Homemade Dry Brined Beef Jerky

Here is a simple recipe for homemade beef jerky using my Excalibur dehydrator.  When you choose meat for jerky, you want to buy the leanest and freshest meat you can find.  Fortunately for us, that is usually the cheapest!  To make 1lb of beef jerky you will need about 3lb of beef.  Good cuts include flank steak and round roast, or any other meat without any visible fat.  You basically have two choices when making jerky:  marinate it or dry brine it.  I was in a hurry to try out my new dehydrator so I made a dry brine with a mix of salt and spices.  I came up with several kinds:  CHIPOTLE SEA SALT, PINOT NOIR, LEMON AND RED PEPPER, ADOBO, AND AFRICAN SMOKE JERKY.  Each of them were perfectly delicious!  A million times better than store bought jerky!  Quick Tip: Cutting against the grain makes the jerky easier to chew than cutting with the grain.

A protein rich snack without added sugars or preservatives!

Ingredients:
3lb lean fresh meat (I used a bottom round roast), sliced 3/16-1/4" thick
finely ground sea salt and seasonings

Seasoning Ideas:
Chipotle Sea Salt:  Sprinkle slices of meat with chipotle infused finishing salt and red pepper flakes
Pinot Noir: Sprinkle slices of meat with red wine infused sea salt
Lemon & Red Pepper:  Sprinkle slices of meat with lemon salt and red pepper flakes
Adobo:  Sprinkle slices of meat with adobo seasoning, sea salt, and a generous amount of black pepper
African Smoke:  Grind African Smoke Seasoning onto slices (found at Trader Joe's) for a smokey taste

Directions:
1. Trim ALL fat from meat and slice it as think and evenly as you can.  Sprinkle with salt and your choice of seasonings.
2. Place on a single layer in your dehydrator.  Turn to 155F and cook for 4-6 hours or until jerky is very dry but pliable.  Let cool and store in an airtight container.  It's that easy!

Dried Cinnamon Apples & Honeydew Melon

Homemade dried fruit is an excellent snack to take with you anywhere.  The trouble with buying dried fruit is that it is often filled with added sugar and preservatives.  When you make your own, you know you are getting nothing but pure fruit.  Dried cinnamon apples and melon are excellent snacks and store well after they are dehydrated.  Use any fruit in season but keep in mind, the more juice in the fruit the longer they take to dehydrate (example:  grapes take 22 hours).  Thinly sliced fruit should only take 4-6 hours.  Enjoy!

Made using my Excalibur dehydrator

Ingredients:
2 crisp apples, thinly sliced
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 honeydew melon, seeded and sliced thin

Directions:
1. Sprinkle apple slices with cinnamon
2. Spread fruit in an even layer on dehydrator trays.
3. Turn to 135F and let cook about 4 hours or until they are dried but pliable.  Let cool and store in an airtight container.  

Homemade All Natural Fruit Leathers

There's a few things I was dying to make when I got my Excalibur dehydrator in the mail last week.  One of them was homemade preservative free and all natural fruit leathers.  You can make them out of any combination of fruit you like, but I was always told they turn out best when you add banana.  I made three kinds:  mixed berry and banana, strawberry banana, and peach banana.  The perfect snack on the go!

These have the texture of fruit roll ups!

Mixed Berry & Banana Fruit Leather Ingredients:
1c frozen mixed berries, thawed (in season use fresh)
1 banana

Strawberry Banana Fruit Leather Ingredients:
1c frozen strawberries,  thawed (in season use fresh)
1 banana

Peach Banana Fruit Leather Ingredients:
1c frozen peaches, thawed (in season use fresh)
1 banana

Directions:
1. Place your desired combination of fruit in a blender until smooth.
2. Place plastic wrap or parchment paper over your dehydrator tray.
3. Pour fruit mixture on top of the wrap and spread evenly with a spatula (try to make the edges a bit thicker because they dry first).  Overall, it should be about 1/4" thick.
4. Turn your dehydrator on 135F.  Let cook 6-8 hours or until they are leathery.  Let cool, cut and enjoy!  Store leftovers in an airtight container.