Makes about 12 ounces
Jerky’s popularity is skyrocketing, and it makes a great Bloody Mary garnish for those craving a carnivore fix. It’s really easy to make at home, too. See here for another flavor of jerky, and cooking tips for homemade jerky.
2 pounds top round, bottom round, or flank steak
½ cup apple juice
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
6 garlic cloves
½ small white onion, diced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Trim all visible fat from the beef. Place it on a sheet of plastic wrap in the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it is firm but not frozen.
Combine the apple juice, vinegar, garlic, onion, chiles, mustard, honey, fish sauce, liquid smoke, black pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes in a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a heavy, resealable plastic bag.
Remove the meat from the freezer and cut it against the grain into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Add the slices to the marinade and move the beef around to make sure it is coated evenly. Marinate the beef in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours.
Line the bottom of the oven with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil, and set the oven racks into the top uppermost rungs.
Remove the meat from the marinade and discard the marinade. Place the slices directly on the oven racks, leaving ½ inch between the slices. Set the oven to 170ºF, and place the handle of a wooden spoon in the door to keep it slightly ajar.
Dry the meat for 3 hours, then turn the slices with tongs and dry for an additional 3 to 4 hours, or until you can rip a slice in half easily. Remove the jerky from the oven and transfer the slices to wire racks for at least 6 hours. Transfer the slices to an airtight container.
Note: The jerky can be stored at a cool room temperature for up to 2 months.
The way that the home oven can most closely replicate the results of the dehydrator ovens used by the pros is if the slices of beef are placed right on the oven racks rather than on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Warnings: Scrub your oven racks both before and after cooking the jerky, and cover the bottom of the oven with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Things are going to get messy.
Substitute this marinade for the one in the master recipe.
2 cups tamari
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup grated fresh ginger
5 garlic cloves, pushed through a garlic press
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup sesame seeds
Sprinkle the jerky with the sesame seeds when you place it in the oven.