Jerky, or jerked meat is long thin strips of meat that have been dried. Typically, the meat is beef and the traditional method of drying is in the sun. Jerky has remained popular for hundreds of years with people who need to carry their own food, including the trappers of old and hikers today. Jerky is tough and salty, but light weight and lasts for a very long time without refrigeration or very much care.
To make jerky, first start with a very lean cut of meat. You can use most cuts but I recommend starting out with a sirloin tip roast because it's generally lean and easy to work with. Trim all the fat from the meat. Fat will become rancid fast and will increase the drying times. Cut the meat across the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Now if you look at some of the recipes I have listed, you will see some different spice mixtures and marinades. Pick something that appeals to your sense of taste. However, if you choose to keep it simple, sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and start smoking.
When smoking jerky you need a low temperature and little smoke. Ideally, the temperature should be just under 150 degrees F. If you are using an electric smoker, you will introduce a small amount of smoke, but if you are smoking over a charcoal or hardwood fire, this will generate plenty of smoke. You need to smoke or dry your jerky until it is completely dry. Depending on how you do it and your climate, this can take 12 to 72 hours.
Trying to run a smoker for more than about 12 hours can be a challenge for many people. When it comes to jerky you are going to get the smoke flavor into the meat in about 3 hours. After this you can take the jerky out of the smoker and finish it off in a food dehydrator or the oven.
