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
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.
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
Equipment
- Jerky Cannon optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon AC Legg Peppered Jerky Seasoning heaping
- ½ tablespoon dried red pepper flake to taste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pink curing salt optional if you’re going to refrigerate the finished product
- ¼ cup water
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
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.