Alright, listen up, y’all! Today, we’re gonna talk about makin’ some sweet and spicy beef jerky. Now, I ain’t no fancy chef or nothin’, but I know good eatin’ when I taste it, and this here jerky is somethin’ special. It ain’t hard to make neither, so don’t you go gettin’ all flustered.
First off, you gotta get yourself some beef. Don’t go buyin’ that fancy stuff, just get somethin’ lean. Them fellers at the store, they told me somethin’ ’bout eye of round or top round bein’ good. I just tell ’em to give me the meat that ain’t got too much fat, you know? Too much fat and your jerky’s gonna be all greasy and weird.
Now, cut that meat up. Not too thick, not too thin. Like, you know, maybe a little thicker than a playing card. And don’t worry if they ain’t all the same size, this ain’t no beauty contest, it’s gonna go in your belly, ain’t it? You gotta use a sharp knife though, or you’ll be fightin’ with that meat all day long.
Next comes the important part – the marinade. That’s what gives it all the flavor, see? Now, I like mine sweet and spicy, so I use a bit of everything. Some folks like to use that pineapple juice, says it makes the meat tender. I ain’t tried it myself, but I heard it’s good. I usually just dump in some soy sauce, you know, the kind you get at the store. And then, I add some teriyaki sauce too, for that extra sweetness.
- Soy Sauce: It makes it salty, you know? Like them chips you eat.
- Teriyaki Sauce: This one’s the sweet stuff. Makes it sticky and good.
- Sugar: A little bit of sugar, just a pinch mind you, makes it even better. Balances things out.
Now, for the spicy part, you can use whatever you like. Some folks like it hot, hot, hot! I heard tell of some jerky that’s got like a million peppers in it, makes your eyes water just thinkin’ about it. Me, I just use a little bit of red pepper flakes. Just enough to give it a little kick. You could also use some of that chili powder stuff, or even some hot sauce if you’re feelin’ fancy. But don’t go overboard, unless you wanna be breathin’ fire!
Once you got your marinade all mixed up, you gotta put the meat in it. I just use a big ol’ ziploc bag, dump the meat in, pour the marinade over it, and then squish it all around to make sure everythin’s coated. Then, you gotta put it in the fridge for a while. Some folks say overnight, some folks say a few hours. I just leave it in there ’til I remember to take it out. Usually a good few hours, at least.
Now, for the dryin’ part. You can use a dehydrator if you got one of them fancy things. I ain’t got one, so I just use my oven. Just put the meat on a rack, so the air can get all around it, and set the oven on low. Like, the lowest setting you got. And then you just gotta wait. And wait. And wait some more. It takes a long time, hours and hours. You gotta check it every now and then, make sure it ain’t burnin’. You want it to be dry and chewy, not crispy like bacon.
When it’s done, it’ll be all dark and leathery lookin’. And it’ll smell somethin’ wonderful. You can let it cool down, and then you can start eatin’! It’s good for snackin’, good for takin’ on trips, good for just about anythin’. And the best part is, you made it yourself! Ain’t nothin’ better than that, I tell ya. So go on, give it a try. You might just surprise yourself with how good it is. And if you don’t like it, well, more for me!
Word of warning, though. Don’t go eatin’ too much at once, or you’ll be runnin’ to the bathroom faster than a scalded dog. Jerky’s strong stuff, you know? A little bit goes a long way. And don’t forget to store it right, in an airtight container or somethin’. You don’t want it gettin’ all moldy. If you store it properly, this home-made sweet and spicy beef jerky will last you a good long while, that is if you can stop yourself from eating it all at once!
And one last thing, don’t be scared to experiment. Try different marinades, different spices, different cuts of meat. That’s the fun of it, see? Makin’ somethin’ your own. You might even come up with somethin’ better than mine! But if you do, don’t go tellin’ nobody, or I’ll be mad as a hornet. Just kidding… mostly. Now get out there and make some jerky!
Tags: [beef jerky, sweet and spicy, homemade, recipe, snack, beef, marinade, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, red pepper flakes, dehydrator, oven dried, easy recipe, food preservation, protein snack]