Anyone here make their own jerky? Need help

I already have a food dehydrator, but I don't use it these days except for making the occasional fruit rollups.  I want to make jerky, though.  Most commercial beef jerky is too tough for me to chew properly and then gives me gas, and the one type I can easily chew is too expensive to buy very often.

I am thinking about making it from leftover filet mignon which would be pretty tender (one filter is 3 meals for me, so I have 23 of a 9 ounce filet left over).

So, if you make your own jerky (beef, chicken, turkey, or pork... I'm not particular), do you have any specific marinades you use and like?  Any hints/tips?

Lora

 Hi ****rogirl, I make my own jerky.

Put your meat in the freezer for a couple of hours before slicing. It makes it stiff so it's a lot easier to slice. Try to slice between 1/8'' to 1/4''.  Be sure to cut off any fat because it doesn't dehydrate well and can grow bacteria. I don't know if you were planning using pre-cooked meat because you used the word leftovers but I have never tried it that way and don't know how that would work out.

Set your dehydrator on 160 degrees for 6-8 hrs. It depends on the thickness of the slice of meat and how wet it is. I pat any excess moisture off with a paper towel. You want it to just a little pliable when it's done....not too stiff and crumbly.

I make a low sodium mixture. Usually any recipes or pre-made jerky mixes are way too salty for my taste. I use a little A-1 sauce, a little Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, low sodium soy sauce a quarter of a can of beer(a natural tenderizer), granulated garlic powder, granulated onion powder, fresh ground pepper, a couple cloves of smashed garlic. Wisk all together. Normally you soak all of your sliced meat but I don't(not really). I make up enough marinade to basically coat all of the meat and let stay in a zip lock bag overnight. So I don't have specific quantities for the recipe. I just kind of put equal amount of all the liquids with exception of the beer. If you like it spicy you can add some crushed red pepper or cyan pepper to it. (add what ever flavors you like)

I am still pre-RNY but I make this recipe for my sister in-law all the time who is post RNY and she loves it! 

Let me know if you have any further questions at all. Good luck!

Thanks so much!!

My pleasure!

Food dehydrators...a common sight at garage sales.  My DH makes venison jerky in a regular oven but it would takes five pages of typing to tell you all the steps he goes through.  I don't think you are looking to hunt down a deer anytime soon, anyway?  I rely on a couple of meat stores for their variety of meat sticks and jerky.  Oddly enough, the turkey jerky is the most tender and sells for $9 per pound.  Meat sticks with a package of cheese sticks is now my choice for gift giving; no more buying a box of chocolates that I've been known to open before giving. I've never heard of such a thing as leftover filet mignon--almost a sin.  Good Luck and let us know how your jerky turns out.

I make jerky!  I don't use the food dehydrator anymore -- I make it directly in my oven.  I prefer the oven because I don't like my Ronco dehydrator that much -- it's harder to clean and isn't as even.  I use cooling racks directly on my oven racks. It takes about a total of 7 to 8 hours. 

 I like to use a very lean brisket or a top round -- and like the PP stated, I put it in the freezer for about an hour to make it easier to slice thin.  I like to slice with the grain, as I like mine chewy, not easily broken off.  

I usually let mine marinade at least overnight.  I make a balsamic one and a spicier chili lime version. 

Homemade jerky is far better for you, delicious and easily stored.  Several friends beg me to gift it to them at Christmas time.  I'm super frugal and tend to make everything -- and homemade jerky is SO much cheaper!

You are so right; now that I give meat/cheese as gifts, thank-you's seem more enthusiastic than chocolates ever were.  I live in a town of 12,000 people yet we have four meat shops.  My 90-year-old mom and I were shopping one when she boldly told the butcher she didn't want him to sell her a tough cut of meat. He replied, "it's as tender as a butcher's heart."