I’m so excited to tell you about a recipe that I concocted in my kitchen forCitrus Basil Beef Jerky! This came out so, so good! My youngest, who is the pickiest beef jerky critic, insisted I name this recipe after her! This shall now be call Melanie’s Favorite Beef Jerky recipe!
This recipe was created without much thought. I made a bit of regular Dr. Pepper Beef Jerky but decided on a whim to venture out with new flavors. Citrus basil is a favorite combination but I didn’t have the fresh basil from the garden that I normally have. I also didn’t have any lemons, lime or oranges on hand. I did have the dried basil in my spice cabinet though. I looked over at my bin of essential oils and totally forgot that I have lemon, lime and orange oils! I have many different essential oils. I used to be hooked on Young Living essential oils but I have found many different brands that are really good quality.
Why does it not come as a first thought to use essential oilsin food? Seriously? Why? I’ve had these oils for months now and I always forget I have them. My brain has not been programmed to think these are useful, but guess what, they are! I can never keep lemons or limes in the refrigerator for a long time. They always go bad. This is why I never have them on hand. I usually plan out my recipes but this one was not planned. This is where my experiment begins…
I took notes just in case this experiment went well and thank God for that! I’m writing this recipe up from a marinade stained hand written piece of paper. I attempted 4 different flavors when I did this experiment: Citrus Basil, Teriyaki, Lemon Pepper, Dr Pepper and Sweet & Spicy mix. Every single concoction was AMAZING! The sweet and spicy recipe needs a bit of tweaking because it was way too spicy and not sweet enough to off set it. Can’t win them all.
Citrus Basil Beef Jerky Recipe Ingredients:
Citrus Basil Beef Jerky Recipe Instructions:
There are a few different beef cuts you can use for beef jerky. I prefer to purchase the thin sliced round top steak. I’ve used sirloin (trimming the excess fat), London Broil and Flank Steak too. Be sure to slice it against the grain when you are cutting the strips.
The strips of steak should be cut at about 1/8 inch or1/4 inch thick. If you are cutting the meat yourself instead of purchasing the thin sliced, place the meat in the freezer just to slightly freeze it. This will make it easier to cut into the thin slices you need. Or you can ask your butcher to slice it for you.
The recipe ingredients above is for 1 pound of beef. You can double or even triple this recipe if needed.
Combine all the ingredients in a medium size bowl. Add the strips of beef into the marinade.
Place the ingredients in a ziplock baggy.
Refrigerate the beef strips for at least 4 hours. I’ve marinated it up to 8 hours and I feel the longer you marinade it the better it gets. I’m impatient though. My friend tells me you can cut this marinade time down to only 2 hours when you use the Foodsaver machinetomarinade it! Love that!
There are a couple different ways to make beef jerky. I have a fancy dehydrator with 11 metal trays. I make it often so it was well worth the investment for me. If you are just starting out, you might just try the oven method first. You can cook this jerky at 180 degrees for between 2 1/2 to 4 hours depending on the texture you like.
I cooked mine in mydehydratorat 155 degrees for 4 hours exactly. It came out with a slightly softer texture which I love. If you like a tougher texture you should cook it for another hour. Cooking time general goes between 4 and 5 hours in the dehydrator.
Once it’s done in the dehydrator, my family usually devours it. I don’t think it lasts a day let alone a whole week. I’ve been told that it will keep in a zip lock baggy for a week if needed. It’s a great way to make snacks ahead of time for the week.
I want to give you the Dr Pepper Beef Jerky Marinade Recipe we use all the time. It’s amazing. I don’t ever want to use this recipe.
Dr. Pepper Beef Jerky Marinade Recipe:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pound of thin slicked beef
The instructions are the same.
Here are a few photos of the process:
You can see the basil seasoning in this photo:
This is a photo of the Dr Pepper marinade!
This is a photo of the Dr Pepper marinade!
Feel free to Pin It on Pinterest for later too!
FAQs
Whole Muscle Method
- Make sure to remove all fat and silverskin from the meat (your jerky shouldn't floss your teeth).
- Partially freeze meat for 1.5-2 hours for easy slicing.
- Slice against the grain for tender jerky, with the grain for traditional chewier texture, and around ¼” thick.
