Jerky is among the oldest known active attempts at food preservation by humans, and the process of making jerky is one of the oldest known serious attempts at food preservation by humans. Using conventional methods, making jerky and biltong is a simple process that only needs two ingredients: meat and salt. While beef jerky is the most common, meats from kangaroo, kudu, alligator, turkey, kangaroo, and salmon have been used in the past and continue being used today.
Buying beef jerky online or from a local store is easy and convenient, with companies all over the world manufacturing a wide range of jerky products. Making your own beef jerky at home, on the other hand, can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience to share with family or friends. For those interested in making homemade jerky, the following information provides a basic understanding of the ingredients and production process:
Ingredients Used in Beef Jerky Production
As previously said, jerky can be made solely from meat and salt. On the other hand, modern jerky makers are more likely to marinate the meat in a variety of ingredients to give each batch of jerky a unique flavor. Some of the most popular ingredients used in jerky today include soy sauce, lemon juice, liquid smoke, salt, red pepper, ground ginger, bell onion, garlic powder, and paprika.
Selections for Beef Jerky Preparation
Some people choose ground beef for jerky because it helps them make more tender jerky or use bits of meat too small for other jerky-making methods. Many fans of homemade jerky, on the other hand, prefer dried meat snacks made from whole meats that have been thinly sliced to speed up the preservation process. During the grilling process, excess fat must be eliminated from all meats, regardless of their type.
How to Make Beef Jerky and How to Keep It
Air drying is, of course, the most popular process for preserving meat and producing jerky. While air drying is still common, meat can also be dried in a food dehydrator, a smoker, or an oven. If you’re using an oven, keep the temperature as low as possible to prevent the meat from drying out during the drying process.
Final thoughts
Air drying can only be used in areas with low humidity, high temperatures, and plenty of sunlight. It’s important to keep the meat free of insects while drying and keep in mind that this process will take several days. If you want to learn how to make beef jerky and biltong in the simplest way possible, go to any official website that provides these services. Probably you may find the above procedure applicable; feel free to do your own research through various websites.