Making ground beef pepper jerky instead of buying it already prepared not only makes for a great-tasting snack but saves money, as well. Shape the seasoned meat into balls, and then flatten into small disks. Or for a bit of creativity, use cookie cutters on flattened meat to add a fun touch to your jerky treats. You can also cut flattened meat into long, thin strips for a more traditional jerky shape.

Ground beef, by the nature of the way it is produced, calls for longer cooking times than that for whole strips of beef in order to thoroughly destroy potential disease-causing microorganisms such as E. coli or salmonella. When preparing ground beef pepper jerky, make sure the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and then maintain temperatures throughout the drying or dehydration process of between 130 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ground beef pepper jerky makes a convenient, protein-loaded snack that requires no refrigeration. Follow these simple steps for a handy snack at a fraction of the cost of commercially made jerky:

Ground Beef Pepper Jerky

2 ½ lbs. lean ground beef
1 tbsp. salt
1 ½ tbsp. course-ground black pepper
3 tsp. garlic powder
Worcestershire sauce

For the best ground beef pepper jerky, use your own judgment regarding the amount of pepper. This recipe calls for a mere tablespoon, so add using your own discretion. Mix first four ingredients together thoroughly. Gather enough of the meat mixture to form a softball-sized ball, and then pat flat with hands or use a rolling pin to form a square or rectangular shape about 1/8-inch thick.

Repeat with remaining meat. Sprinkle desired amount of Worcestershire sauce across meat and spread with pastry brush to cover. Place in freezer until slightly frozen – about 30 minutes – while preheating oven to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using either a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice into desired widths – 1-3 inches, however wide you want your ground beef pepper jerky to be (keeping shrinkage in mind) – and place on cake racks that have been sprayed with cooking spray and set in shallow pans. Open oven door about one inch to allow moisture to escape. Cook for 1½ hours and then carefully turn with spatula. Cook another 1 ½ to 2 hours until meat reaches desired dryness. Store in airtight containers.