Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

Sure, I’ve made homemade salad dressings before. But I admit, I get lazy and find myself reverting back to the store-bought versions. I’ve vowed to end my purchases of bottled dressings. Well, or at least jazz them up by adding a few fresh ingredients. I’m starting with this incredible creamy poppy seed dressing. My wife proclaimed it her instant favorite, which is a great way to start on my homemade dressing journey!

Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

Nice-n-Smooth

This dressing has the perfect combination of sweet and tangy, with just the right consistency so that it does run off your salad and form a lake at the bottom of your plate. Nor does it sit there, stuck to your salad like well.. gum.
Grated onion really adds a lot of flavor to this creamy poppy seed dressing. Use a fine grater, such as a microplane, to get the onion as finely grated as you can. You can also mince the onion then, using the flat side of the knife, squish the onion into a paste.

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Also try my creamy Italian dressing and Aunt Trish’s delicious dressing.

This recipe is based on a recipe from Deep South Dish.

Creamy Poppyseed Dressing
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

I’ve vowed to end my purchases of bottled dressings (or at least jazz them up by adding a few fresh ingredients), starting with this incredible creamy poppy seed dressing.
Course Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword creamy, homemade salad dressing
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Calories 1299kcal

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup sugar sugar substitute works just fine
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • ⅔ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons onion grated, with juice (if you don't have any, you can just add onion powder to taste)
  • 1 teaspoons poppy seeds or a bit more, as preferred

Instructions

  • Whisk together all ingredients.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 1299kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 113g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 97IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Ground Turkey Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

I have been enjoying great success with my new Nesco Snackmaster Pro. Of course the most popular items have been the various jerky flavors that I’ve made. And so far, I’ve just made jerky using beef. Not everyone can handle beef, so I decided to try my hand at making jerky using ground turkey. I have to say, I was pretty pessimistic going in. I’m not always a big fan of ground turkey (I think it’s a textural thing), but boy, were my fears unfounded! Ground turkey jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro is absolutely fantastic! It’s tender, and oh so flavorful. Heck, my wife likes it better than my beef jerky.

And yes, you can use any dehydrator! I find mine to be super-easy to use and even easier to cleanup. Extra trays are easy to find for it. But if you follow the temperatures and times in the recipe, you’ll get great results no matter what dehydrator you have!

Ground Turkey Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

Kinda Like A Slim Jim

You just can’t go wrong with ground turkey jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro. I can’t wait to make this again. I started using a standard almost-Slim Jim-like flavoring. Nice and neutral, without any heat, so it could be enjoyed by anyone. I’ll soon try other flavors with more kick, but there’s definitely nothing but good about this jerky.

Do not skip the final step of placing the dried jerky in the oven for 30 minutes. Better safe than sorry with poultry!

I like to load up my dehydrator. To do that I picked up a handful of extra trays. They really add a whole lot more drying space! Since I have to rotate my trays, I write a number on each one on a piece of blue painter’s tape so I can keep track of them.

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Check out my guide to using the Nesco Snackmaster Pro. You will be making fantastic jerky at home in no time at all!

Also try my Cajun ground beef jerky, made using the Nesco Snackmaster Pro.

Ground Turkey Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Ground Turkey Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

Ground turkey jerky (say it 10 times fast, it’s fun!) is absolutely fantastic! It’s tender, and oh so flavorful. 
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword dehydrator, jerky, nesco snackmaster pro, turkey
Prep Time 8 hours
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 14 hours
Servings 8
Calories 64kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place turkey in a large bowl.
  • Whisk together the remaining ingredients and add to the turkey.
  • Combine well.
  • Transfer to a resealable container or baggie and refrigerate overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 165 F.
  • Load the meat into a jerky gun and squeeze out onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Do not let the meat touch or overlap.
  • Transfer trays to oven and cook until internal temperature reaches 165 F.
  • Transfer jerky to the Snackmaster Pro set on the highest temperature (see note below!) and dry for 6 hours. Test for doneness every hour by bending the jerky. If it bends without tearing it is not dry enough. If it gives and starts to tear at the bend it is done.
  • Let cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

It is important that your dehydrator reach a safe temperature of at least 165 F. If yours cannot attain and sustain that temperature, first place the jerky in a 175 F oven until the meat reaches 165 F.
This recipe scales up very easily. You can make about 1 pound of jerky per every 2 trays. You’ll also need a jerky gun (see below).

