Jerk! Who knew fool-proof Beef Jerky was so easy?

I made a delicious beef jerky today. It's meaty, chewy, and flavorful without the marinade killing the essential beef flavor.

Ever take a bite of jerky and wonder, "Is it beef? Venison? Buffalo??" My problem with jerky is that it tastes like the marinade, not like the meat. So I did some experimenting.

I used a flat iron steak. Boring. Round, boring. Nothing had enough flavor.

But today, I used a lean piece of brisket, cut WITH the grain, and  BINGO it's lovely. The jerky is super-chewy (because I cut it with the grain), spicy-hot, and meaty.

Here's the recipe, a modified version of one that Alton Brown made on his show. Mine is different enough to call my own.

Beef Jerky

1 1/2 - 2 # lean beef brisket

2/3 cups soy sauce

1/3 cups Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce (with a green lid and a rooster on the front -- located near the Sriracha)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 Tbsp honey or brown sugar

1 Tbsp smoked paprika (replaces 1 tsp liquid smoke that I didn't have) *

1 Tbsp red pepper flakes (if you don't want it hot, eliminate this ingredient, not the Huy Fong sauce)

Trim and slightly freeze the beef.

Mix all ingredients but the meat in a gallon zip lock bag.

When slightly frozen, cut the brisket, with the grain, into thin (1/8 - 1/4 inch) strips.

Marinate overnight.

Load dehydrator or look on the Internet for oven drying methods. Dry until done but not burned.

Store in a sealed container, in the refrigerator.

If you don't want a spicy-hot jerky, eliminate the red pepper flakes NOT THE Huy Fong chili garlic hot sauce. The Asian sauce brings too much to the table to be eliminated for heat.

Good stuff Maynard.

* and didn't miss.