Blast from the Past: Venison or Beef Jerky

This recipe of sorts is what I created way back in Depew, when we only had TWO children.  Lands alive, I had no idea what wonders the next 8 years would bring...







Beef or venison jerky is so easy to make, and a thousand times cheaper than the Jack Link jerky you buy in those tiny bags at the Dandy Mart gas station.  (Wait, you don't buy those?  Never mind.)  I've never owned a dehydrator, so don't think you need one, although it will make the process even easier.

For those without a dehydrator (fellow sad saps), here's what you do:

Take a couple of pounds of venison or beef, freeze it until slightly but not fully frozen, about an hour, and then slice it as thinly as you can with the grain.

Take those slices of raw meat and marinate them in the fridge for a couple of days in the following concoction:

-1/2 cup soy sauce
-1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
-4 tbsp. brown sugar
-1 and 1/2 tsp. onion powder
-1 and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-2 tsp. salt
-crushed red pepper flakes, as many or as few as you'd like
-a glug of hot sauce, if desired
-a glug of liquid smoke

Preheat your oven to 150 to 200 degrees, hang the beef slices from the oven racks using toothpick skewers or place them in a single layer on cooling racks placed on top of cookie sheets.  Dehydrate all day long, about 4- 8 hours, checking and turning occasionally, until the meat has reached your desired jerky consistency.

Store in an airtight container and try not to eat all of it the first night ('cause that kind of stinks the next day when you want some jerky).