It’s been around since before the Incan Empire and now Australian Gourmet Chefs are turning this traditional food into a very popular culinary treat.
It’s easy to make your own and for those inclined, here are five top recipes:
Traditional Jerky
Ingredients to make about 2kg
- 2.5 kg of lean beef, sliced into about 2.5cm strips, or thicker if desired
- 1 cup of A1 Sauce
- 1.5 cups of teriyaki sauce
- ½ a cup of soya sauce
- ½ a cup of molasses
- 85 grams of pineapple juice
Method
- Blend together the marinade
- Soak the meat in the marinade for 8 to 10 days, then drain overnight
- Place the meat on racks to smoke
Finishing Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ a cup of Lea & Perins sauce
- 2 tbsp of molasses
- 2 limes, juiced
- ½ tsp of crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp of brown sugar
Method
- Brush the finish sauce over the jerky and smoke until dried
- Or dry in your oven on the lowest setting for about 6 hours
Honey Chile Jerky
Ingredients for about half a kg
- 1kg of thinly sliced beef
- 1.5 cups of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp of honey
- 1tsp of liquid smoke
- 2tbsp of crushed red chili
- 1tbsp of cracked black pepper
- 2tbsp of chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp of sugar
Method
- Place everything in a zip lock bag and marinate for about 24 hours
- Remove from the bag, rinse it and dry using paper towels
- Place the meat on oven racks and bake on the lowest setting for about 6 hours
Pastrami Jerky
Ingredients
- 1kg flank or eye steak
- ½ a cup of Worcestershire sauce
- ½ a cup of soy sauce
- ¼ a cup of brown sugar
- 1 tsp of crushed garlic
- 2 tbsp of coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp of cracked black pepper
Method
- Slice the steak into thin strips
- Place everything except the black pepper and coriander seeds in a zip lock bag and marinate refrigerated overnight
- Place the meat on over racks and sprinkle with the pepper and coriander seeds
- Bake on the lowest oven setting for about 4 hours
African Black Pepper Jerky
Ingredients
- 2kg of beef
- 2 cups of soy sauce
- 2/3 of a cup of Worcestershire sauce
- ½ a cup of fresh carrot juice
- ¼ of a cup of fresh celery juice
- 1 & ½ tsp of fresh ginger juice
- 1 & ½ tsp of crushed garlic
Blend together
- 4 tbsp of sugar
- 2 & ½ tsp of ground black pepper
- ½ a tsp of crushed red pepper
- 1 tbsp of onion powder
- ½ tsp of cumin
- ½ tsp of cayenne pepper
Method
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients
- Add the meat and mix together
- Marinate for at least 12 hours
- Place on oven racks and bake at the lowest setting for 4 hours
Ingredients
- Ikg beef, thinly sliced
- 2 cups beer
- 1 cup bourbon
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup liquid smoke
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp onion powder ½ tsp of chili powder
Method
- Combine all ingredients to marinate for 5 hours
- Dry and place on over racks to bake for 4 hours on lowest setting