This is probably a question for Lion ... I love jerky, but anything I buy in a store has too many spices and covers up the taste of the meat itself. Do you have any suggestions for someone wanting to make their own? All the recipes I've come across call for a food dryer, which is way too expensive and outside my budget ):
If you can’t use a dehydrator, I’m guessing a smoker is also out of the question because those are even more expensive.
LUCKILY I found this super awesome method that uses an oven!
They don’t really talk about different marinades, though, but those can be easy to find. And they also make their strips pretty thin, so go ahead and play around with thicker stuff if you want.
The long and short of it is:1) Trim meat of fat 2) Slice meat into strips 3) Marinate in chosen marinade 4) Line bottom of oven with foil (technically optional, though I’d recommend it)5) Arrange slices on oven rack (it’s easier to remove the rack, arrange, then put the meat-covered rack back in) 6) Set your oven to as low as it will go, preferably between 140 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit. 7) Prop open the oven door with a WOODEN spoon, for air circulation
The batch will take between two and six hours, depending on thickness.
-Lion
