8 Step Pork Jerky Recipe That’s Laden With Flavor

Pork Jerky Recipe

Pork Jerky Recipe is a nutritious snack that can easily be prepared at home.

What is Jerky?

Jerky is lean trimmed meat that has been cut into thin strips and dried. During the drying process, salt is added to prevent it from spoiling. The name “jerky” comes from the Quechua word ch’arki which means “dried, salted meat”.

Jerky can be made from any kind of lean meat as long as it contains less than 10% of fat, this is to prevent excess fat from leaking out while using a dehydrator.

When it comes to making pork jerky, some suggest freezing the meat for at least 30 days before making jerky to kill off the trichinella parasites that might be present. Although pork jerky can be made in an oven and even by smoking, it may not give the desired results. The best way to make pork jerky is by using a dehydrator.

What Is A Dehydrator And How Does It Work?

A dehydrator is a small device that draws out the moisture from food using a low temperature over a long period. This lack of moisture enables the food to be stored for a long time and also makes it more flavourful.

Sweet and Spicy Pork Jerky

Equipment needed:

Dehydrator

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pork tenderloin

For the marinade

• Worcestershire sauce ⅓ cup
• Soy sauce ⅓ cup
• Brown sugar ¼ cup
• Chili paste 2 tbsp
• Crushed garlic 3 cloves
• Peppercorns ¼ tsp
• Liquid smoke ¼ tsp
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

1. Start by cutting the tenderloin into strips and placing it into the freezer for 2 hours. This helps to firm up the meat making it easier to cut.
2. Now slice the meat as thinly as possible, usually, it is about ⅛” thick strips.
3. Take a small saucepan and mix together all of the marinade ingredients. Allow it to simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until all of the brown sugar has been dissolved.
4. Then remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool completely.
5. Once it has cooled, put the sliced pork into a large sealable bag and pour the marinade over it. Let it marinate overnight, or at least two hours.
6. Once it has marinated adequately, remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry. Put the pork strips on dehydrator trays evenly and set the dehydrator to 160 degrees.
7. Dehydrate until the pork strips dry out this usually takes about 4 hours and should feel dry to the touch.
8. Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

Recipe Substitutions:

• Pork loin can be used instead of tenderloin
• White sugar can be used for brown sugar. You can even use mirin to give it more of an Asian touch.
• Hot sauce can be used in place of chili paste
• Add acidity with oranges if you do not have limes

Notes:

• Slice the meat as thinly as you can. The thicker the slices, the longer it will take to cook.
• Always remember to cool the marinade before adding it to the pork else the hot marinade will cook the pork and ruin its texture.
• Blot off any excess fat that is present on the meat with paper towels during the dehydration
• While using the dehydrator make sure that the food is arranged in a single layer without it touching. There should be at least ⅛ “ of space between the slices which helps it to dry evenly and fully.
• Make sure that the pork jerky is completely dry before you store it in an airtight container. You can check by placing the pork jerky in a sealed storage plastic bag. If any moisture droplets accumulate over a day, it needs to be dried again.
• Pork jerky can be made in an oven as long as you can set a low enough temperature for the pork to dry out. Usually, it can be baked in the bottom rack of the oven for 3 hours at 180 degrees or until the strips have dried up completely.
• You can also smoke your jerky at 160 degrees for 4 hours. In fact, you don’t need to use liquid smoke as the smoking process itself infuses the jerky with a smoky flavor.
• The depth of the flavor tends to increase as time passes.  So a freshly prepared jerky will be milder in taste
• Since this recipe is high on calories, caution is advised while you determine your portions of the dish.