Beef Jerky – How is it Made?

Beef jerky is cut up lean meat that has been sliced up and dehydrated so it could last a long time without spoiling. The modern way of making beef jerky involves marinating which adds more flavor and tenderness to the meat.  If you were wondering what the whole process of beef jerky production looks like, follow these steps.

Slice It Up

The first step when it comes down to making beef jerky is to trim the whole beef muscle pieces. It is important to get rid of the excess fat from the beef because the end product will have a higher quality. It’s also important to use fresh cuts of meat to ensure maximum quality. The beef is then sliced up on a cutting machine into thin strips of jerky, aptly sized. This machine allows for the jerky thickness to be the same for each piece. The next step in the jerky making process is to inspect every jerky piece to make sure there are no tears. The most important thing in this step is to inspect every piece for even thickness as this will affect how much it cooks.

Marinate With Your Favourite Blend

Once the whole cut of beef muscle has been sliced up into pieces of jerky with even thickness it’s time for the next step. Marinating is the process of using liquid and dry ingredients (spices) to soften and give a taste. This step holds secrets of everything you need to know about beef jerky. The most important aspect of being time. The meat needs to marinate for an appropriate amount of time for the spices to penetrate the fibrous beef muscle. There is an infinite number of spices combination for marinating to choose from, so go with what you like the best. The marinating time can also vary significantly, ranging from a few hours to a whole day. As a rule of thumb, the longer the meat marinades, the more tender it will be and the more flavor it will absorb, yielding a yummier product.

Place the Jerky on the Cooking Screens

The third step of beef jerky production might sound like the simplest one to perform, but in fact, it is a crucial step towards a high-quality product. After the pieces of beef have been cut up and marinated for a sufficient time, they need to be properly prepared for cooking. The jerky is placed on the stainless steel platforms. It is crucial to do this in a manner where every individual piece is evenly spaced from one another. The jerky needs to be placed on these screens very carefully so it doesn’t break down into smaller pieces. The only way to perform this step is by hand to ensure maximum precision and speed since it is especially important for all pieces of jerky to cook evenly.

Cook the Jerky “Low and Slow”

Cooking is the fourth step in beef jerky production. It is also the step where all your hard work of slicing, marinating for hours, and preparing for the furnace can go to waste. As a general rule of thumb, the jerky will be insanely tender only if you cook it “low and slow”. The cooking time and cooking temperature depending on the thickness of the meat. If the pieces of jerky are a bit thicker, a long time and higher temperatures are needed, if the pieces are thinner, lower temperature, and less time. But have in mind that this still falls under the “low and slow” category! Ranges from 2 to 6 hours, and a temperature range from 150-200° F is the way to go. The cooked meat is now ready for packaging.

Enjoy

If you were making beef jerky at home the delicious smell of well-marinated beef slices cooking in the oven has surely floated all around your kitchen and made your mouth water. No one will judge you if you decide to share it with your friends and family as soon as it has cooled enough not to burn your mouth completely. This would be no problem if you weren’t intent on storing it for later. If this is the case, it’s important to dehydrate and package the beef jerky properly so it would remain tender and delicious. Make sure you vacuum seal the jerky to stop it from oxidizing or use special butcher boxes. If you’re feeling especially dedicated to this process you might want to opt for designing your packages.

Beef jerky is without a doubt one of the most delicious snacks out there, and it can be made in so many flavors. Make sure to follow these steps if you want to make some for yourself, or if you want to appreciate the minds behind the production of beef jerky.