What's the secret ingredient in beef jerky?
I've been making beef jerky using various marinade recipes I found on the WWW. The results have been mixed, but always lack that one distinct flavor that seems so prevalent in store-bought jerky. If I had to describe it, I'd say "protein-y". It's not a spice I recognize, and doesn't seem to be present in any combination of soy sauce, Worcestershire, etc.
Recently I found an old seasoning packet that came with my dehydrator, took a little taste, and recognized that same flavor immediately. Unfortunately there is no ingredient list printed on the packet. Where is that flavor is coming from?
Best Answer
"Proteiny" usually indicates "umami", the so-called "fifth flavor" after sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. It's triggered by glutamates. Common sources of umami include beef, mushrooms, some seaweeds (most especially nori), rinds of some hard cheeses (most especially pecorino romano) and tomato paste. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the store-bought jerkies you are comparing it to include monosodium glutamate, a common food additive that is essentially concentrated umami flavor.
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How do you make jerky more flavorful?
The pepperier, the better if you ask me. If you do happen to like sweeter beef jerky, just add 1/4 cup of maple syrup to the marinade. And if you like a spicier beef jerky, I recommend sprinkling some crushed red pepper flakes on top of the jerky as it cooks.What is beef jerky really made of?
Its name comes from the Quechua word \u201cch'arki,\u201d which means dried, salted meat. Beef jerky is made from lean cuts of beef that are marinated with various sauces, spices, and other additives. It then undergoes various processing methods, such as curing, smoking, and drying, before its packaged for sale ( 1 ).What makes jerky chewy?
Top round and bottom round are lean, flavorful and \u2013 in our opinion \u2013 the best cuts of beef for jerky. Sirloin tip is extremely lean, but not as tender, and a bit more expensive. Flank steak is also lean (though you may need to trim some fat) and flavorful, but can be tough if its sliced with the grain.what. (Bo Burnham FULL SHOW HD)
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