Homemade Beef Jerky

Recently I have discovered Wellness Mama and have really been enjoying her blog.  It's extremely informative and eye-opening.  I have mentioned in the past how I have struggled with weight and other health issues such as PCOS and insulin resistance.  I have always thought that the reason it's so hard to lose weight and be healthy in general is that there are so many different theories out there regarding what is healthy and what isn't.  Her blog doesn't necessarily follow the norm of what we've been told is healthy all these years, but after reading the facts and the reasoning behind the theories, it makes perfect sense to me.  Personally, I have been doing what "they" say is healthy for years now, and it's not working.  Therefore, our house is going grain-free.  In addition, we are beginning to change the products we use to natural and chemical-free. 

That being said, I will be posting a lot more healthy, low-carb, grain-free recipes as well as recipes for DIY natural health and beauty and cleaning products.  This is one recipe that I got from Wellness Mama.  Here is the original link.

I have always been pretty picky about beef jerky, mostly because it's hard to find a brand/flavor that I like.  Recently I discovered Simms Beef Jerky, which you can buy at Aldi.  Not only is it moist and delicious, but it has a wonderful sweet flavor to it.  But even at Aldi's prices, the cost adds up quickly.  Plus, it contains additives and extra sugar and carbs that I don't need.  The thought of making my own beef jerky had crossed my mind before, but I had no idea it was this easy.

Here is what you'll need:

 

Ground beef (preferably 20% fat or less)

Spices of your choice

Baking sheet with a rim

Large mixing bowl

 

Put the ground beef in a bowl.  Add whatever spices you want.  Using clean hands, mix the meat with the spices.  (I used some of my homemade taco seasoning in this batch)

Next, line your baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.  Spread the meat over the baking sheet.  You can use a rolling pin for this step, but it's not necessary.

 

Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut into pieces (this will make it easier to break into pieces when it's done)

Set your oven on its lowest setting.  Mine is 200 degrees.  Put the baking sheet with the meat on it in the oven.  In about an hour, it will look like this:

 

But don't get too excited, it still has a long way to go.  Cooking times vary based on the temperature you are cooking at and how much meat you are cooking.  Mine took about 6-8 hours to cook at 200 degrees.  Did I mention you will want to do this when you're not planning to leave the house?  It's a good idea to check it often so you don't overcook it.  Also, you will need to flip it about halfway through.  Plus, if you see any grease/fat accumulate on the baking sheet, it will need to be drained.

 

Once your beef jerky is done, let it sit on the baking sheet to cool.  It will also dry out a little more as it cools.  Then, break into pieces and enjoy!