Not all beef jerky is created equal. Great beef jerky is made by using some creativity and testing new and different spices until you come up with the perfect blend. Then you have a true homemade masterpiece to share with everyone.



You can try all different types of combination in search of making truly great beef jerky. For example, don't just stop at beef...try and switch it up by using turkey or bison meat. You may be pleasantly surprised at how great tasting it may end up being.

Let's start letting our imagination go and use some red wine in our beef jerky. Yes, you heard me right. We are going to use your favorite red wine and make come red wine beef jerky. However, remember to use the wine in small amounts because we do not want to get the jerky too wet because then it will be hard to dry.

Just a word of caution. The first batch of jerky you make will probably not be very good. It's just like learning anything and it will take some time to master. But the more you make, then better you will get and in turn your beef jerky will also taste better.

Now, first things first. The meat. What do you choose? That's truly a personal preference, but we recommend Sirloin Tip for the best results. If you wish to experiment with other cuts, go right ahead. We just prefer the sirloin for its initial tenderness. If you are buying it from a big box store, you will be cutting it up yourself, so do this is really thin slices " about 1/8" thick but, partially freeze it to make it easier to cut. At 1/8" thick, it drys faster in the dehydrator. If you happen to still buy your meat from a butcher, get them to cut it for you " with the grain for tender final results.

Make sure that when you are cutting your meat into strips that you cut off any fat that may be on the meat. The purpose of this is not to make it more healthy but because the fat will not dry and will do bad. This will lead to you having to throw out all the beef jerky you just made! So make sure to cut off all the fat you can.

The marinade for our jerky will include 1/2 cup of red wine, a half cup of soy sauce, 2 garlic cloves and 1 tsp of garlic. If you want to spice it up even more, then feel free to add some red pepper. Mix all these ingredients up nicely and then pour them into a ziplock bag. Now add your 1/8 inch meat strips into the bag also and let it marinate in the refrigerator for a night.

Once the meat has finished marinating it is now time to put it in the dehydrator. It will usually take around 6 - 12 hours to completely dry and you will want to keep a close eye on it to make certain you do not over dry it. Once you reach the 6 hour mark, take a piece out and cut it to check if it is ready. Continue doing this every so often until it is ready. Once it is done it is time to take a bite and see how your beef jerky turned out.