40$ countertop deli slicer.
buy the largest cheapest bulk beef, the cut doesn't matter.
Slice up that beef
soy sauce+brown sugar marinade for 1 hr+
dry the meat on a tray over a box fan (3 hrs+ depending on how thin you slice the meat and how dry you like jerky).

I have made a lot of this, tens of pounds.

you're going to cut out most of the cost and you get a much higher quality jerky that you get to flavor.

for a long time I had one of those big glass old timey candy jars, but I had pounds of beef jerky inside instead of candy.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I've got a big old bowl of freshly cut eye of round from my local butcher marinading in the fridge right now. Tomorrow it'll go in the dehydrator (I'm lucky enough to have one built into my oven. I'm also very lucky to have a local butcher. Sadly not something most people have access to).

My current marinade is as follows:

¼ cup dark soy
¼ cup light soy
¼ cup water
2tbsp maple syrup
2tbsp worcestershire sauce
1tsp liquid smoke
LOTS of cracked black pepper

Optionally, add red pepper flake for a little spice. You can also up the amount of worcestershire if you like.

For my next batch I want to try adding a little fish sauce and MSG to really up the umami.

Also, I really like how making your own jerky allows you to control the grain pattern. I don't mind a little chew to mine, but my wife likes it to come apart nice and easy so for her I cut across the grain. I have a vacuum sealer that I got on clearance, so I'll batch up little packets of jerky for her to take into the field. It's so much better than the jerky she gets in her issued rations.

Sadly, finding the time and energy to do stuff like this can be a challenge. I'm fortunate in that I work from home, so I can throw this stuff in the oven before my day starts and then just pull it when it's done.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

High goddamn five, that sounds fantastic.

I've experimented with fish sauce before, just be real careful because even mixed into a marinade, it's so strong and distinctive then you can easily pick it out and after a couple tablespoons it'll completely overwhelm every other flavor.

I'll also say get the higher quality fish sauce, it really makes a difference.

The cheaper fish sauces do not play well with other flavors.

I don't like the liquid smoke myself, that usually turns my batches into Walmart jerky territory.

but I only have ever used q couple kinds and hated them, so I'm sure out of the billion types of liquid smoke there are a couple that are inoffensive.

and there's always personal taste.

what is liquid smoke? is it actual bits of dust?

yep, it's little bits of smoke mixed and condensed into a liquid.

have fun, I hope you have more free time, I agree it's a lot of fun to make the jerky to specification.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

Yeah, the trick with both liquid smoke and fish sauce is to use way less than you think you need. You'll notice I'm only putting a teaspoon in about a full cup of marinade, and that's enough to give a very distinctly smoky flavour. You can easily cut that back to a half or quarter teaspoon if you prefer it more subtle.

For fish sauce, I'm going to start out with the same kind of measures. I'll probably go with 1tsp and then adjust up or down from there. If you can taste the fish sauce in the finished product you've used too much. And yes, brand absolutely matters. I only ever use Squid brand fish sauce personally.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

Old Trapper is decent jerky, but otherwise yeah. Jack Links is practically eating plastic, after trying good homemade jerky don't know how I used to eat it.