Homemade Taco JerkyPhoto byGin Lee

Homemade Taco Jerky

Taco jerky is a delicious snack to have on hand for those moments when hunger strikes and can be prepared in advance to serve as a convenient survival food option. Today, I used lean pork loin for my recipe, but you can also use beef or various other types of meat.

Ingredients:

For the taco marinade:

• 2 cups of soy sauce
• 1 cup of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of paprika
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional for extra heat)

For the meat:

• 5 pounds of lean pork loin chops or beef (such as flank steak or London broil), thinly sliced against the grain. Various other meats can also be used.

Instructions:

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade.

Trim the excess fat off the meat. Then, thinly slice the meat against the grain into strips.

Add the sliced meat to the marinade, making sure it is fully coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.

Preheat your dehydrator.

Remove the meat from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels to remove the excess marinade.

Arrange the meat slices on the dehydrator trays, making sure they are not touching. Leaving about two inches of space between each piece.

Dehydrate the marinated strips of meat at 160 degrees for 6 to 8 hours, or until it reaches your desired level of dryness. Each dehydrator is different, so dehydrating times may vary.

0Once the jerky is done, let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. Now you have 5 pounds of delicious homemade taco jerky to enjoy as a snack or on the go!