The process of learning how to cook bulk beef jerky is a rather straightforward one. Beef jerky is basically dried beef. The first thing that you need to do in this regard is to apply a bit of heat as well as some ventilation. This will dry the beef. However, the true test lies in cooking it in a stylish way. It is how you marinade the beef jerky that determines how stylishly you are able to cook it. There are two things that the marinade does. It adds a special flavor to the meat and much of this is because of the seasonings that are there in the marinade.
It also makes the meat a lot tender. However, you can also fulfill the same goal with a beef jerky rub.
Choosing beef for beef jerky
Your marinade is obviously important in making a stylish dish with beef jerky. The best materials for making the marinade are given below.
In order to make the marinade you can rely on the following elements:
- Teriyaki sauce
- ketchup
- beer
- red pepper flakes
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt
- water
- onion salt
- soy sauce
- garlic powder
- liquid smoke
- cracked black pepper
However, there is yet another important element in this mix as well. You need to be really careful with the beef that you have chosen, especially the cut of the meat. It is very important that you choose a single muscle cut that has little fat. The problem with fat is that it does not get dry and this makes the meat rancid in a really short span of time.
In case of multi-muscle cuts, you will have a connective tissue. As far as your jerky is concerned it is not a great thing really. The best choices in this regard are top round and sirloin. However, there are plenty of people out there who prefer the eye of round as well. If you want the meat to get dried in a consistent manner it is better than you get it sliced in an even manner. You can always ask your butcher to do it for you.
In case you are getting it sliced ask for the slices to be around ¼ inch in terms of thickness. This will make sure that the meat dries fast. In all probability, your butcher would do it free of charge for you. However, even if you have to pay extra for it, in the long run, this investment would be absolutely worth it.