Nutrition

Calories: 64kcal | Protein: 13g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 167mg | Vitamin A: 14IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Nesco SLD-2-6 American Harvest 13.75″ Fruit Roll…
  • Compatible with 15½” diameter trays. This Fruit…
  • BPA FREE: Made of high-quality food grade plastic…

No Carb Sherbet Pops

These no carb sherbet (er, sherbert as I was raised to call it) pops are proof that going low carb does not mean getting no flavor. Packed with your favorite gelatin flavor (in our case yummy raspberry), it’s the perfect treat for a hot day. Or cool day, as was the case here. I made pops, but you can also just pour the sherbet mixture into single-serve cups and freeze them.

The original recipe for no carb sherbet pops calls for using a small 4-serving box of gelatin, which is perfect. For double the flavor use the bigger 0.6 ounce box.

No Carb Sherbet Pops

Make Some For The Adults, Too

For an adult version, substitute wine or champagne for the club soda. If you don’t mind a few carbs add in some fruit before or after you puree the mixture.

I admit that any time I get to break out my popsicle molds I get all giddy. I know that fun times and good flavors are coming!

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For another no-carb summer treat, try my sno-cones and my cherry Slurpee, which can also be made low-carb. My orange dreamsicle is fantastic, but sadly, not low-carb.

No Carb Sherbet Pops
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

No Carb Sherbet Pops

These no carb sherbet (er, sherbert as I was raised to call it) pops are proof that going low carb does not mean getting no flavor. Packed with your favorite gelatin flavor (in our case yummy raspberry), it’s the perfect treat for a hot day. 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 pops
Calories 10kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 1 0.3 ounce flavored gelatin sugar-free. Use your favorite flavor. For extra flavor, use a 0.6 ounce box.
  • ⅓ cup water boiling
  • 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup club soda cold, plus more
  • 1 ½ cup ice crushed

Instructions

  • Place Jello-O into a medium-sized bowl.
  • Add the boiling water and stir until the Jell-O is dissolved.
  • Whisk in the heavy whipping cream, vanilla and 1/3 cup of soda water.
  • Place the ice into a blender.
  • Add the Jell-O mixture and puree until smooth. If the mixture is too thick add more club soda, a bit at a time.
  • Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until set.

Notes

You can substitute whole milk for the cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 3mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 37IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Chili Crunch Burger

I’ve been jonesin’ really bad for a really good burger. A loaded burger, with lots of spicy kick to it. So I fired up my grill and proceeded to make a big ole chili crunch burger. Spicy chili. Crunchy chips. Sweet onions. Hot jalapenos. All topped with fiery habanero cheese. Yeah, baby, spicy messy burger time!

Chili Crunch Burger

Grab Some Paper Towels, You’ll Need Them

There is nothing but goodness in every bite of this chili crunch burger. Chili and yummy burger juices will run down your arm. That goes with my ‘messier is better’ motto. Melted cheese will drip onto your plate. That’s why you want to keep a few extra Fritos around so you can scoop up the fallen chili and cheese. It’s like having bonus dip on your plate.

Fresh Is Best, But Canned Is Ok Too

Although I prefer fresh jalapenos, sometimes they aren’t available. That’s when I substitute canned (not pickled) chopped jalapenos. My favorite are fire-roasted. The roasting adds a great sweet charred flavor to any dish.

I like to use a burger press when I make burgers. It, in combination with some patty papers, enables me to crank out a whole bunch of equally-sized burger patties in no time at all with little cleanup.

