Yummy Beef Jerky

A recipe from my husband

Dry Ingredients

• 1 t. celery seed
• 1 t. chili powder
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 1 t. cayenne pepper
• 1 t. black pepper - fresh ground - you can skip or change any of the peppers
• 1 t. white pepper - can substitute red pepper flakes
• 1 t. onion powder
• 2 t. salt - if you reduce or add amount of water you must change salt with it

Wet Ingredients

• 1 t. liquid smoke
• 6 t. worcestershire sauce
• 1 t. (tabasco habanero tabasco (optional)
• 1 t. Suchi Chef Mirin Sweetened Sake (optional)
• 1 1/4 c. Water

This is not baking, so you don't have to be real accurate with your measuring spoon. I just pour into measuring spoon over a bowl large enough to mix ingredients and meat in. Mix ingredients with your hand and taste mixture before adding meat. That is how your jerky will taste.
Slice meat real thin and you get real thin jerky. This is hard to do. I like it a little thicker like the stuff I gave you, like thick-cut bacon 1/8 - 3/16". The important part is that all the pieces are the same thickness when cut into strips so they dry at the same rate. Do this before putting meat into marinade. Less messy and meat seasons better. Thin jerky dries faster than thick jerky meat.

• Before adding meat to marinade cut into strips. Don't put meat into marinade until all strips are cut or it can get messy. Use about 4 lbs. non fatty beef under $4/lb. like sirloin tip roast or whatever is on sale.
• Put meat strips into marinade and mix well in bowl
• Dump into 2 gallon double ziplock baggie, get out air, and put in refrigerator for 6-24 hours (Longer marinating imparts more flavor.). Flip bag every time you go in fridge.
• After marinating 6-24 hours pull out only the meat that will fit in your drier. (It never all fits.) Keep extra meat in marinade until the first batch is dry. Put meat strips in strainer over a bowl to catch drips. (Messy!) Blot meat strips between paper towels before putting on drier racks.
• Run Drier on high. It will smell wonderful and take 6-12 hours depending on your drier and how dry you like your jerky. Start looking at the jerky at about 8 hours.

Split Pea and Ham Soup in Crockpot - makes about 8 pints

Layer in Crockpot

• 1 pound dried green split peas, sorted and rinsed
• 5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 medium celery stalks, diced
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms diced
• 1 large onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. tyme
• about 1 pound smoked ham diced, or smoked ham bone, or 2 ham hocks
• cover  with water

Cook over night or during the day for about 6-8-10 hours on low. Pretty forgiving recipe.
Can drain off clear fat on top or mix it in.

Salt and Pepper to taste.