The Jerky Chef

the amount of meat and the room in your refer − the lids keep things out and

are handy for stacking the containers. Salt the bottom of the pan evenly,

making sure to get in the corners as well. This may not be as easy as it

sounds. Put a few pounds of salt in a bowl, cup your fingers together and

scoop out about a half a handful − not in your palm. Shake your hand back

and forth across the top and about a foot above the top of the pan. As the

salt starts to leave your hand, slowly open your fingers and let the salt

run through evenly. Hand salting may require some practice. Practice salting

the bottom of the pan until it becomes comfortable and the coverage is

without gobs or streaks or voids. If this method becomes too frustrating, a

shaker top jar works too − a mayonnaise jar with the metal lid poked full of

holes by a 16 penny nail. The coverage amount should be between light

coverage (barely covering) and full coverage (completely covering) − the

only comparison I can think of, is sugar on a pie crust, or, sugar on your

cereal. You don't want it too salty, so, one might consider their first

batch of jerky experimental and take it from there. String the molasses.

Same kinda deal as the salt, hold the bottle about a foot above the pan,

start moving it from side to side and pour. When the molasses starts running

try to get a 'string' about the size of a pencil lead and let it crisscross

the pan bottom over the salt. Once the strings are even in one direction,

change directions (perpendicular) and string evenly across again. Don't

forget the corners. When it's done it will be an even grid about 1/2" square

covering the pan bottom. Good luck... don't worry, 10−12 layers and you'll

be able to sign your name with it. The pepper will vary as to individual

taste. One note though, pepper almost doubles its intensity as it soaks and

is easy to overpower the finished product. I would recommend that a light

dusting would be sufficient for most people (about the way you would pepper

a baked potato). Red pepper flakes, even more so. Again, hold the pepper can

about a foot above, and dust it evenly − good, you remembered the corners.

Layer the meat strips across the bottom of the pan one at a time. Starting

on one side, place the strips next to each other without overlapping and

with all of the strips running in the same direction. Work the meat across

until the layer is complete, without voids. Pat the surface, edges and

corners down smooth and flat. Salt, molasses and pepper the surface as was

done to the bottom of the pan to start. The second layer of meat is done the

same, but it is ran perpendicular to the first layer. Pat smooth, salt,

molasses and pepper. Each additional layer is placed perpendicular to the

layer before it. Continue layering the meat until it reaches to a level

about 2" from the top of the pan. The last layer, or partial layer, gets the

salt, molasses and pepper treatment as well. This brining method will cure

the meat in two days. Place the pan in the refer, cover and let sit

undisturbed for the first day (refrigeration is not necessary if prepared in

SMOKEHOUSE JERKY