HONEY BARBECUE GROUND JERKY

Makes about ¾ pound of jerky

Whenever we used to eat fast food, we’d get honey barbeque sauce to dip our meat. It was sweet and tangy—perfect! With this recipe you get to enjoy the flavor of dipping meat without the mess. This slightly sweet, slightly spicy jerky is a terrific snack to take on the go or with a picnic.

To make this recipe a bit different and super easy to make, we chose to use ground meat instead of sliced steak. If you decide to use standard beef slices, you can still use the same delicious marinade!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb very lean ground meat
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• note: If you use meat that has natural fat, oil is not necessary

INSTRUCTIONS AND HOW KIDS CAN HELP

1. Mix all ingredients by hand in a bowl until evenly distributed.
2. Allow flavors to develop in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
3. Pack tightly into three-by-two-inch patties (meat will shrink), the flatter the better.
4. Dehydrate over medium-high for 4–8 hours or bake in oven at 160 degrees for at least 12 hours (time will vary depending on humidity and the fat content of the meat).
5. Remove jerky and cool in an open container to allow drying to continue. Once cooled, seal container and store in refrigerator or freezer. Jerky can be kept at room temperature but should be stored long term in a refrigerator, as there are no preservatives or chemicals to prevent molding.