Teriyaki Beef Jerky

Our Five Marys Jerky is one of the most popular items we sell. It’s the perfect snack for outdoor adventures, road trips, or a picnic lunch. Sometimes we make it at home because it’s a fun and easy weekend project if we’re hanging around the house for a few hours doing other chores or stuck inside in inclement weather while Brian is out tending to the animals. At the Farm Store, we offer several kinds of jerky, including a traditional smoked whiskey-maple beef; beef snack strips (a.k.a. “meat candy,” which are a thicker, juicier variation glazed in sticky-sweet deliciousness); and three flavors of meat snack sticks: teriyaki, salami, and pepperoni. Our girls love them in their school lunches or their backpacks for a hiking adventure on the mountain.

Makes about 1/2 pound jerky.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 to 1.5 pounds sirloin or round steak, all fat trimmed
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

INSTRUCTIONS

WRAP the steak in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for about 1 hour (this makes it a little easier to slice thinly).

UNWRAP the steak and, using a very sharp knife, cut it against the grain into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices.

TRANSFER to a baking dish.

In a small bowl, WHISK together the remaining ingredients, then pour the mixture over the steak. Cover the dish and marinate the steak in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

After the steak has marinated, LINE a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove the steak strips from the marinade, letting the excess drip off.

TRANSFER to paper towels and use more paper towels to blot dry (the drier the steak, the sooner the jerky will be ready).

SPRAY a cooling rack with nonstick spray, and place it on the lined baking sheet.

ARRANGE the steak strips on the cooling rack, laying them flat and making sure there is space between each strip.

TURN ON the oven to 175 degrees F.

BAKE until the jerky is dried but still pliable, about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Be sure to CHECK it often toward the end so the jerky doesn’t overcook and become dry and tough.

The jerky will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 weeks.