Organic Black Cherry and Jalapeño Beef Jerky
Intro: Organic Black Cherry and Jalapeño Beef Jerky
My husband loves beef jerky. Every time we go on a road trip, he buys a bag for the ride. It is his absolute favorite snack for traveling.
However, store bought beef jerky can have a variety of unwanted ingredients that can be questionable. I decided to make a recipe for beef jerky that would give us a little more control over the contents.
I used all organic ingredients and grassfed beef that was produced without antibiotics, hormones or GMOs. I also used organic locally sourced honey to slightly sweeten the jerky. The final outcome was a delicious homemade jerky flavored with black cherries and jalapeño that was completely organic.
Ingredients* needed:
2 pounds organic grassfed beef skirt steak
1/2 cup organic Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup organic soy sauce
1 tablespoon organic honey
2 teaspoons organic onion powder
2 tablespoons roasted minced organic garlic
1/2 cup chopped organic cherries with pits and stems removed
1/4 cup chopped organic jalapeño with seeds and ribs removed
*Organic ingredients can be found at specialty stores such as Sprouts or on Amazon.
However, store bought beef jerky can have a variety of unwanted ingredients that can be questionable. I decided to make a recipe for beef jerky that would give us a little more control over the contents.
I used all organic ingredients and grassfed beef that was produced without antibiotics, hormones or GMOs. I also used organic locally sourced honey to slightly sweeten the jerky. The final outcome was a delicious homemade jerky flavored with black cherries and jalapeño that was completely organic.
Ingredients* needed:
2 pounds organic grassfed beef skirt steak
1/2 cup organic Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup organic soy sauce
1 tablespoon organic honey
2 teaspoons organic onion powder
2 tablespoons roasted minced organic garlic
1/2 cup chopped organic cherries with pits and stems removed
1/4 cup chopped organic jalapeño with seeds and ribs removed
*Organic ingredients can be found at specialty stores such as Sprouts or on Amazon.
STEP 1: Cutting the Beef
Using a sharp knife and a cutting board, slice beef against the grain. If you slice it very thin, you will shorten the dehydrating time. I left mine a little thicker because my husband prefers thicker jerky.
Note: to make thin slicing easier, place meat in the freezer for 20 minutes before slicing.
Note: to make thin slicing easier, place meat in the freezer for 20 minutes before slicing.
STEP 2: Preparing to Marinate
Place beef strips into a gallon sized plastic bag (ziplock).
STEP 3: Creating the Marinade
In a medium sized bowl, add:
1/2 cup organic Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup organic soy sauce
1 tablespoon organic honey
2 teaspoons organic onion powder
2 tablespoons roasted minced organic garlic
Whisk until combined.
1/2 cup organic Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup organic soy sauce
1 tablespoon organic honey
2 teaspoons organic onion powder
2 tablespoons roasted minced organic garlic
Whisk until combined.
STEP 4: Creating the Marinade
Add 1/4 cup chopped organic jalapeño with seeds and ribs removed. Whisk.
Note: if you want spicer jerky, leave the seeds in and just remove the pepper ribs.
Note: if you want spicer jerky, leave the seeds in and just remove the pepper ribs.
STEP 5: Creating the Marinade
Add 1/2 cup chopped organic cherries with pits and stems removed to the marinade. Whisk.
STEP 6: Marinate
Pour marinade into plastic bag with beef. Squeeze out air and seal. Turn bag over in your hands to coat beef with marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
STEP 7: Preparing for Dehydration
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a metal rack on top of the lined sheet. Lay out marinated beef on the rack making sure that the pieces aren’t touching each other. The beef will be dark in color after marinating.
STEP 8: Dehydrate
Preheat oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the lowest setting on my oven. Place baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven. Dehydrate for 6 to 8 hours or until beef has dried out.
STEP 9: Enjoy!
Remove beef jerky from the oven and allow to cool. After cooling, it can be eaten immediately.
After I made my beef jerky, I gave some to my resident taste tester, my husband. He loved it! He was impressed with the flavor pairing of black cherries and jalapeño and wanted to make sure I had made plenty of jerky. Of course, I thought 2 pounds was plenty but we will see how long it lasts at my house. Ha ha!
Thanks for reading.
-Jennifer
“Butter My Biscuits”
After I made my beef jerky, I gave some to my resident taste tester, my husband. He loved it! He was impressed with the flavor pairing of black cherries and jalapeño and wanted to make sure I had made plenty of jerky. Of course, I thought 2 pounds was plenty but we will see how long it lasts at my house. Ha ha!
Thanks for reading.
-Jennifer
“Butter My Biscuits”
8 Comments
offseid 6 years ago
Wow that looks amazing! Thank you!
ButterMyBiscuits 6 years ago
Fotmasta 6 years ago
What's the shelf-life like? Let's say I make an enormous batch and want it to last.
ButterMyBiscuits 6 years ago
If you’d like to keep it on the counter, add some curing salts like Prague Powder #1 or instacure #1 to the marinade (about 1 level teaspoon). Then proceed with dehydration. This effort should give you about two weeks on the countertop. (https://www.amazon.com/s?field-keywords=Instacure+%231)
You may also consider vacuum sealing the jerky.
Thanks for looking!
Lorddrake 6 years ago
this sounds like fantastic jerky I can't wait to try it. Have you tried to marinade the meat in this recipe and then grill it? I bet it would be fantastic grilled too.
ButterMyBiscuits 6 years ago
attosa 6 years ago
I love that there's not need for a dehydrator here. I just spent $15 on a little box of my favourite jerky. I feel like a jerky. Thanks for sharing this. I'd love to try it (soon) :)
ButterMyBiscuits 6 years ago