God bless your son! Thanks to him from my family.
Jerky is super easy, and you don't need a kit. I let the meat partially defrost (usually venison) so I can cut it in thin slices across the grain. You can also use ground meat pressed into strips if preferred. I marinate mine in a combination of soy sauce &
Worcestershire as a base in a 2:1 ratio (specific amounts depend on how much jerky you want to make. Your final product will weigh less than half the original, so if your son wants 5# start with at least 10# of meat. My typical recipe for 6# starting weight of meat is:
2 cups Soy sauce
1 cup Worcestershire
1/2 cup brown sugar (you can use honey, if preferred)
1 tbsp each of:
- pepper
- onion powder
- garlic powder
Then there's the question of heat. This of course subjective. I prefer to use red pepper flakes, about 1 tbsp. Cayenne, etc. are up to you.
Marinate 1-2 hours and smoke on low heat 150* max for 2-3 hours. I like to use fruit woods for this, but it's up to you. Then move to your
dehydrator or oven for another 20-22 hours until jerky is dry but not brittle. I use our gas oven on low with the door propped open to keep temps down. Drives the family nuts because it makes the house smell so great! Bag it all in ziplocks and ship to your soldier (I send it this way to my daughter at college all the time.). I suppose Food Saver might be better for shipping overseas.
Enjoy!
