Jefferson County Recipe of the Day: Oven Baked Beef Jerky

Make your own Beef Jerky in your oven.

Oven Baked Beef Jerky

Ingredients

1 pound boneless top round steak, trimmed of fat
¼ cup liquid smoke
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions

~Wrap beef in plastic wrap and freeze 30 to 60 minutes until firm, but not rock hard. (This makes it easier to slice evenly.)

~Using a sharp knife, slice the beef across the grain into thin strips about 1/4-inch thick.

~Place liquid smoke, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a large zip-top freezer bag. Seal and squish to combine. Place beef strips in the marinade, re-seal, and toss to coat. Open bag, squeeze out all the air, seal, and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.

~Preheat oven to 250 F.

~Drain meat strips from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place a baking rack inside a jellyroll pan. Arrange beef strips on the rack in a single layer with room in between for air circulation. Bake for about 4 hours, until dry to the touch.

~Remove from oven and let air-dry in a cool dry place for another 24 hours. Store in a covered container or ziplock bag.