Honey Habanero Jerky from Hell!
Note: I was going to give this “big ass” batch of jerky to three active Texas A&M University FTAB Aggie Band cadets I know (two seniors, one junior) but, but there’s this poor fifth year C. Battery Aggie Band alumnus who’s living in a travel trailer with polyester curtains, but no redwood deck in a part of Bryan, TX that I wouldn’t even drive through at night. Besides, the cadets in the dorms at Texas A&M these days have elevators in every dorm, laundry rooms in every dorm, ice machines in the dorms, and a servant that comes into their rooms every night who fluffs their pillows, tells that they’re special, and kisses them on both cheeks. :-)
Alamo Basement Aggie Ring woke me up at approximately 0100 hours this morning. Just before the alarm went off. After 20 years in the Regular Army, I’m used to getting up at inconvenient times. I entered my kitchen, poured us a Maker’s Mark bourbon, sanitized my hands, and tasted the Honey Habanero (Marinade from Hell). When I tasted just a few drops in a tiny spoon, I could see the Gates of Hell! So I knew that all the spices had blended together after sitting for a few hours. Remember, if you’re going to make spicy jerky, go big or go home!
At this point, I violently whisked in the Prague #1 pink curing salt. Once you add the curing salt, you can’t sample the marinade again, lest ye die!
I pulled the top round lean beef out of the refrigerator and sliced it with a razor sharp knife into relatively equal sizes. I must say, standing there at 0120 in the morning, enjoying a Maker’s Mark bourbon, and working with a knife that would take off a toe on one of your bare feet if dropped is almost a Zen-like experience. Fortunately, there’s a restaurant supply store about 7 miles from my home that has a knife sharpening service. They say the worst way to get hurt with a knife is if it’s dull.
I don’t know how many pounds of top round Aggie Ring and I had procured at the grocery store. As I had to get out a second large bowl to contain it, I estimate slightly less than 6.5 kg.
It’s important that the entire surface of each piece gets covered in marinade. If you just throw it into the marination bag and dump in the marinade, there are going to be pieces that are stuck together and parts of their surface area aren’t going to get any marinade. That’s a bad, bad thing!
I like to grab a handful of meat, immerse it in the bowl of marinade and work it with my fingers so every part of the pieces are covered before I place them in the “big ass” two gallon marination bag. Normally, I use my bare hands. However, since this batch of marinade is “technically” a biohazard, I pulled out the rubber gloves. I didn’t want my hands to burn the rest of the night when I went back to bed.
After 9 hours of marination (no more, no less) I will put the meat into the “big ass” stainless steel dehydrator and dry it until the batch is done.
Honey Habanero Jerky from Hell!
Note: I was going to give this “big ass” batch of jerky to three active Texas A&M University FTAB Aggie Band cadets I know (two seniors, one junior) but, but there’s this poor fifth year C. Battery Aggie Band alumnus who’s living in a travel trailer with polyester curtains, but no redwood deck in a part of Bryan, TX that I wouldn’t even drive through at night. Besides, the cadets in the dorms at Texas A&M these days have elevators in every dorm, laundry rooms in every dorm, ice machines in the dorms, and a servant that comes into their rooms every night who fluffs their pillows, tells that they’re special, and kisses them on both cheeks. :-)
Alamo Basement Aggie Ring woke me up at approximately 0100 hours this morning. Just before the alarm went off. After 20 years in the Regular Army, I’m used to getting up at inconvenient times. I entered my kitchen, poured us a Maker’s Mark bourbon, sanitized my hands, and tasted the Honey Habanero (Marinade from Hell). When I tasted just a few drops in a tiny spoon, I could see the Gates of Hell! So I knew that all the spices had blended together after sitting for a few hours. Remember, if you’re going to make spicy jerky, go big or go home!
At this point, I violently whisked in the Prague #1 pink curing salt. Once you add the curing salt, you can’t sample the marinade again, lest ye die!
I pulled the top round lean beef out of the refrigerator and sliced it with a razor sharp knife into relatively equal sizes. I must say, standing there at 0120 in the morning, enjoying a Maker’s Mark bourbon, and working with a knife that would take off a toe on one of your bare feet if dropped is almost a Zen-like experience. Fortunately, there’s a restaurant supply store about 7 miles from my home that has a knife sharpening service. They say the worst way to get hurt with a knife is if it’s dull.
I don’t know how many pounds of top round Aggie Ring and I had procured at the grocery store. As I had to get out a second large bowl to contain it, I estimate slightly less than 6.5 kg.
It’s important that the entire surface of each piece gets covered in marinade. If you just throw it into the marination bag and dump in the marinade, there are going to be pieces that are stuck together and parts of their surface area aren’t going to get any marinade. That’s a bad, bad thing!
I like to grab a handful of meat, immerse it in the bowl of marinade and work it with my fingers so every part of the pieces are covered before I place them in the “big ass” two gallon marination bag. Normally, I use my bare hands. However, since this batch of marinade is “technically” a biohazard, I pulled out the rubber gloves. I didn’t want my hands to burn the rest of the night when I went back to bed.
After 9 hours of marination (no more, no less) I will put the meat into the “big ass” stainless steel dehydrator and dry it until the batch is done.