Baconized Jerky

BEEFY BACON JERKY

Who doesn't like Jerky or for that matter Bacon? So with that I give you a Jerky that tastes like Bacon. And if you like Bourbon that's even better. This recipe is quite easy. What might be unique to this recipe is the addition of Brown Sugar Bourbon and a Bacon Booster. Everything else is normal... Salt and Cure # 1. For more crazy Jerky recipes Click HERE and for Curing Notes and how to apply percentages Click HERE.  To purchase BACON Booster which is just an optional ingredient Click HERE.

I always use Top Round for my Jerky. It's the leanest and easiest to work with... at least for me. Combine Salt, Cure #1 and Bacon Booster in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Rub into Meat. After you have completed this step rub in the Brown Sugar.

Place meat and any residual rub into bag and add the Brown Sugar Bourbon. Vacuum seal using caution to avoid sucking up any liquid from the bag. Cure for at least 8 days and up to about 14 days. This is an equilibrium cure so not concerned about over curing. Place in refrigerator and toss over every day.

I removed the Cured meat from the refrigerator right at 10 days. I'm always working around my crazy schedule so 10 days was about just about right for me. See my notes on curing and jerky HERE. Anyhow at this point you want to remove as much fat as possible. Fat and Jerky don't make for tasty Jerky. The fat ends up going rancid and does not taste all that good. 

Partially freeze (about 70% frozen) the meat and slice to desired thickness. Having a professional Berkel slicer is helpful. 

Just a pretty picture.

Douse with some Brown Sugar Bourbon.... just enough to get all the pieces wet. Using your hands mix it all up making sure it's thoroughly coated.  

Place on dehydrator racks and sprinkle on some Brown Sugar. Rub the Brown sugar into the meat too. 

Dehydrate.....this one did not take as long as I thought it would. I started out at 135 for 2.5 hours, 2 hours at 110 and finished at 90 degrees until I could bend a piece in half and it was barely splitting. 

Review- It was damn good. I loved everything about it....... It tasted like bacon. I fried a few pieces I trimmed off that had fat on it and it was bacony delicious. If you love sweet bacon, and bourbon you will like this jerky.  

Safety and Jerky

I don't want to go on a rant or lecture about Beef Jerky but there are some precautions you need to take. The amount of jerky recipes out there pales in comparison to the amount of opinions there are about how to make Beef Jerky properly. You can google to you're blue in the face and everyone has an opinion. There are a lot of rules out there and if you want to explore them I have collected on my BLOG. Click the Link HERE and go to the bottom and click on the desired information. 

This is what I do. I make sure there is adequate salt levels. If I am using a dry rub I use 2.5-3% salt. If I use a marinade I go by taste and experience. I use Cure # 1 because I tend to like my Jerky a little moister than others and cannot guarantee that the AW will be below the 85 threshold to ward off Botulism. I store my Jerky vacuum sealed in bags hence Cure # 1. I refuse to pasteurize like the USDA suggest so I have an alternate way of doing it that provides great texture. I pack all the Jerky in Vacuum sealed bags no thicker than an inch and Sous-Vide at 135 degrees for a minimum of two hours. I prefer 3-4 hours for improved texture. All cured and pasteurized. 

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