Getting the proper amount of protein in your diet is important to fuel your muscles – not just for muscle growth, but to also aid in muscle recover. And, lean beef is a healthy, low-fat, low-carb way to make that happen, without having a negative impact on your weight loss or weight management regime. A great snack to keep your snack cravings in check, while also getting a bit of extra protein in your diet, is beef jerky. Here’s an easy and flavorful recipe for beef jerky that you can make at home – saving money at the store, while also keeping that extra sodium from store bought jerky out of your diet!
Go Shopping
Buy a 2-pound piece of top round steak, and ask the person behind the counter to trim off any visible fat and silver skin. The leaner the beef, the longer your jerky will keep, while also keeping extra fat out of your diet. This amount of meat will yield about 3/4 pound of jerky.
Prep Your Meat
Seal the steak in plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer until it stiffens slightly, about an hour. This will make the slicing easier. Remove the beef, unwrap it, and use a sharpened chef’s knife to cut it into 1/4”-thick, 4”-long strips.
Marinate Your Meat
Marinating the meat gives jerky the most flavor; let it sit in the sauce overnight in the fridge. Dry rubs require two hours of refrigeration. For either route, combine the sliced meat with the ingredients listed below in a large zip-top bag.
Prep Your Oven
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place metal cooling racks on two baking sheets. Shake off excess marinade or spices and place the strips on the racks with space between each piece. Put it all in the oven. To aid dehydration, prop the oven door open 1/2” with a wooden spoon.
Dehydrate Your Meat
The jerky is done when you can tear a strip easily and it springs back when folded, 3 to 5 hours. Use a paper towel to blot moisture, and cool completely before storing in an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge up to three months.
Cracked Black Pepper Rub
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Nutrition (per 1 oz serving beef): 63 calories, 9g protein, 1g carbs (0g fiber), 2g fat
Teriyaki Ginger Marinade
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 2/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- Zest of 2 limes
Nutrition (per 1 oz serving beef): 63 calories, 10g protein, 1g carbs (0g fiber), 2g fat
Source:Men’s Health
