INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

The Meat: Generally, the lean scraps from most venison (elk, deer,
caribou, antelope and moose) work very good. Bear is greasy(sorry
Bear), as is pork. Buffalo is similar to beef and makes good jerky.
The best cut of beef that will yield the most usable lean meat is the
top round. If you like turkey, use large bone in breasts and remove
the bone. I haven't done reptiles, but what the hey, if that's your
bag give it a shot. The meat should be reasonably aged, at least kept
cool for a week or so after it's dressed out and skinned. It is
important to trim as much fat off as possible, even if you have to  cut
it out or scrape it off. The fat will not take salt very well  when the
meat brines, it will become rancid and grow mold quickly.  Cut the meat
with the grain, into strips as big around as your thumb  (3/4-1"
square) and as long as possible.  The Brine: This is a self brining
method and works in two stages,  dehydration and rehydration. The
ingredients needed are: A kiln dried  medium salt. Most feed stores
have 50 bags for about $3. which will  make about eight thousand pounds
of jerky. Medium salt is about the  size of salt that comes on a
pretzel. Molasses. I use Brer Rabbit  light or Grandma's. Brer Rabbit
comes in pint bottles and have a  small top that you can pour a nice
'string' from. Grandma's comes in  a large mouth bottle and it's best
if you transfer it to some sort of  a squeeze top ketchup or pancake
syrup bottle (1 pint = about 20 of  meat). Black Pepper, medium grind
or coarse - your choice. If you  like it hot, use red pepper flakes
instead, if you don't like pepper  leave it out. This brine process
goes easier and more quickly if you  have a few extra happy hands
joining in - the kids, the wife and  myself usually make it a project
and when it's done everyone gets to  pat each other on the back. Since
we're all together and helping each  other, some interesting
conversations usually surface. Anyway, you  will need a flat bottom
non-corrosive container and lid, a Tupperware  storage bin, a plastic
bus tray or a stainless steam table pan will  work well. The size
depends on the amount of meat and the room in  your refer - the lids
keep things out and are handy for stacking the  containers. Salt the
bottom of the pan evenly, making sure to get in  the corners as well.
This may not be as easy as it sounds. Put a few  pounds of salt in a
bowl, cup your fingers together and scoop out  about a half a handful -
not in your palm. Shake your hand back and  forth across the top and
about a foot above the top of the pan. As  the salt starts to leave
your hand, slowly open your fingers and let  the salt run through
evenly. Hand salting may require some practice.  Practice salting the
bottom of the pan until it becomes comfortable  and the coverage is
without gobs or streaks or voids. If this method  becomes too
frustrating, a shaker top jar works too - a mayonnaise  jar with the
metal lid poked full of holes by a 16 penny nail. The  coverage amount
should be between light coverage (barely covering)  and full coverage
(completely covering) - the only comparison I can  think of, is sugar
on a pie crust, or, sugar on your cereal. You  don't want it too salty,
so, one might consider their first batch of  jerky experimental and
take it from there. String the molasses. Same  kinda deal as the salt,
hold the bottle about a foot above the pan,  start moving it from side
to side and pour. When the molasses starts  running try to get a
'string' about the size of a pencil lead and let  it crisscross the pan
bottom over the salt. Once the strings are even  in one direction,
change directions (perpendicular) and string evenly  across again.
Don't forget the corners. When it's done it will be an  even grid about
1/2" square covering the pan bottom. Good luck...  don't worry, 10-12
layers and you'll be able to sign your name with  it. The pepper will
vary as to individual taste. One note though,  pepper almost doubles
its intensity as it soaks and is easy to  overpower the finished
product. I would recommend that a light  dusting would be sufficient
for most people (about the way you would  pepper a baked potato). Red
pepper flakes, even more so. Again, hold  the pepper can about a foot
above, and dust it evenly - good, you  remembered the corners. Layer
the meat strips across the bottom of  the pan one at a time. Starting
on one side, place the strips next to  each other without overlapping
and with all of the strips running in  the same direction. Work the
meat across until the layer is complete,  without voids. Pat the
surface, edges and corners down smooth and  flat. Salt, molasses and
pepper the surface as was done to the bottom  of the pan to start. The
second layer of meat is done the same, but  it is ran perpendicular to
the first layer. Pat smooth, salt,  molasses and pepper. Each
additional layer is placed perpendicular to  the layer before it.
Continue layering the meat until it reaches to a  level about 2" from
the top of the pan. The last layer, or partial  layer, gets the salt,
molasses and pepper treatment as well. This  brining method will cure
the meat in two days. Place the pan in the  refer, cover and let sit
undisturbed for the first day (refrigeration  is not necessary if
prepared in a cool climate 35-45F). After about  24 hours the meat
should be 'turned' - Dig your hands in the pan and  separate all of the
strips, turning it over several times to get the  meat redistributed
into a random order. Mash the meat back down into  the brining juices (
at this point the juice will be thin and watery)  cover and let sit for
another day. I usually taste the juice at this  point - if it tastes
too salty it can be rinsed with water, but it  will not be as good. If
the salt is right it will have a slightly  sweet, peppery flavor.
During this next day the meat will soak up the  brine juices and when
the meat is removed before smoking, it will  have a 'candied' texture -
sticky and pliable. There should be very  little, if any, brine
continued in part 2

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
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Calories: 4151
Calories From Fat: 1400
Total Fat: 155.1g
Cholesterol: 1638mg
Sodium: 17648.5mg
Potassium: 9260.3mg
Carbohydrates: 76.4g
Fiber: 9.1g
Sugar: 63.7g
Protein: 575.3g