Make Your Own Jerky Spice Mixes

 

Wow, I knew a lot of people liked to eat Jerky, but I was surprised by the number of email responses asking about additional jerky recipes that I might have or use when making ground meat jerky. In my original article I included my own recipe for my 'original style' beef jerky made from 3lbs of 93/27 ground beef. When it comes to jerky making my 'original' style is my go to recipe. In fact, it is my base recipe for all of the different jerky flavor combinations that I make.

As I mentioned in my original article, I recommend that you use a cure when making ground beef jerky to help keep it safe and shelf stable. If you have been using any of the pre-packaged jerky spice mixes in the past or continue to do so, you will fnd that if you look at the ingredients list you will find that it contains a curing agent. Most often in the form of nitrates and nitrites, the same ingredients that you will find in Morton Tender Quick that I use.

All of the jerky recipes I use are variations of my 'original' style recipe with the addition of a seasoning blend or spice mix. Now, I have found many commercial seasonings or spice blends tend to be heavier in salt than I like, so I make most of my own seasoning blends or mixes such as Jamacian 'Jerk' seasoning, and 'Creole' seasoning. When I make my seasoning blends, I omit the salt so that I have a more control of the salt content in the final recipe. In a future article I will share with you my recipes for a multitude of spice blends that I use that have no added salt if there is enough interest in them. For now, however, using a commercial spice mix in such small quantaties my not make much difference, but if your jerky comes out slightly salty, then my recommendation would be to cut back on the seasoning or spice mixture to reduce the sodium content. Do not however cut back on the curing salt (Morton Tender Quick) as your jerky's shelf like will be greatly diminished.

The Recipes

Below you will find the most common recipes I use when making jerky. In my original article 'Ground Beef Jerky' I made a 3lb batch of 'original' style jerky out of a 3lb chub of 93/27 ground beef purchased on sale at our local Walmart for $3.99lb. Most of the time however, I like to divide the chub into 1lb portions and make three different varities of jerky at one time. In addition, my original article I mentioned Howard Reitier Eau Claire County Master Food Preserver's recommendations for the use of Morton Tender Quick in ground beef jerky. Although I have never met the man, his recipe became the basis of my 'origonal' style ground beef jerky recipe which I have adjusted over time to suit my personal tastes. I have included his orignal recipe in this article for those of you who might be interested in trying it.

Ground Beef Jerky (Original Style)

1 pound ground beef
2 ½ teaspoons Morton Tender Quick
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Mix all the ingredients together. Set the dehydrator on the recommended setting (145 – 155 degrees) for meat jerky and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for time. When the jerky is done (about 6 to 7 hours) allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

You will note some small amount of fat that has pooled on the jerky when it is dried. Simply take a paper towel and blot the fat before the jerky dries completely or you will have small white spots on the surface of the jerky. It won't hurt the jerky, but can make it less appealing to some people. In the culinary world, the appearance of food and how it is presented can be just as powerful and the taste.

Ground Beef Jerky (Jamacian Style)

1 pound ground beef
2 ½ teaspoons Morton Tender Quick

1 tablespoon jerk seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 dried habernaro pepper ground
1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika

Mix all the ingredients together, and follow the directions for the 'original' style jerky.

Ground Beef South African Jerky (Biltong)

1 pound ground beef
2 ½ teaspoons Morton Tender Quick

2 teaspoons worchestershire sauce

1 teasppoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon liquid smoke
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together, and follow the directions for the 'original' style jerky.

Ground Beef Jerky (Creole Style)

1 pound ground beef
2 ½ teaspoons Morton Tender Quick

1 tablespoon creole seasoning
2 teaspoons Louisania hot sauce

1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all the ingredients together, and follow the directions for the 'original' style jerky.

Ground Beef Jerky (Buffalo Wing Style)

1 pound ground beef
2 ½ teaspoons Morton Tender Quick

2 teaspoons Buffalo wing sauce

1 teaspoon worceshtershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Mix all the ingredients together, and follow the directions for the 'original' style jerky.

Ground Beef Jerky (Teriyaki Style)

1 pound ground beef
2 ½ teaspoons Morton Tender Quick

2 teaspoons Teriyaki wing sauce

1 teaspoon worceshtershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together, and follow the directions for the 'original' style jerky.

Ground Beef / Ground Venison Jerky (Howard Reitier Eau Claire County Master Food Preserver)

1lb ground beef or ground venison

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 ½ teaspoons Morton Tender Quick

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Mix all the ingredients together, and follow the directions for the 'original' style jerky.

There you have it, these six recipes will just about cover any type of jerky seasoning that you can find on the internet or on the shelves of your local supermarket or outdoor store. If you like your jerky hotter, just add some red pepper flakes. These recipes are quick and easy to make, and most of you will have the necessary ingredients needed in your pantry. I suggest that for the first time, you make the recipe as it stands, then adjust the seasonings to suit your own personal preferences. I promise you you will never go back to commercially prepared jerky seasonings again.

Jerky Seasoning Ingredients

As with most food spice mixes, there are a lot of preservatives and anti-caking agents included in commercial jerky seasonings. I am not bashing the makers of commercial jerky spice mixtures, or Backwoods in general, rather they are required by the USDA to maintain specific ingredients to make sure their products are safe for human consumption. As you can see, making your own jerky seasonings really cuts down on some of the extra ingredients that you do not need to make geat quality jerky at home.

Backwoods Original Jerky Seasoning – Salt, worceshtershire powder, monosodium glutamate (MSG), garlic salt, carboxymethyl cellulose, chili pepper, spices, mustard, malic acid, natural flavorings (spice extracts), onion, less than 2% silicone dioxide added to prevent caking, paprika, granulated garlic, red pepper, dextrose, spices and with less than 2% tricalcium phosphate added to prevent caking. Cure Ingredients: salt, 6.25% sodium nitrate, FD&C red #3 (for color), and less than 2% silicon dioxide as a processing aid.

Homemade Original Jerky Seasoning Mix – Onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, ground cayenne pepper, soy sauce, worchestershire sauce, liquid smoke. Cure Ingredients: salt, destrose, 0.5% sodium nitrate, 0.5% sodium nitrite.

So if you are interested in what you serve you and your family, then check out the ingredient list of your favorite jerky seasoning package and see just what you are ingesting. Being inquisitive gives you the power to make your own food decisions and not rely on those of the federal government or big food production companies.

Conclusion

So there you have it, all the recipes you need to start making a vast variety of jerky seasonings. Believe me it is not difficult. I know I have left a few flavors out such as BBQ, but hey simply substitute your favorite BBQ rub or seasoning for the Creole or Jamacian seasoning and there ya go. If you grow jalapenos or any other peppers in your garden, then dry some and turn them into your own pepper powder and use as a substitute for the cayenne. The posibilities are endless, and with these recipies you have total control when making your own jerky.

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Ground Beef Jerky