the humidity of the air is more than 30percent, store jerky in an airtight container. Jerky may be refrigerated or frozen in an airtight container to increase shelf life and maintain flavor. (I really don’t worry about the storage because the jerky never stays around that long.)