Jerky kits’ spices make or break a good batch of jerky, whether it’s beef, chicken, buffalo, ostrich, or turkey. So the first thing necessary when considering purchasing a jerky spice kit is to take a look at the listed ingredients. Some people insist on having only fresh, all-natural ingredients while others don’t mind a little MSG or nitrite mixed in with their jerky kits’ spices to aid in preserving their jerky.
Common jerky kits’ spices include onion, garlic, black pepper, chili pepper, red pepper, salt, oregano, thyme, and paprika. Spice kits usually recommend the addition of a liquid ingredient such as liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, or even Tabasco sauce – unless you are making jerky from ground meat, which requires a “dry rub” spice mix.
Jerky kits’ spices are varied, and kits come in all sizes. Like just about everything else, the more you buy, the cheaper you can buy it. For instance, one Web site advertises “enough spices to season 12 lbs. of meat” without telling you exactly how much of their jerky kits’ spices you’re actually getting. Avoid this type of seller because, who knows? Maybe you like your jerky spicier than they do and would use more.
To give you an idea about how much jerky kits’ spices you might need, here’s a recipe for 3 lbs. of meat, that when dried, makes 16 to 18 ounces of jerky:
3 lbs. lean London broil, flank steak, or brisket sliced with the grain into thin strips
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
Jerky kits’ spices made from ¾ tsp. black pepper, ¾ tsp. garlic powder, and ¾ tsp. onion powder
Mix ingredients of jerky kit’s spices together with the Worcestershire and soy sauces and pour into a large glass dish. (Alternatively, place in a gallon-sized, zip-locked plastic bag.) Add meat, turn, and then turn again every hour, marinating for at least three hours, preferably overnight. Drain and pat dry with paper toweling.
Set oven at lowest temperature and drape meat slices across oven rack bars. Open oven door an inch or so to vent moisture. Dry anywhere from 4 to 12 hours, or until jerky is firm and dry to your liking.