Continued, Jerky

Ganba is a boldly flavored dried-meat specialty from China’s Yunnan Province. The list of ingredients is short and the process relatively simple, but this smoky beef seasoned with both chile and mouth-numbing Szechuan peppercorns is not for amateur jerky lovers.

Rather than being simply eaten out of hand, ganba is a pantry staple for cooking. It is customarily combined with other ingredients that temper its intensity. Shredded or pounded, it can be simmered in soups or stir-fried with potatoes. In Gingery Cabbage Slaw with Smoky Beef and Herbs (this page), it’s pounded into shreds, then mixed with herbs and chiles.

1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed beef bottom round, cut into strips ½ inch (12 mm) in diameter and 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12 cm) long

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons chile flakes

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the Szechuan peppercorns until fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. Using a spice grinder, pulverize the peppercorns to a fine powder.

Place the beef strips in a shallow bowl or container. Season with the salt, chile flakes, and ground Szechuan peppercorns. Using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the strips. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to smoke the beef, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Prepare your grill or smoker. You want to keep the temperature between 140˚F and 160˚F (60˚C and 65˚C). Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Place the strips on the rack, keeping them straight and making sure that no strips are overlapping or touching. Alternatively, skewer the meat for smoking. Place the beef in the smoker or on the grill to smoke for about 1½ hours, checking the progress and rotating every 15 minutes or so, until the strips are firm and dry but still pliable.

Allow the ganba to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 weeks.

Citrusy lemongrass predominates in thit bo kho, a Vietnamese-style beef jerky. A native of Vietnam that flourishes in the tropical climate, lemongrass is multipurpose. In addition to perfuming the jerky with its enticing scent, it also has antifungal properties that help preserve the beef.

Thit bo kho can be eaten on its own or as part of a meal. Try shredding the jerky and serving it over sticky rice or adding it to a green papaya salad.

2 medium lemongrass stalks

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed beef bottom round, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick against the grain

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon five-spice powder

1 tablespoon chile flakes

Trim away the tough base and woody top part of the lemongrass stalks. Peel away any loose outer layers, leaving just the smooth, tender center. Using a heavy chef’s knife or cleaver, slice each stalk in half lengthwise, then chop finely.

In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, honey, oyster sauce, lemongrass, onions, and garlic.

Place the sliced beef in a shallow bowl or container. Season with the salt, turmeric, five-spice powder, and chile flakes and toss to coat. Pour the fish sauce mixture over the beef and, using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to dry the beef, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Lay the slices on the racks of your dehydrator, making sure that no slices are overlapping. Set the temperature to 145˚F (63˚C). Insert the racks into the dehydrator, leaving as much space as possible between them. Dehydrate for about 2½ hours, until the slices are firm but still pliable, rotating the racks front to back halfway through to ensure even drying.

Allow the bo kho to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 weeks.

Puckery tamarind and fragrant kaffir lime leaf give this beef jerky an alluring and exotic appeal. In Indonesia and Malaysia, dendeng balado is nearly always lightly air-dried and then deep-fried or stir-fried. But we favor the intensity of this version that’s fully dried in the dehydrator.

1 tablespoon coriander seed

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons chopped shallot

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3 red Thai chiles, stemmed and chopped

2 kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)

2 tablespoons tamarind paste dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed beef bottom round, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick against the grain

In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the coriander and peppercorns until fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. Using a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the toasted spices. Add the salt, shallot, garlic, chiles, and lime leaves and pound to a smooth paste. Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, kecap manis, and tamarind and mix well.

Place the sliced beef in a shallow bowl or container. Pour the marinade over the beef. Using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to dry the beef, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Place the slices on the racks of your dehydrator, making sure that no slices are overlapping. Set the temperature to 145˚F (63˚C). Insert the racks into the dehydrator, leaving as much space as possible between them. Dehydrate for about 2½ hours, until the slices are firm but still pliable, rotating the racks front to back halfway through to ensure even drying.

Allow the dendeng balado to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 weeks.

We were lucky to have visited the small town of Norcia, tucked into the southeastern corner of the Italian region of Umbria, in the spring of 2012, before it was rocked by devastating earthquakes in 2016. This picture-perfect town was well-known for its Renaissance architecture and even more famous for its devotion and exultation of all things swine related. Norcia was a veritable fantasyland for cured-meat aficionados, a place worthy of pilgrimage. At the dozen or more salumerie we visited, prosciutti and salami hung from every hook, every rafter, every doorway and spilled out into the stone streets in baskets and wine crates. In Norcia we found the most enticing coppiette we had ever seen: long, elegant strips resembling grissini, traditional Piemontese breadsticks, that were cut from pork loin and laden with fennel and chile.

Pork loin is a bit extravagant compared with some other cuts of meat used for jerky, but since it is quite lean, it requires very little trimming and provides a good yield. These coppiette are best dried in a dehydrator or oven, as smoke can overshadow the delicate flavors of the fennel pollen and white wine.

