We made a couple batches of jerky using this jerky rack
http://www.ovenjerkymaker.com/page/page/172672.htm (we found the website
when googling for jerky recipes).  Although you can make jerky by putting
the meat on racks over cookie sheets, this "hanging" design seems to allow
much better airflow.

We have not yet made our own marinade, as we're still working on the last
batch we made with marinade from the company who sold the rack, but I'm
looking forward to it!  (I personally think the homemade stuff lasts much
longer, simply because it takes longer to it it, since it's all meat without
any filler.  Frankly, I'm not sure how well a 2-year-old might handle the
homemade jerky, since it takes a lot of chewing......just something to think
about.)

However you make jerky, I strongly suggest that you line the cookie sheets
(or pans, or whatever) with aluminum foil  --  after all, you're basically
drying *everything* in the oven, including drips!

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC

Hi, Teresa.  I've made jerky for years.  I either select a beef roast
with as little fat in it as possible and have the butcher slice it for
jerky, or I season the leanest ground beef I can find and use that.
I've always used my dehydrator, but it can also be done in a low-temp
oven (200 degrees or so).

For a sliced roast, I do the following:
Combine soy sauce, liquid smoke, garlic powder, onion powder, meat
tenderizer, and pepper in a bowl.  I never measure the ingredients,
but the above order denotes the amounts from largest to smallest.  You
can add cayenne pepper, sweetener, and other spices if you like.
Personally, I leave them out because I don't like sweet jerky, and
can't tolerate hot, spicy foods.  Add your sliced beef and marinate it
in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight), stirring it
occasionally so the liquid soaks into the beef well.  After it's
marinated, I lay the slices on the dehydrator trays and let it go for
8 hours or so.  It's much better than any jerky I've bought, and
omitting the sweetener keeps the carb count in check.

For ground beef (or ground turkey for Turkey Jerky):
The above ingredients can be used in the same way as for the sliced
roast, but I prefer American Harvest's Jerky Spiceworks seasoning
available at WalMart and other stores.  Per pound of ground beef, add
one seasoning packet and one packet of salt (both are included in the
box).  Mix these VERY well into the ground beef (I suggest mixing it
with your hands to make sure all the seasonings and salt are
incorporated into the meat).  You can then place a small
snowball-sized bit of the mix between two sheets of wax paper and use
a rolling pin to flatten it to the desired thickness and cut the slab
into strips, or buy the Spiceworks Jerky Maker...it looks like a
cookie press.  The press makes the process MUCH easier, and pays for
itself in no time; it allows you to easily make flat strips or round
sticks.  Place the strips or sticks on the dehydrator trays for at
least two hours...I usually leave them in for a minimum of five hours.

Making jerky is really easy, and MUCH less expensive for what is, in
my opinion, a far superior product.  Last week, I made four pounds of
ground beef jerky for less than $10.00.  The carb count is negligible,
so it makes a great addition to a low carb WOE.

Hope this helps.

Tee
http://www.geocities.com/tee_king
Remove -no-spam- to email me.

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one
pretty and well preserved package, but to skid across the line broadside,
thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, and shouting, *GERONIMO!*"

I bet lots of us do. I use an "American Harvest" dehydrator from
WalMart with good results. The biggest hint is to call the grocery
store and tell them you're making fajitas, and would they slice you up
a steak/roast/whatever. Saves TONS of backbreaking work. Then marinade
in a ziploc overnight, and dehydrate.

My recipe isn't on me, but I've had great luck with most recipes from
the web. Basically liquid smoke, worcestershire, wine or water or
beer, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and a dash of cayenne
are the key ingredients.

--Len.

I just put in a batch tonight. I bought a roast from Sam's Club, sliced it
myself and made some marinade. I make the marinade from soy sauce, liquid
smoke and splenda. I don't have a recipe, I just add ingredients until they
taste right. I have a Ronco food dehydrator which I absolutely love. With
the food dehydrator it takes between 12 and 24 hours depending on how thick
you slice it.

-Meagan(Uffin)