Jerky - J - Alphabet Challenge

J was a tough one to come up with. At first I was thinking a Jalapeno dish but my husband and I don't really enjoy spicy food. I have to credit Brian with this idea for the Jerky. Since I wanted to make a small batch I used a piece of filet mignon. This lead to a super tender beef jerky. If you're looking to make a lot or are on a budget, use the suggest eye of round roast. Whichever meat you decide to pick, make sure it is a lean cut since a the fat in the meat doesn't dry the same way. 

Ingredients: 
One 3-pound eye of round roast, trimmed of fat and silver skin (You could use filet mignon if you’re feeling fancy)
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp unseasoned meat tenderizer (see note)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Slice the meat between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick with the grain. If it’s hard to cut into thin even slices, you can put it in the freezer for a few minutes to make it easier to cut.

2. Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, meat tenderizer, black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder, and garlic powder. Whisk until evenly combined and the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the meat to the marinade and toss until all of the pieces are evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to a large ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. Toss the meat (or flip the bag) once or twice to be sure the meat marinates evenly.

4. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Place a wire rack over each pan. Preheat the oven to 175°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.

5. Arrange the marinated meat on the wire racks in a single layer, hanging the meat so it does not touch the foil. Bake, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom midway through, until the meat is dried out, 3 to 4 hours. To determine if the jerky is thoroughly dried out, take a piece out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature. It should be dry to the touch, leather-like in appearance, and chewy but still somewhat tender.

6. Store the jerky inside an airtight plastic container, Ziploc bag, or airtight glass jars. Properly dried jerky will keep at room temperature for about one week. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.