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Also try my creamy mushroom burger.

Chili Crunch Burger
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5 from 2 votes

Chili Crunch Burger

 I fired up my grill and proceeded to make a big ole chili crunch burger. Spicy chili. Crunchy chips. Sweet onions. Hot jalapenos. All topped with fiery habanero cheese. Yeah, baby, spicy messy burger time!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers, chili, corn chips
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 496kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place beef in a large bowl.
  • Season with salt, pepper and cayenne and mix well. Form into 8 1/4 pound patties.
  • Grill burgers as desired.
  • Place cooked patties on bun bottoms.
  • Top with cheese, a few tablespoons of the chili, the onion, and jalapeno.
  • Add a few corn chips and the bun top and serve (with paper towels!).

Notes

Too spicy? Use Monterey jack cheese instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 343IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Chorizo-Stuffed Fritos on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.

Very few things are as addictive as chorizo-stuffed Fritos made on the Char-Broil Big Easy. These little bite-sized snacks disappear in no time. As an added bonus, they are incredibly easy to make. You can fit a whole bunch of stuffed Fritos on the Big Easy, making it perfect for cooking for a crowd, if you have the available cooking rack.

Chorizo-Stuffed Fritos on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Spicy Chorizo

Just about anything you put in the Fritos is going to taste great. I used Mexican chorizo because I love the spiciness that is brings to dishes, but ground breakfast sausage would also be fantastic.

Caution! Hot!

Be careful when pulling these chorizo-stuffed Fritos off your Big Easy. In no time the chips get mighty hot, so use tongs or let them cool a bit first before handling and eating. You can also make these great Fritos on your grill.

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It’s always a good idea to keep a few spare grease trays on hand for your Char-Broil Big Easy.

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Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and all 3 of my huge free Big Easy eCookbooks!

Chorizo-Stuffed Fritos on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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4 from 1 vote

Chorizo-Stuffed Fritos on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Very few things are as addicting as chorizo-stuffed Fritos. These little bite-sized snacks disappear in no time. As an added bonus, they are incredibly easy to make.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, corn chips, sausage, stuffed
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 271kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 2 bags Fritos Scoops grab 2 bags in case it’s hard to find the perfectly-shaped chips
  • 1 pound Mexican chorizo cooked, finely crumbled (Note: If you cannot crumble the sausage well enough, toss the slightly-cooled cooked chorizo into a food processor and pulse a few times)
  • 2 cups shredded cheese extra sharp cheddar or pepperjack work great!
  • 1 cup Ranch salad dressing
  • 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce or more, to taste, chopped, along with some of the adobo sauce
  • 4 green onions sliced thin, for garnish

Instructions

  • Fire up your Big Easy.
  • Open the bag of chips and place in a large bowl. Go through them and grab the biggest, best scooping chips you can find.
  • Combine the crumbled chorizo and cheese. Press lightly into the chips and transfer to the cooking rack.
  • Lower rack into the Big Easy and cook until the cheese is melted on all levels, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove the rack and let cool slightly.
  • While the chips are cooling whisk together the dressing and chipotle with adobo.
  • Serve chips drizzled with the sauce and garnished with green onions.

Notes

You’ll need the 6-level cooking rack from Char-Broil to heat up a bunch of these treats at once.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 501IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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  • Expands the cooking space of The Big Easy
  • Perfect for cooking two chickens at once

Fat Johnny’s Cheesy Cornbread

Chez John (aka Fat Johnny) turns out some mighty darned good grub (check out his awesome food blog at Fat Johnny’s Front Porch). Like his Fat Johnny’s cheesy cornbread, one of our all-time favorites. We absolutely love the addition of sweet corn to cornbread. It not only adds a little ‘pop’ to every bite, it adds a sweetness and it helps keep the cornbread moist. The cornbread cooks up perfectly. Soft and moist with an incredible cheesy flavor, this is nothing but fantastic.

