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John's Journal... Entry 231, Day 5

JERKY - THE ULTIMATE SNACK FOOD

Jerky: The First Low-Carb Food

Editor's Note: At this time of the year, most successful deer hunters have a freezer full of venison. In just a few hours at night, with little or no preparation time, you can cut up some venison strips, soak them in the marinades that we recommend and dry your jerky in the oven, using toothpicks and a dripping tray. To help you solve the problem of responding when someone asks you, "What are you going to do with that freezer full of venison?" this week we'll offer some of our favorite, easy-to-prepare venison jerky recipes. Come to "John's Journal" every day this week to get new and different recipes for making venison jerky. You'll be glad you did. (Or, you can use beef to make jerky, if you're not fortunate enough to have plenty of deer meat).

Your home-dried jerky can provide a good snack for you and can be stored for one to two months. Home-dried jerky is especially good for people on the Atkins or other low-carb diets. Venison jerky is low in carbohydrates and contains high amounts of protein. So if you've decided to jump on the low-carb bandwagon, as many have, don't stress about how to carry that meat, cheese, and nuts with you and your family on a road trip. Just pack some jerky, and you'll be ready to go. I know I will.

Blue Ribbon Jerky:
* 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
* 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tsp. MSG ( optional)
* 1/2 tsp. onion powder
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp. ginger powder
* 1/4 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
* 3 lbs. lean venison brisket, eye of round or flank steak

1) Trim meat completely of fat, and cut across the grain into slices 1/8-inch thick.
2) Blend all ingredients, except meat, in a small bowl.
3) Dip each piece of meat into marinade, coating well. Place in shallow dish.
4) Pour remaining marinade over top, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
5) Preheat oven to 110 degrees. Place several layers of paper towels on baking sheets. Arrange meat in single layer on prepared sheets, and cover with additional toweling.
6) Flatten meat with rolling pin.
7) Discard towels, and set meat directly on oven racks.
8) Let dry 8 to 12 hours.

Best-of-the-Best Jerky:
* 2 or 3 pounds venison - London broil, chuck steak, round steak -- etc, sliced 1/4-inch thick
* 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or 1/4 cup regular soy sauce
* 3 Tbsp. liquid hickory smoke
* 3 Tbsp. garlic powder
* 2 Tbsp. onion powder
* 4 Tbsp. A-1 sauce
* 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
* 2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 Tbsp. olive oil
* 3 cloves thinly sliced garlic
* 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1) Marinate meat in ingredients 5 hours or more.
2) Put in dehydrator for 12 hours.

Chinese Jerky:
* 3 lbs venison steak
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 Tbsp. ginger, fresh, minced
* 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
* 1/2 cup Soy sauce
* 2 tsp. red peppers, dried, crushed
* 1 Tbsp. honey
* 1/2 tsp. white pepper
* 4 Tbsp. cooking sherry

1) Cut meat diagonally crosswise into 1/4-inch thick, 2-inch wide strips. Trim away any fat.
2) Transfer to a non-metallic pan.
3) Add other ingredients, and marinate 24 hours.
4) Arrange meat on racks, and let dry at cool room temperature overnight (do not refrigerate).
5) Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with foil, and set wire racks on top. Arrange the meat on racks in single layer.
6) Bake 15 minutes.
7) Reduce heat to 175-degrees Fahrenheit, and continue drying meat another 4 hours or more.
8) Leave meat on racks to cool, and continue drying for several hours before bagging it.

Black Pepper Jerky To Die For:
* 1/8 cup finely-ground black pepper
* 1/8 cup coarsely-ground black pepper
* 3-4 cloves fresh minced garlic or 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
* 1 cup soy sauce
* 1/2 cup Dale's Steak Seasoning, if you can get it, or another 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 1/2 Moore's Marinade, if you can buy it, or liquid smoke
* 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
* Tabasco sauce to taste
* 1 cup water
* 3 to 5 pounds of your favorite venison

1) Mix marinade ingredients in a large bowl or pitcher.
2) Thoroughly coat all pieces of meat by layering in a 13x9 pan with the marinade.
3) Cover, and marinate at least an hour, but overnight is best. Place in a dehydrator or a oven, and enjoy when done.

To learn more delicious ways to prepare venison, click here to find out about John and Denise Phillips' "Just Venison" CD.

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about JERKY - THE ULTIMATE SNACK FOOD ...

Day 1 - From Frozen Venison to Mid-Afternoon Snack
Day 2 - What Is Jerky?
Day 3 - From Ancient Egypt to the Rocky Mountains
Day 4 - Don't Worry About Mad Cow From Jerky: Food Safety of Jerky
Day 5 - Jerky: The First Low-Carb Food


John's Journal