Place your strips of meat into a large, ziplock plastic bag, pour in the marinade, and give it a nice, thorough bath. Place the whole bag into the fridge to thoroughly marinate for up to 24 hours, but no fewer than 4 hours. The longer you marinate, the deeper your flavor and tenderizing action.
How to make jerky soft and tender? ›
Here are the top ten tips on how to make jerky more tender.
- Select cuts of meat with more internal marbling. ...
- Slice against the grain. ...
- Slice the meat a little thicker. ...
- Add additional sugar. ...
- Test acidic ingredients and other meat tenderizers. ...
- Vacuum seal the meat during marination. ...
- Massage the meat during the marination process.
35ml apple cider vinegar: Acids are essential for food safety since they inhibit the growth of microbes. This ingredient will not just add a distinct taste but help ensure your jerky is safe for consumption.
How much jerky does 1 kg of beef make? ›
Typically, harder jerky will be dried to 35-40% of its original weight. This means that it can take up to 3kg of raw beef to produce 1kg beef jerky. Drying can take up to 18 hours and depends on factors like meat thickness, marinade consistency, drying temperature and even the weather conditions!
How is jerky made step by step? ›
The process of making beef jerky can be simplified into five key steps: slicing, marinating, laying, cooking, and packaging. The overall process to make beef jerky at home is very similar to the steps of making beef jerky in a commercial kitchen or factory.
What happens if you don't marinate beef jerky? ›
The marination of beef jerky impacts the flavor, texture, and shelf-stability of the final product. Flavor - The aromatic and flavor compounds in the marinade penetrate the meat. Salt is the most important ingredient in a marinade as time allows it to penetrate and season more of the meat.
Can you marinate jerky too long? ›
Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy.
What happens if you dehydrate beef jerky too long? ›
Over-dehydrated jerky loses its chewy and palatable texture. Instead of that enjoyable tug and pull, you might find yourself dealing with a brittle, crumbly piece that lacks moisture and feels like biting into a piece of hard bark. Flavor, too, takes a hit with over-dehydration.
Why is my homemade jerky so tough? ›
The short answer is that your jerky is so tough because it's too dehydrated. For some people, this is a great thing and the tougher the jerky, the better! But maybe toughness isn't what you (or your teeth) want in a jerky.
Generally, the traditional beef jerky sourced from a halal animal is halal as there is only salt (the halal ingredient) in it. But the commercial beef jerky varieties may contain a range of additional ingredients and certain food additives and preservatives.
What makes jerky chewy? ›
Meat has a grain made from the muscle fibers that run across it. If you cut with the grain, expect to get thin strips of chewy, delicious jerky. If you cut against the grain, you'll get a less chewy jerky that's easier to bite and eat on the go.
Why do you put sugar in beef jerky? ›
Sugar is a natural preservative which can help keep a jerky fresh for longer. It marries with the salt in the jerky formulation to create a more robust product, less likely to spoil. Sugar is also hygroscopic which allows it to retain moisture from the air. This helps create a softer, moister jerky that lasts longer.
Is curing salt necessary for jerky? ›
Using curing salt when making jerky is not essential, however it does have a lot of great benefits. Using curing salt correctly helps to reduce the chance of harmful bacteria growing on meat and ensures a safer curing process. It also improves flavour, colour and extends the shelf life.
What does salt do for jerky? ›
Traditional jerky is cut with the grain to produce a tough, stringy product. Salt functions as a preservative and flavoring agent. Seasonings usually include one or more kinds of pepper – most commonly ground black pepper and crushed or ground red pepper.
Can you make beef jerky with raw beef? ›
Depending on the production process, beef jerky can be either raw or cooked beef. Some jerky is heated to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (thus cooked) before dehydrating the beef slices, while other jerky is simply dried at very low temperatures.
What cut of meat do you use for beef jerky? ›
The best cuts of meat for beef jerky are Top Round, Bottom Round, Lifter and Pectoral, but a variety of cuts can be used such as Flank Steak and Skirt Steak. These cuts of beef check all the boxes for beef jerky—economical, lean, and full of flavor.
Is 3 hours enough for beef jerky? ›
Dry Out The Meat
Arrange the marinated meat on the wire racks in a single layer. Bake, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom midway through, until the meat is dried out, 3 to 4 hours. To determine if the jerky is thoroughly dried out, take a piece out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
