Brine Ingredients

• All jerky brine recipes include salt in some form. Salt and sugar inhibit bacterial growth and help the other spices penetrate the meat. Old-fashioned recipes use between 1/2 cup and 2 cups of salt per gallon of water and 1/2 cup of sugar. You can add any other flavorings you desire to the salt water. Most recipes include black pepper and liquid smoke. They may also include garlic powder and onion powder. Newer recipes rely on soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and honey, but the effect is the same.

Preparing the Meat for Brining

• Cut jerky meat into thin strips, approximately 1/4 inch wide, cutting with the grain. Cutting is easier if the meat is semi-frozen, approximately 30 to 45 minutes in the freezer firms it up enough. You also want to remove all the fat. Fat goes rancid quickly and spoils the jerky.

Brining Process

• Brining meat in large plastic bags has advantages over rigid containers. You don't need as much brine solution to cover the meat, and if you squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing you don't need to worry about keeping the strips submerged. Keep the bags of meat and brine in the refrigerator throughout the brining time recommended by your recipe. Stronger brine solutions need only 3 or 4 hours; weaker solutions may require 8 to 10 hours.

Making Jerky

• Once the meat is brined it needs to be towel dried and placed on racks. Allow plenty of room between the strips of meat so air can circulate. You can dry meat in the oven at 175 degrees Fahrenheit or in a dehydrator set at 145 F or higher. At these settings, jerky requires six to eight hours to dry, but it might take much longer in humid environments. Expect the meat to be completely dry to the touch, but still flexible.

Final Heating

• It is necessary for beef jerky to reach at least 160 F to kill bacteria. Since home dehydrators may not reach these temperatures, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends placing the dried jerky in a pre-heated 275 F oven for 10 minutes.

Safety Considerations

• It is always important to follow food safety recommendations such as washing your hands and all utensils before and after handling the meat. While many recipes call for dehydrating raw meat, the USDA recommends steaming or roasting the meat to a minimum temperature of 160 F before dehydrating, at least 165 F for poultry. Jerky keeps in an airtight container in a cool, dry location for one to two months. For longer storage, you can refrigerate or freeze jerky for up to 12 months.