Beef jerky has been an American staple since it was first made by early settlers centuries ago in an attempt to preserve beef from spoiling. Today, there are all kinds of beef jerky on the market, but they remain fairly expensive. A much more economical way to eat this salty, nutritious snack is by making it yourself. All you need is a food dehydrator and some fresh beef that hasn’t been ground. And at One 51 Place, our large and spacious kitchens allow our residents to make beef jerky without ever feeling too cramped.

The process of making beef jerky entails:

• Removing all traces of fat and cutting beef into long thin slices, with the grain, while the meat is chilled or almost frozen (colder meat is easier to slice)
• Coating the meat in salt and other seasonings of your choice (to add flavor, some people like to marinate their meat in the fridge for 4-24 hours in mixtures of soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, pepper, honey, garlic, onion powder, barbecue sauce, and/or other ingredients)
• Placing the slices into a meat dehydrator and turning the device on
• After about three hours, flipping the thin slices of beef to ensure that both sides are dried adequately
• After another three hours or so, turning the meat dehydrator off and removing the dried chunks of meat
• Placing the beef jerky pieces into an airtight bag to preserve their freshness

So, the next time you want a nice, little homemade treat, consider making your very own beef jerky. If you would like to find out more about our apartments for rent in Alachua, please fill out the form on our Contact Us page or give our leasing office a call today.