Saturday Pepper Jerky

[mickey jay]

Wasn't doing much so I pulled out a London Broil, unthawed a little and sliced up for a batch of pepper jerky.  I've played with a lot of recipes in the past using wet rubs and the like, but I finally settled down on the simplicity of salt, pepper, chili powder, chipotle powder, smoke.

3lbs london broil (cut lengthwise, across grain)

3% kosher salt (Morton's)

1.5% fresh ground pepper

1 tbs hungarian chili powder (optional)

1 tbs chipotle powder (optional)

Smoked over hickory chunks at 170 with water pan for oh around 4 hours depending on the thickness of cuts.

May be too salty for some, but I prefer.  Make no mistake, the pepper isn't for the light of heart either.  It will light you up pretty good.  The powders just make the flavor a little deeper or earthy, if you will.  I like my jerky like hard tack (but not crunchy!) and while the final pic below looks dry, in reality it's just got a fairly good chew to it.  Since it's cut across the grain, you don't have to look like a caveman just tryin to get a bite.

 

[daveomak]

mickey, morning.....  Nice jerky.... I like the amount of salt and pepper....  Looks like you have a great finish on it, in the smoke too....  Dave

 

[bigtrain74]

Fabolous! I see a little bit of fat on there... Did it render down to almost nothing? Im sure you will have no problem eating it all before its bad.

 

[mickey jay]

This London Broil had some odd marbling throughout, just wisps of fat mainly, but definitely more than normal.  This batch is probably half gone by now, and the occasional piece has a little strip of fat that you can taste.  Since I'd never had to get out the Xacto blade in the past I didn't really think about it when I was slicing, but I'll most likely be a little more picky about getting it out next time.
 

 

[smokinhusker]

Looks good!

 

[rich-]

Looks good enough for the girls I go with