Fat Johnny's Cheesy Cornbread

Try It Classic First. Then Kick It Up.

Just about anything can be added to Fat Johnny’s cheesy cornbread. Try finely chopped cooked Mexican chorizo. Or ham or bacon. Or broccoli. Really, anything. But at least the first time, you have to make it the way Chef makes it because it’s out-of-this-world fantastic. You won’t want to make cornbread any other way again.

We cooked the cornbread in round pans, but of course you can use muffin tins instead. You can also use a cast iron skillet. The cornbread might cook quicker in tins, so keep an eye on it after about 15 minutes of cooking. Just slide a toothpick into the centers. If it comes out clean, the cornbread is ready to take out and serve!

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Also try some delicious Fat Johnny’s goulash.

Fat Johnny's Cheesy Cornbread
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5 from 1 vote

Fat Johnny’s Cheesy Cornbread

We absolutely love the addition of sweet corn to cornbread. The cornbread cooks up perfectly. Soft and moist with an incredible cheesy flavor.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword cheesy, cornbread
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 284kcal
Author Chez John

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375 F.
  • Set out two medium bowls.
  • In one bowl, gently stir together all of the wet ingredients.
  • In the other bowl stir together the dry ingredients.
  • Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, forming a batter. If it’s too clumpy add more buttermilk, a little at a time, and stir.
  • Pour batter into a muffin tin or pie pan.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Notes

Substitute pepper jack for the cheddar for  a nice little kick.

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 617mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 361IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Bistro Burgers

I was jonesin’ for a big, great burger. Hot off the grill. Juicy. Packed with flavor. These Bistro burgers were so good that my wife said “You’re making these again, and soon” after only one bite. Of course, there’s bacon. And a fried egg (burgers and fried eggs were meant for each other). But the kicker? Frisee lettuce tossed with Dijon, shallots and a bit of the drippings from the bacon. My goodness they were great!

Bistro Burgers

Don’t Mess With Perfection

There is nothing I can think of that could possibly make these Bistro burgers any better other than to have made more of them. The Dijon wasn’t too strong (sometimes, too much mustard can be a bad thing), and in fact it was outstanding. Every bite was packed with the perfect tastes.

I like to use a burger press when I make burgers. It, in combination with some patty papers, enables me to crank out a whole bunch of equally-sized burger patties in no time at all with little cleanup.

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  • 3 in 1 Hamburger Press: The Burger press has…
  • Premium Durable Material: Our hamburger patty…

Also try my deluxe Bistro Burger. It has the added kick of horseradish!

Bistro Burgers
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Bistro Burgers

There is nothing I can think of that could possibly make these Bistro burgers any better other than to have made more of them. The Dijon wasn’t too strong (sometimes, too much mustard can be a bad thing), and in fact it was outstanding. Every bite was packed with the perfect tastes.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 burgers
Calories 722kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 ½ pounds ground beef divided into 4 patties
  • Kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard plus more for spreading
  • 1 shallot sliced thin
  • 1 bunch frisee lettuce torn

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill.
  • Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Reserve all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings.
  • Season the burger patties and place on the grill.
  • While the burgers are cooking fry the egg in the skillet. Remove.
  • Cook burgers until they reach the desired doneness.
  • Toast buns as desired.
  • Whisk 1 tablespoon of the Dijon and 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon drippings. Stir in the shallots then toss the frisee into the mixture, coating
  • Slather buns with a bit more of the Dijon.
  • Add the cooked patties, bacon, egg, frisee and bun tops. Enjoy!

Notes

Good buns make for good burgers!

Nutrition

Calories: 722kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 321mg | Sodium: 589mg | Potassium: 653mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Panera Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing (Copycat Recipe)

Strawberries are in season here and it’s a happy time! I’ve been waiting for this moment to make this copycat recipe of Panera’s strawberry poppy seed dressing. My patience was definitely rewarded and then some. This could easily be my favorite salad dressing of all time. Smooth strawberry flavor with just a bit of sweetness. White balsamic vinegar, while not as cheap as the dark version, is more mellow and adds a great tang.