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed pork loin, cut into strips ½ inch (12 mm) in diameter and 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) long

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1½ teaspoons chile flakes

1 teaspoon fennel pollen

1 teaspoon unsmoked Spanish paprika

2 tablespoons dry white wine

Place the pork strips in a shallow bowl or container. Season with the salt, then add the chile flakes, fennel pollen, paprika, and wine. Using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the strips. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to dry the pork, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Place the strips on the racks of your dehydrator, keeping them straight and making sure that no strips are overlapping or touching. Set the temperature to 145˚F (63˚C). Insert the racks into the dehydrator, leaving as much space as possible between them. Dehydrate for about 2½ hours, until the strips are firm but still pliable, rotating the racks front to back halfway through to ensure even drying.

Allow the coppiette to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 4 weeks.

EAT JERKY LIKE AN ITALIAN

The innkeepers of Agriturismo Pettino, located in a tiny mountain village in Umbria, were generous and welcoming, heaping our dinner plates each night with black truffles, local lamb, and fresh pasta. When they learned of our intent to visit the not-so-nearby town of (bella!) Norcia, they waxed rhapsodic about the salami, the prosciutti, and especially the delicious coppiette one could procure there. Delighted for the opportunity to reciprocate their kindness, when we arrived in Norcia, we stocked up on coppiette, some of which we happily munched straight from the bag during the long ride back up the mountainside. We gifted the remaining coppiette to our hosts. Amid a profusion of grazie mille, the table was set with plates, knives, forks, napkins, and a cruet of olive oil. The coppiette were served with olive oil drizzled on top, and we watched in amazement, hiding our greasy fingers still stained red with chile, as they dug in with knife and fork.

Who doesn’t love a solidly stacked pastrami sandwich outfitted with all the trimmings? But demolishing one whole can be coma inducing. Here is a portable, pastrami-spiced jerky to satisfy those pesky cravings when you just can’t commit to the whole sandwich.

1 tablespoon coriander seed

1½ teaspoons black peppercorns

¼ teaspoon cumin seed

1½ teaspoons yellow mustard seed

2 pounds (910 g) well-trimmed beef brisket, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick against the grain

1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon unsmoked Spanish paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne

In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the coriander, peppercorns, cumin, and mustard until fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. Using a spice grinder, pulverize to a fine powder.

Place the sliced beef in a shallow bowl or container. Season with the salt, then add the ground spices, the brown sugar, paprika, and cayenne. Using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the slices. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the sugar and salt to dissolve, then mix again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Allow the pastrami jerky to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 4 weeks.

Cecina, sometimes called tasajo, is thin sheets of dried beef or pork. Common throughout Mexico, cecina can be fully dried and eaten as is, or lightly dried and finished on the grill to make tacos and Enfrijoladas con Cecina (this page).

Pork pairs especially well with this piquant adobada marinade made with chiles, vinegar, and Mexican oregano, but you can also try this recipe with beef or even goat leg or loin.

MAKES ABOUT 1 POUND (450 G) FULLY DRIED OR ABOUT 1½ POUNDS (680 G) LIGHTLY DRIED

2 guajillo chiles

2 ancho chiles

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon cumin seed

2 whole cloves

2 allspice berries

3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons plantain vinegar or other fruity vinegar

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed pork sirloin, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick against the grain

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the chiles for roughly 30 seconds per side. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stem and seed the chiles. In the same skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns, cumin, cloves, and allspice until fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. Combine the toasted chiles and spices in a spice grinder and pulverize to a fine powder.

Return the skillet to medium-low heat, add the garlic cloves, and toast, occasionally shaking the pan, until the skins are spotty brown and the garlic is soft, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool, then peel. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with the salt to form a paste. Add the ground chile-spice mixture, the cinnamon, vinegar, and oregano and mix to blend.

Place the sliced pork in a shallow bowl or container. Add the marinade and, using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to dry the pork, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Place the slices on the racks of your dehydrator, making sure that no slices are overlapping. Set the temperature to 145˚F (63˚C). Insert the racks into the dehydrator, leaving as much space as possible between them. Dehydrate for about 2½ hours, until the slices are firm but still pliable, rotating the racks front to back halfway through to ensure even drying. (Alternatively, if you will be cooking the cecina, dehydrate for just 30 minutes, then grill or pan fry as desired.)

Allow the cecina to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 weeks.

Gueddid is the traditional spiced meat of Morocco, where it is dried outdoors in the hot summer sun. Generally, gueddid is thoroughly dried for preservation, to be used later in bean dishes, couscous, and stews, but this tantalizingly spiced jerky also makes a tasty anytime snack. We favor lean, mild goat meat for this jerky, but you can also prepare gueddid with beef bottom round or lamb leg.

2 tablespoons coriander seed

2 tablespoons cumin seed

2 teaspoons caraway seed

2 teaspoons fennel seed

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

5 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons unsmoked Spanish paprika

1 tablespoon cayenne

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed goat loin or leg, beef bottom round, or lamb leg, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick against the grain

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the coriander, cumin, caraway, fennel, and peppercorns until fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. Using a spice grinder, pulverize the spices to a fine powder.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound together the garlic and salt to form a paste. Stir in the ground spices, the olive oil, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, and turmeric.

