Update and Redux: C – Jerky for a holiday gift idea? Yup! These are way better than dried sausages or salami. Unless they are homemade … but, that’s a different conversation. With homemade jerky you can add your own flare. I love the making lots of these jars to give away. If you have some leftover, they can last over a month without going bad. Also great as to-go packs for travel.
If you want to make a travel kit for someone for the holidays, make this jerky and put it in the kit. They will be super grateful.
C – I love jerky. So does Luke.
I could eat it all day. Sometimes I do. It’s so good. Every road trip I go on must have jerky. Long or short. I usually try to keep a good stock of jerky everywhere I go. I sound like that beef jerky commercial. The Be Mindful. Be Human. kitchen usually has a hidden stock. We eat it so quickly that I have to save some for myself in a secret spot.
Jim will find random jerky bags sometimes. I put the date on the bags, so I know how old it is … usually. Luke gets excited when he sees a jerky bag. He doesn’t ever skip it. Even if we had a big meal, he always dives in.
I guess there’s always room for jerky. Luke says the perfect day is having some homemade jerky, homemade pickles and beer while watching the game. That sounds pretty good for me too. Except the beer and whatever game he’s watching.
Luke has been bugging me about having a jerky week for months. Maybe since the start of Summer. I guess time just flew by and now it’s Fall. I wanted to show Luke how to make jerky. But, he got busy and my secret stash is depleted. I needed to make some and I couldn’t wait for him. Sorry, Luke, you snooze you lose. Don’t worry I will save you some. I promise I won’t stash all of it away.
This flank steak jerky is the typical recipe I make. It’s tender and still chewy and easy to eat. I usually cut it in long strips or bite-size pieces so it is easy to eat. This is great for car trips, since you don’t have to pull the pieces apart. All you have to do is plop a piece in your mouth and keep driving.
I think the one thing I love about jerky is the balance of flavors it has. There are always elements of salty, sweet, sour, spicy and umami. This one is salty from the soy sauce. I add a little bit of regular salt, just to make it more balanced. Sour from the Worcestershire sauce which also adds a great savory component to the jerky. Brown sugar is a must when you make jerky. It just doesn’t taste right without some form of sweetness. But my favorites are the red pepper flakes and the ginger. I try to add a lot of this to spice up the jerky.
| Jerky Week: Flank Steak Jerky |
- 1 pound flank steak, thick cut
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- Salt to taste (optional)
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp ginger, minced. Add more if you like it hotter.
- 1 Tbsp mince garlic
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Add more if you like it hotter.
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Place all the ingredients in a bowl, except the flank steak. Mix well.
- Cut the flank steak into strips against the grain. Cut it into long strips or bite-sized pieces. Your preference..
- Add flank steak strips to sauce. Mix well.
- Store in a covered container and let marinate overnight.
- Place strips on the dehydrating tray and dehydrate according to manufactures instructions.
- Let cool and store in air-tight containers. Store outside. if completely dry, or in refrigerator if slightly damp.
- Eat when you’re in the mood for a meaty snack.
- Enjoy!
Drying is easy. After marinating it overnight, remove from the liquid and use a dehydrator to dry according to the manufacturers instructions. You can also bake in an oven at 200 degrees. But, you really have to watch it carefully, removing the juices after an hour and rotating it a few times. I haven’t been successful with using an oven to dehydrate my jerky. So, I recommend buying a cheap dehydrator for about $50. It works great.
I hope you are ready for jerky week. I am excited. I get to restock my jerky supply, as well as share some jerky recipes with everyone.