Dried meat is a very nutritious product that can be stored for a long time, provided that it has good packaging. One piece of such a product is enough for a person for half a day. The meat gradually swells in the stomach and is digested, the feeling of hunger does not appear for a long time. But there will be a slight thirst due to the process of absorption of the liquid, although there is nothing to worry about.
Dried meat
Such meat is a wonderful product for hikers and extreme conditions, athletes. It is very easy and quick for them to have a snack on the go, and at the same time it will provide you with a quick burst of strength and energy. And that means a lot in field conditions.
In addition, dried meat can easily be turned into ordinary meat. To do this, it is enough to fill it with hot water and leave it for an hour until it comes to its previous state. And you can simply add a piece of such a product when cooking soup.
How to cook dried meat
At home, it is quite simple to cook. This is a simple process. Lamb and beef are well suited for this . Do not take pork better. It does not make a normal product.
Of course, the meat should be fresh. This is the main condition. In addition, it should be completely not greasy, without streaks.
Beef needs to be cut into pieces. It is better if their thickness is not more than one centimeter. But even if you get thicker slices - that's okay. Just the cooking process will be longer.
The thinner you chop it, the faster your meat will dry. When cooking, you need to consider for what purposes you procure such a product. If you will use it at home, then feel free to make thick slices. But if you are going to take it on a camping trip, then the pieces should be certainly thin. This will facilitate the process of its use in road conditions. Agree that a thick piece will be difficult to nibble.
Dried meat: homemade recipe
The meat must be cut across the fibers so that then they do not interfere so much during the meal. We put the prepared pieces into the dishes, and we ourselves begin to prepare the brine, which we will need further.
To prepare it, we need a mixture of peppers. You can purchase a set of a combination of several types: red, black, white, green. But you can independently obtain such a mixture by grinding certain types in a coffee grinder. The result will be no worse. We also need salt, bay leaf, soy sauce, sugar and boiling water.
For two kilograms of beef, the amount of ingredients will be as follows:
- Two full teaspoons of table salt.
- Also two teaspoons of pepper mixture.
- Fifty milliliters of soy sauce will be enough.
- A teaspoon of granulated sugar.
- A few crushed bay leaves.
- You can also add some herbs for meat.
We mix all these ingredients in one dish and pour a glass of boiling water. The resulting solution must be mixed so that the salt is completely dissolved.
Next, fill our meat with a brine, mix everything so that each piece gets its portion of salt and spices. We cover the pan with a lid, it should not receive excess air. And send it to the refrigerator for three days. During this time, the meat softens, saturated with salt and spices.
Sugar makes the taste of meat more tender, enhancing its aroma. Salt provides protection against the development of microorganisms. And soy sauce gives it a special flavor. With it, dried meat at home is much tastier.
Weed meat
There is a special dryer for meat, which will facilitate the cooking process at home. After the beef has lain in the brine, it can be laid in the dryer. And you can cook dried meat with the help of an oven. In any case, a good result is obtained.
If you have a meat dryer, place the pieces of beef on wire trays. The lower layer of meat can be stacked from larger pieces, as it dries faster.
Oven drying
If you decide to cook dried meat in the oven, then this is done as follows.
The oven must be preheated to seventy degrees. Beef should be cooked to dry completely. In the process, the oven needs to be kept slightly ajar, as moisture will need to go out somewhere.
Remember that meat is dried when the gas is off. Periodically, a baking sheet with beef must be removed and the oven heated. Then return the meat to the place again.
You will spend about a day on drying. If you cook less meat, it will simply lose some moisture, but will not dry out completely. You will get jerky. It will not be stored for a very long time. Although it is quite suitable for a two-week trip. At first, it can be eaten without additional cooking, but weeks and a half later it is better to use for cooking soups or for frying.
For long-term storage without a refrigerator, the meat must dry to a stony state. The optimum temperature of the cooking process is seventy degrees. Do not exceed it, but also reduce it. At high temperatures, the meat may fry to an unacceptable state.
Store dried meat in a dry place without air in the dark. This is a very important condition. The best option would be to pack it either in plastic bags or glass jars.
Expert Advice
- Thinly sliced meat dries faster and is more convenient to use during trips.
- Ready beef can be held on paper for about a day before packing. This is done so that moisture evaporates. As experience shows, this increases the shelf life of meat without a refrigerator. And in weather conditions this is very important.
- When cooking meat in the oven, you can put a baking sheet under the wire rack. This will help keep it clean. In addition, the whole oven will have to be washed, because it stably retains the smell.
- Nibbling prepared slices of dried meat is very tasty. But you need to be careful and take care of your teeth.
Instead of an afterword
Many want to learn how to cook dried meat. As they say, meanwhile, not everyone knows such a product. Such meat is called basturma. At present, it is considered almost a delicacy, although it was originally invented as a camping option for food for shepherds, hunters who did not return home for a long time and had to take a supply of food with them. And such meat was very convenient to store and quite high in calories.