Panera Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing (Copycat Recipe)

What Is White Balsamic Vinegar?

I was curious what makes white balsamic vinegar more gentle than dark, so I Googled it. Turns out dark balsamic vinegar is aged for at least twelve years in barrels that have been fired and were previously used for other batches of balsamic vinegar. White balsamic vinegar, on the other hand, is aged at least twelve years in new barrels that have not been fired or used before. That explains the cleaner flavor! It’s perfect in this copycat recipe for the Panera strawberry poppy seed dressing.

Other Berries Work Too!

After I use up this batch of dressing (read: tonight), I think I’ll try the same recipe but using raspberries instead. Or peaches. I think this same approach could work well with any good in-season fruit.

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Also try my copycat of Chipotle’s Honey Vinaigrette.

Copycat Panera Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing
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5 from 1 vote

Panera Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing (Copycat Recipe)

Strawberries are in season. I’ve been waiting for this moment to make this copycat of Panera’s strawberry poppy seed dressing. My patience was definitely rewarded.
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, salad dressing
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 3 cups
Calories 267kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all of the dressing ingredients except the poppy seeds together in a high-speed blender or food processor and mix until smooth.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Peppered Ground Beef Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

I love making jerky on my dehydrator. It’s so easy to do and everyone has really enjoyed the end results. Any lean ground meat will work, but I prefer grinding my own top round. This peppered ground beef jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro has a nice mellow pepper flavor that is definitely not overwhelming. The meat has the perfect ‘bite’, just a little tug

Peppered Ground Beef Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

Everyone Needs A Jerky Cannon

I use a jerky cannon to make ground beef jerky. It’s essentially a huge caulk gun that, when loaded with seasoned ground meat, shoots out the perfectly-shaped jerky every time.

Make sure you rotate your trays every 2 hours or so when making peppered ground beef jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro. The bottom trays will not dry as quickly as those on top. Rotating the trays will give you nice, even drying and perfect jerky on every level.

I like to load up my dehydrator. To do that I picked up a handful of extra trays. They really add a whole lot more drying space! Since I have to rotate my trays, I write a number on each one on a piece of blue painter’s tape so I can keep track of them.

Nesco TR-2 White Plastic Round 15 1/2″ Add-A-Trays…
  • 15.5″ DIAMETER TRAYS: This Add-A-Tray 2-pack…
  • BPA FREE: Made of high-quality food grade plastic…
Nesco SLD-2-6 American Harvest 13.75″ Fruit Roll…
  • Compatible with 15½” diameter trays. This Fruit…
  • BPA FREE: Made of high-quality food grade plastic…
Sale
NESCO LM-2-6 Round Plastic Mesh…
  • IDEAL FOR SMALL AND STICKY FOODS: Removable mesh…
  • BPA FREE: Made of high-quality food grade plastic…

Paranoia Rules

I admit, I’m paranoid about my jerky. Even if I use pink curing salt. The sodium nitrites in the salt kill harmful bacteria as long as you’ve dried the meat properly and store it in air-tight containers away from sunlight. I keep mine in the fridge even though it’s not required. Even though I’ve made my share of jerky I still consider myself a newbie. And it’s not like I don’t have the room in the fridge. So in it goes!

Also try my sliced peppered jerky.

Check out my guide to using the Nesco Snackmaster Pro. You will be making fantastic jerky at home in no time at all!

