Where Can I Buy Grass Fed Beef Jerky
Bootleg beefiness jerky is one of my favorite things. It's almost always more tender, isn't packed with nasty preservatives like and then many brands are, and gives y'all the freedom to decide how spicy, sugariness, or tender you want your hasty to exist. Information technology'southward also way cheaper than buying store-bought jerky, specially if you choose a more economical cutting.
So if y'all're ready to go some beef and requite bootleg jerky a shot, the biggest selection you lot have is what meat to make your hasty with. We've made (and ate) a lot of jerky over the years, and we've put together everything you need to know.
In this article, we're going to embrace:
- What beef hasty is
- The all-time cut for beefiness jerky
- How to choose the best beefiness jerky meat
- Where to buy the best beef jerky meat
- How to make beef jerky like a pro
- A few of our favorite beef hasty recipes
What is beef jerky?
Beef jerky is thin strips of beef seasoned and dehydrated to remove water content, increase shelf life, and concentrate flavour.
People have been drying and preserving meat for thousands of years, and jerky is the most popular version of dried meat. Other mutual types of dried meat products include biltong and pemmican.
And while beef is the most pop pick for jerky, jerky can be made from whatever type of meat, including venison, turkey, and bison.
The all-time cuts of beef for beefiness hasty
Because beefiness jerky can be fabricated from any meat and any cut, in that location isn't any single cut that defines jerky. But, there are guidelines to follow and popular choices that about people utilize.
With jerky, the leaner and meatier the cut, the better. Fatty spoils faster than the muscle, and yous want to opt for cuts that have low to little marbling and trim off any boosted fat as much as you can.
Here are a few of the most pop choices for beef jerky.
Eye of round
The centre of round is the almost tender cut from the round primal, which the primal located in the rump of the moo-cow. The eye of round is the nigh expensive cut from the round, but its tender and lean nature brand it perfect for beefiness jerky.
Top of round
The top of circular is a piffling less tender than the eye of circular just is cheaper and an extremely pop option for making beef jerky. Many companies buy top of round in bulk for their jerky.
Lesser round
The bottom round is the least tender and flavorful of the round primal cuts but is still a swell choice for jerky.
Flank steak
Flank steak is from the flank cardinal, which is located on the lesser rear end of the cattle. Flank steak is the same cut used in fajitas and other dishes that apply thin strips of meat, so you may recognize its similarity. The flank is notoriously tough, so you lot will demand to cut against the grain to brand this cutting yield tender hasty. The flavour is fantastic when prepared correctly, though!
Sirloin tip
Despite its name, sirloin tip isn't from the sirloin primal, it'due south actually from the round central equally well. It's more flavorful than the other round cuts, and while it's not as popular for jerky every bit the other round cuts, it'south still a bully choice.
Best practices for choosing the best meat for jerky
Okay, now that you know your options, let's talk about quality. Here's what to wait for when picking out your hasty meat.
Opt for grass-fed and finished meat.
Grass-fed and grass-finished beefiness tastes and works ameliorate for jerky. Grass-fed beefiness is known to taste meatier and be leaner, which are both wins when making jerky. You lot can also rest easy knowing you're not eating antibiotic and preservative-filled beef, which affects the nutritional profile and wellness effects of beef. It is more than expensive, simply the benefits are worth information technology.
Always apply fresh meat.
Fifty-fifty if you pick up some neat beef, if it's been stuck in a refrigerator or freezer for also long, information technology volition bear upon the taste and texture. To foreclose this, make sure you buy beef that'due south well within its "best past" window and is from companies that clearly move a lot of product.
Purchase in majority to cut costs.
Since jerky loses and so much of its volume during the dehydration process and keeps a lot longer than other prepared foods, it's smart to buy your meat in majority. This cuts costs and is a keen way to give yourself snacks for a whole month.
Where to buy the best beef for jerky
The best beef for your beef jerky will come from producers who raise their cattle the right mode. That means on grass, from the beginning of a moo-cow's life all the style to the very terminate.
It means no antibiotics, preservatives, corn, or other unnatural feed that cutting costs or become necessary because the conditions they keep the cows in are so unhealthy.
