Beef Jerky

This simple recipe is a variant based on a great SCD recipe from a blog at Eating SCD that served as great inspiration for us when we first started the diet. While beef jerky can be made with very lean cuts of beef, we prefer grass fed bison for it’s leaner texture, flavor and nutritional value.

Ingredients

•  3 lbs. bison steak, cut into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick. Letting the meat firm up in the freezer before slicing leads to more precise cuts and uniform thickness.

Marinade Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup SCD legal pineapple juice
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil (dark color)
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 2 tsp liquid smoke
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 1 tsp ginger, ground
• 1/8 tsp cloves, ground

Directions

1. Combine marinade ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, add 2-1/2 cups of cold water and liquid smoke.
3. Cool marinade completely before adding to meat in a 1 gallon freezer zip bag.
4. Remove as much air as possible from bag before sealing.
5. Refrigerate for 2-3 days before drying, kneading the bag once or twice a day.
6. Drain the meat in a colander for about 5 minutes.
7. Dry for 8-10 hours in your dehydrator on the meat setting.
8. Let cool completely then store in airtight container.

Notes

The jerky packs light and is great for travel or camping and hiking trips. It is important to use the leanest meat possible as fat dehydrates into a gummy blob that can lead to spoilage. Trim as much fat from your meat as possible before cutting into strips. For that reason, bison or bottom round are preferred. Regarding pineapple juice: Many organic food stores (e.g. Whole Foods) now carry glass jars of pure pineapple juice. Ensure that you buy one that is NOT from concentrate!