Peppered Ground Beef Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Peppered Ground Beef Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

I love making jerky on my dehydrator. It’s so easy to do and everyone has really enjoyed the end results. Any lean ground meat will work, but I prefer grinding my own top round. 
Course Dehydrator
Cuisine Jerky
Keyword beef, dehydrator, jerky, nesco snackmaster pro
Prep Time 8 hours
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 14 hours
Servings 0.5 pounds
Calories 1265kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place beef in a resealable bag or container.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the seasoning, red pepper flake if using, curing salt and water.
  • Pour over the meat and seal. Shake to coat.
  • Refrigerate the meat for up to 8 hours, shaking or massaging every hour or so to get the marinade distributed and absorbed evenly.
  • Remove meat from the marinade and add to a jerky gun.
  • Squeeze out onto Nesco trays. Do not overlap meat.
  • Add the dehydrator top, set to maximum temperature setting and dehydrate for 5 hours, rotating the trays (bottom to top) every 2 hours or so.
  • To test for doneness remove a piece and let cool slightly. Try to bend the meat. If it gives and starts to tear at the bend it is done. If it bends without tearing return to the dehydrator and let it run another 15 minutes and test again. If the meat is crunchy it is overdone but still good. It’s really personal preference as to how you like your jerky. Soft, chewy, crunchy. There’s no wrong here.
  • Let cool before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

This recipe is for starting with 1 pound of meat. You’ll end up with about 1/2 pound in the end. You can easily double/triple/etc this recipe for large quantities of meat, however 5-6 pounds is about all you can fit onto a Nesco Snackmaster Pro fitted with 12 trays (the unit comes with 5).

Nutrition

Calories: 1265kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 195g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 562mg | Sodium: 736mg | Potassium: 3295mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2372IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 23mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Nesco SLD-2-6 American Harvest 13.75″ Fruit Roll…
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Nashville Hot Pickles

Ever since I made a crazy good batch of Nashville Hot Chicken I’ve been jonesin’ for that same great hot crunchy experience on other foods. Like fried pickles. Making these Nashville Hot Pickles was easy, and boy are they packed with a nice kick! I didn’t go the mild route with these, that’s for sure. And to make sure I kept the burn going I served the pickles with a habanero ranch sauce for dipping. If you like spicy, then you’ve come to the right place!

Nashville Hot Pickles

Crunchy And Spicy Perfection

You’re going to see other great dishes like this one for Nashville Hot Pickles here on Life’s A Tomato. I love that great crunchy breading and that fiery hot seasoning. Next up? I’m thinking chicken fingers! Or maybe nuggets! And maybe even chicken wings.

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

Amazon Basics 3.2-Qt (3.0L) Electric Deep Fryer…
  • FAST-HEATING & FAMILY-SIZE: This powerful…
  • ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE & VERSATILE COOKING: With…

Also try my jalapeno bottle caps and my copycat of Hooter’s fried pickles.

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5 from 1 vote

Nashville Hot Pickles

Making these Nashville Hot Pickles was easy, and boy are they packed with a nice kick! I didn’t go the mild route with these, that’s for sure.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword deep-fried, pickles, spicy
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 91kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the dip

  • 1 cup milk or buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

For the dredge

For frying

For the spicy coating

For serving

Instructions

For the dip

  • Whisk together the milk, eggs and hot sauce in a pie pan or shallow bowl.

For the dredge

  • Whisk together the flour and salt in a pie pan or shallow bowl.

For frying

  • Heat a few inches of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 325 F.
  • Working in batches, dredge the pickles in the flour. Shake off excess.
  • Dip pickles into the milk mixture. Shake off the excess.
  • Return the pickles to the flour and dredge again. Shake off excess.
  • Transfer pickles to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  • Place on a rack to cool and drain.

For the spicy coating

  • When you’re done frying the pickles, ladle 1/3 cup of the hot oil into a small sauce pan and whisk in the spicy coating ingredients.
  • Brush mixture over the pickles. The more you brush on, the hotter it’ll be.

Notes

You can also serve the coating on the side, for dipping!

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 357IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Amazon Basics 3.2-Qt (3.0L) Electric Deep Fryer…
  • FAST-HEATING & FAMILY-SIZE: This powerful…
  • ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE & VERSATILE COOKING: With…