It'south also a fantastic way to back up farmers who are pushing back against the habits and practices of industrial beef.
The point is to exercise your research. This could be a local butcher or whatever other company y'all find and trust.
Try the best grass-fed and grass-finished beefiness in America.
Pro tips on making beefiness jerky
Before we give you some specific recipes, here are a few tips from the U.South. Wellness Beef team on making jerky.
Go your strips as thin equally possible.
Virtually people aim for between an ⅛ to ¼ inch slices. If yous don't take a slicer at domicile, ask your butcher to do it for you!
Marinade them for at least forty minutes.
Before throwing them in the oven or dehydrator, give your marinade time to soak into the meat. I similar to soak mine overnight before making it — simply don't become longer than a 24-hour interval or the salt will showtime to interruption down the meat a flake as well much.
Pick up a dehydrator.
Aye, y'all can utilize your oven at a low heat and some aluminum foil, but spending a few bucks on a dehydrator goes a long fashion for getting that beef jerky feel.
Choose to slice against the grain, or not.
By slicing against the grain when preparing your hasty, you brand the end result more tender. When cooking a traditional steak, you ever desire to practice this, but with hasty, sometimes people prefer a chewier terminate result. The choice is yours, just make sure yous know which ane you want!
Call up that beefiness jerky loses nigh ⅔ of its weight.
If you lot're planning on making 2lbs of jerky, you'll really need six pounds of meat, and so plan in advance for losing a lot of weight during the dehydration procedure.
Our 7 favorite beef jerky recipes
Now for the best part — cooking! Here are some of the all-time jerky recipes we know of.
1. Alton Brown's Beef Jerky
Alton Brown never disappoints, and this beef jerky recipe is the perfect way to go into jerky. He opts for flank steak and even gives you instructions on how to brand your own DIY dehydrator!
2. Homemade Oven Beef Jerky
If you'd rather opt for the oven, then this recipe is perfect. Sommer Collier walks you through how to think virtually your spice and marinade blend and gives y'all a proficient option that uses liquid fume and oregano.
3. Peppered Beef Hasty
For the spice lovers out in that location, give this peppered beefiness hasty recipe from Hey Grill Hey a shot. It uses beer, pepper, and curing salts to brand the hasty pack a heavier punch and last longer.
4. Sugar and Soy-Free Jerky
For a healthier spin on jerky, check out this recipe from The Rise Spoon. Information technology'south an oven-based arroyo that uses a healthier marinade. This is a great option for everyday snacking!
5. Homemade Smoked Beef Jerky
Smoking jerky is an fifty-fifty more old-school way of dehydrating meat, and this recipe from Spiced Web log walks you through information technology. This will give you that classic smoked flavor and is a fun manner to use your smoker.
half-dozen. Homemade Smoky Grass-Fed Beef Hasty
This recipe comes from Danielle Walker, Against All Grain. Danielle uses grass-fed Beef London Broil or Flank Steak for this tantalizingly smoky beef jerky.
vii. Homemade Ground Meat Sticks
This is a slightly unlike take on hasty. Functional Medicine Practitioner and Nutritionist, Ryan Kennedy, uses ground beef or elk in his recipe. This is a less expensive alternative and doesn't have the typical jerky consistency, but still absolutely delicious!
The bottom line
The virtually popular choices for beef jerky meat come from the circular fundamental, including the top of round, bottom of round, eye of round, and sirloin tip. Apart from that, flank steak is another pop choice, only yous tin as well technically employ whatsoever cut or meat you like for beef hasty.
Remember to minimize the fat content every bit much as possible before you lot begin, and for the absolute best results, opt for delicious and salubrious grass-fed and grass-finished beef.
Order our incredible grass-fed and grass-finished beef at present.
Nathan Phelps
Nathan Phelps is a writer, ethical foodie, and outdoors-aficionado hailing from Nashville, TN. He splits his fourth dimension betwixt helping sustainable businesses find new customers and managing his ever-increasing list of hobbies, which include playing guitar, baking breadstuff, and creating lath games.
Source: https://discover.grasslandbeef.com/blog/best-meat-for-beef-jerky/
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