I've been switching between cooking and doing website updates all day. The main thing that I have been focusing on has been tracking down all the sources for the food that is prepared here. All the farms, all the farmers, all the distributors, etc. No easy task, lemme tell ya! There are a few new resources available that make it easier for customers to know where their food comes from. Specifically, www.realtimefarms.com seems like an awesome resource, but (the joys of owning a business!) I am wary of the price tag. I need to think about it more before I make a decision.
While doing research on the local and sustainable movement, I came across www.sustainabletable.org and found a wealth of information and ways to lead a healthier life. This recipe caught my eye. Maybe because it's almost (my) lunchtime, maybe because I have a weakness for venison jerky (hint...hint... to all my hunter friends out there!), or maybe because it is a tasty way to use super-deal-meats rather than freezing. Whatever the reason, I hope you enjoy it! Beef, Bison or Venison Jerky with Italian Herbs
You can view the original recipe here
Recipe by:
The Garden of Eating, by Rachel Albert-Matesz and Don Matesz, Planetary Press, 2004
Courtesy of Sustainable Table ®
Description:
Eliminate unwholesome ingredients such as refined salt and sugar, sodium nitrite, artificial flavors and colorings, and other preservatives and additives by making jerky yourself! Make it with organic and sustainable ingredients for an even healthier snack. Cook time: 24 hours
Ingredients:
2 pounds extra lean ground sustainable meat
1 teaspoon each of dried, crumbled basil and oregano
1 teaspoon lemon pepper or ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
tablespoons dried onion flakes, optional
1 teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt or 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
Directions:
Break meat apart in a shallow 1-quart bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well with clean, bare hands to evenly distribute spices.
Form tablespoon-sized balls and flatten to ¼’ to ⅜’ thick, or use a jerky press or jerky gun to yield uniform strips, tubes or discs.
Oven drying: Preheat oven to 140° F. Line 2-4 cookie sheets or roasting pans with aluminum foil folded up at the corners to catch drips from roasting rack. Arrange meat without overlapping. Hold oven door ajar with a wooden spoon. Dry for 10 to 14 hours.
For crispier jerky, dry until a test piece splinters when bent.
Food dehydrator: Arrange meat without overlapping on as many racks as needed. Dry at 145 degrees for 10-14 hours.
Pat off beads of oil with unbleached paper towel. Cool and store in sealed jars, cellulose, wax paper bags or heavy zip-locking freezer bags.
This will keep 1-2 months at room temperature, 3 or more months in the refrigerator and indefinitely in the freezer.