Place the sliced meat in a shallow bowl or container. Add the garlic-spice mixture and, using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to dry the goat, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Place the slices on the racks of your dehydrator, making sure that no slices are overlapping. Set the temperature to 145˚F (63˚C). Insert the racks into the dehydrator, leaving as much space as possible between them. Dehydrate for about 2 hours, until the slices are firm but still pliable, rotating the racks front to back halfway through to ensure even drying.

Allow the gueddid to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 4 weeks.

The spicy, tangy, sweetness of fermented chile and miso combined with the naturally buttery flavor of the pork ping-pongs around the taste buds, triggering those happy sensory neurons that will have you reaching for another piece of this jerky almost immediately. If you like, you can substitute beef for the pork.

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed pork sirloin, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

6 tablespoons (90 ml) Fermented Chile and Miso Sauce (this page)

Place the sliced pork in a shallow bowl or container. Season with the salt, then add the sauce. Using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to dry the meat, remove the pork from the refrigerator. Place the slices on the racks of your dehydrator, making sure that no slices are overlapping. Set the temperature to 145˚F (63˚C). Insert the racks into the dehydrator, leaving as much space as possible between them. Dehydrate for about 2½ hours, until the slices are firm but still pliable, rotating the racks front to back halfway through to ensure even drying.

Allow the jerky to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 4 weeks.

We grow a variety of chiles in our little garden, and come harvest time, we get busy drying chiles, canning chile-laden salsas, and preparing funky fermented concoctions, like this chile sauce with miso paste. The fermenting process provides this fiery sauce with a pleasant tanginess. You can also use this sauce to marinate meats for grilling or roasting, as a seasoning for vegetables, or as a condiment for sandwiches and noodle soups.

3 to 4 cups (525 to 700 g) fresh spicy red chiles (such as jalapeño, serrano, or Thai), stemmed

1 cup (240 ml) water

½ cup (170 g) honey

¾ cup (220 g) red miso

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon sake

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Place the chiles in the workbowl of a food processor and grind to a coarse paste, about 45 seconds.

Combine the water and honey in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the mixture is reduced by half, then stir in the miso. Lower the heat and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then mix in the chile paste and the salt.

Pour the mixture into a 2-quart (2-L) glass jar or ceramic crock. Cover the jar with cheesecloth or leave the lid slightly askew so the mixture can breathe, then place in a warm spot, such as an upper cabinet or above your refrigerator. Allow to ferment for about 1 week. The finished mixture will have a slightly fruity, almost overripe scent and will have thickened just a little. Stir in the sake and rice vinegar, then pour into a clean glass jar and cover tightly. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Provocatively spiced quanta (sometimes spelled kuanta or quwanta) is an Ethiopian favorite that is eaten as a snack and is also used as an ingredient in hearty dishes such as the Quanta Meser Wot on this page. Don’t be intimidated by the profusion of spices in this specialty. The finished jerky is spicy but well balanced.

Seeds from 2 cardamom pods

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seed

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

½ teaspoon cumin seed

¼ teaspoon coriander seed

¼ teaspoon nigella seed

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

6 dried bird’s-eye chiles

1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed beef bottom round, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick against the grain

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the cardamom, fenugreek, peppercorns, cumin, coriander, and nigella until fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. Using a spice grinder, pulverize the spices to a powder.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with the salt. Add the chiles and ginger and continue pounding to form a smooth paste.

Place the sliced beef in a shallow bowl or container. Massage the garlic-chile paste into the meat, then add the ground spice mixture, the turmeric, and the nutmeg. Using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Allow the quanta to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 weeks.

We’ve always enjoyed the curious Italian herbal distillates known as amari in cocktails or as post-feast digestives, but lately we’ve been pouring splashes into sauces and marinades with delicious results. These beguiling elixirs add an elusive flavor, a delicate herbal finish that leaves you musing. An amaro, combined with allspice, chile, and orange zest make these little pork bites sophisticated enough to serve with cocktails at your next soirée.

2 teaspoons anise seed

4 allspice berries

2 pounds (910 g) trimmed pork sirloin or loin, cut into strips ½ inch (12 mm) in diameter and 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) long

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon chile flakes

½ teaspoon grated and finely chopped orange zest

2 tablespoons amaro (such as Averna or Meletti)

In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the anise and allspice until fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. Using a spice grinder, pulverize the spices to a fine powder.

Place the pork strips in a shallow bowl or container. Season with the salt, then add the ground spices, the chile flakes, orange zest, and amaro. Using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the strips. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to dry the pork, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Place the strips on the racks of your dehydrator, making sure that no strips are overlapping or touching. Set the temperature to 145˚F (63˚C). Insert the racks into the dehydrator, leaving as much space as possible between them. Dehydrate for 2½ hours, until the strips are firm but still pliable, rotating the racks front to back halfway through to ensure even drying.

Allow the jerky to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of airflow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 4 weeks.