Beef jerky

Method

• step 1

  Trim any large pieces of fat from the meat, put it on a plate and put in the freezer for 1 hour – this will make it easier to cut into thin strips.

• step 2

  Meanwhile, put all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

• step 3

  Take the beef from the freezer and, using a large sharp knife, cut the joint in the same direction as the grain into long thin strips. Drop the strips into the marinade and mix well. Make sure all the beef is submerged, cover with clingfilm and marinate in the fridge for 2 days, stirring well after 1 day.

• step 4

  Strain the beef through a colander, discarding any left-over marinade. Lay the strips on lots of kitchen paper and pat dry with more kitchen paper on top. Heat the oven to 50C, or as low as your oven will go (it needs to be a fan-assisted oven to dry out the meat) and put a tray at the bottom to catch any juices. Select 8-10 of the longest strips of beef and push a metal skewer through the end of each strip so that they all hang in a row. Put the skewer directly on the oven rack towards the back of the oven with the strips evenly spaced apart, hanging down between the bars. Repeat with the remaining strips of beef, putting the shortest towards the front as these will require the least heat to dry. Wedge the door open to allow the moisture to escape and dry the beef in the oven for 3-5 hours. Check the smaller pieces after 3 hours – the jerky is ready when there’s no pink left, the meat has turned a very dark brown (almost black) and feels gnarly and firm with just a little give when pinched.

• step 5

  As each strip is ready, put in a bowl, uncovered, to cool. Store the jerky in an airtight container in a cool place and eat within 1-2 weeks.