Im in Australia and I would like to make beef jerky?

Question

What exactly is brisket? OR can I use a roast or something?

First time at it and dont want food poisoning

Answer 1

Brisket is a tough lean cut. You can use any cut as long as it's lean and free of visible connective tissue. I see there's already one lengthy recipe here; search the web and you'll find tons more.

Cut with the grain if you want the stringy/chewy jerky, cut across the grain if you want something that will be easier to chew.

To avoid spoilage/contamination, keep your hands, prep surfaces, knife, and anything else that touches the food very clean. I've made plenty of jerky and never had a problem. I keep it in the fridge until I take it out on the trail. I don't really know for sure how long the home-made variety will keep out of the fridge, but I've carried it for several days in temperate/warm weather.

I've included a couple of links to info about cuts of beef. These are US names, yours may be different. Also there's a search string for "making jerky".

Answer 2

I love biltong which is very similar to good beef jerky, try this, alternatively do a search on the web for biltong recipes,
WHAT YOU NEED:

an electric fan

a light

1 kg meat-many different meats can be used -if you do not have access to ostrich, game etc then try a cut of beef like eye of the round or flank(my favourite)

some vinegar

less than a table spoon of course salt (or Kosher salt)
1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of coriander (whole)(get it at a bulk food store)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

string



just to be extra square you also need a good knife, fridge, electricity, scissors, a couple of bowls, some nails or hooks, a hammer and someone to make fun of you for trying to maintain your South African heritage. A couple other ingredients that I have never used but you may wish to use are bicarbonate of soda (apparently to prevent mold setting in) and saltpetre which acts as a preservative and gives the biltong a bright red colour.

INSTRUCTIONS



Wash the meat.

Cut the meat at an angle against the grain into about one inch strips.

Sprinkle vinegar over the meat

Place the coriander in a bag and lightly crush the whole coriander so that the effect of the coriander will be greater.

Make the "biltong mix" by combining the course salt, brown sugar, coriander, black pepper.

Dip the meat into the "biltong mix" until all the mix is used up.

Place the meat in a tray for a few hours, or over night, in the fridge.

After a few hours dump any blood that has seeped out of the meat.

Dip the biltong quickly into a water/vinegar mixture to remove surface salt.

Hang the biltong by making a very small incission through the slice of meat with a knife about an inch from the end of the meat.

Cut the string into about 10 inch strips which are placed through the meat and tied to form a loop.

Hang the biltong in a place not to far from an electrical outlet by taking the loop of string and place it on the hook or nail or hangar or whatever device you have created to suspend the meat.

To dry the meat turn on the light(regular light bulb) and the fan and leave for about 4-7 days depending on humidity, temperature and taste.

Answer 3

You want a very lean cut of meat because fatty cuts will make the jerky go rancid (spoil) fast.

Most recipes I looked at called for brisket - Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest. While all meat animals have a brisket, the term is most often used to describe beef or veal.

The link below is very informative and will guide you through the process. Its really very simple and one of my favorite snacks!

Answer 4

Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest.

Ingredients:
Amount, Item & Brand (If Applicable)
5 Lbs. Minimum (One piece preferred) Fresh Brisket (Lean) - Any brand
*You may substitute the beef brisket with your choice of meat*
15 - 20 oz. Soy Sauce - Any brand
15 oz. Worcestershire Sauce - Lea & Perrins - Preferred
15 - 20 oz. Teriyaki sauce - Any brand
2 - 4 tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar - Any brand
2 - 4 tablespoons Garlic Powder - Any brand
2 - 4 tablespoons Onion Powder - Any brand
2 - 4 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper - Any brand
5 oz. bottle Liquid Smoke - Any brand any type
2 - 4 oz. Dark Corn Syrup or Molasses for even more flavor - Any brand
1 - Very Sharp Knife

All ingredients can be more or less as you desire to your own taste except soy &
Worcestershire which can be more, you must have enough liquid to cover meat. Brown sugar and
corn syrup or molasses can be to taste for sweetness or not used at all (SEE TIP BELOW***).
Add all liquid ingredients into container (with lid is preferred or cover with a plastic
wrap) (see tip below*) Now add all other ingredients into the container, stir frequently. Trim as much fat as
possible off the brisket (meat). It is the fat on the meat that will go bad (rancid) not the
meat. The meat is to be sliced with the grain as thin as possible (approx. 3/16").
(see tip below**) To aid in slicing meat thinly, freeze until ice crystals are formed)
This allows for more slices and a quicker drying time. Place into marinade as sliced. Make sure
all meat is covered with the ingredients and stir meat occasionally to ensure all areas of
meat have been exposed to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours or more,
occasionally shaking or stirring the meat at least 2 more times.

Now when ready to dry, place aluminum foil on bottom of oven and cover bottom entirely. Try
to make a pan out of the foil because of the drippings (see tip below****)
(remove when it is obvious that there are no more drippings this is usually a while after the meat
has been turned over, you will notice that the drippings will have a tendency to give off a burning
smell because it is laying on the bottom of the oven, you can replace the foil at any time to avoid this.) It is
advisable to place paper towels on the oven door while open and loading the trays to catch
the drippings. Place the meat across the racks filling the top rack first (highest position)
and then the second rack (next highest position). Set temperature to at least 160 degrees
(160 - 180 degrees). When visible dripping has stopped, all meat has to be turned
over because the top of the meat will be more moist than the bottom. Also the top rack will
drip onto the bottom rack and the bottom meat will be more moist than the top. The meat
should be checked for consistency in drying and should be move around accordingly (from
bottom rack to top, from edge to center etc.) The low heat is to dry the meat, not cook it.
It should take approximately 4&1/2 to 6 hours more or less depending how many & how thin the meat
was sliced and the set temperature. Approximately the last hour or so, the oven door should be
propped open with a fork or spoon to dissipate the heat, to avoid cooking it is a good idea
to leave the oven door propped open any time during the drying to keep a good flow of heat &
air. You can tell the meat is done when it no longer bends and you could break off a piece
with ease. But the meat should not be so dry as to be crisp & break. It is better to be more
dry than under dried, so as to prevent mold. Let meat cool before storing. This is
now ready to eat, you can allow this to air dry an additional day or so in an open
container. This will now keep in a sealed container (zip lock bags are great) for months
refrigerated although I have kept my jerky for months un-refrigerated. Remember this meat
will continue to dry unless placed in a sealed container once totally dried. Do not worry
about color changes of the beef jerky it will get lighter and harder as it continues to dry
over time. It is only important to keep the jerky away from humidity for long term
storage.

Answer 5

http://www.toxictommy.com/homemade-beef-jerky.htm