Jerky Ambrosia

My DH found this recipe in a hunting magazine and made some alterations to it before making it last week. It has a wonderful flavor and is versatile in that many kinds of meat can be used. We used beef.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 30 mins
• Yields: 1-2 pound

Ingredients

• 3  lbs  venison (deer, elk, moose, caribou, or beef)
• 16  ounces light soy sauce
• 16  ounces water
• 1  tablespoon liquid smoke
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon  cajun seasoning
• 2  tablespoons salt
• 2  tablespoons  crushed garlic (optional)
• 15 -20  drops  hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Slice the meat into 1/4 inch thick strips.
2. Mix together soy sauce, water, liquid smoke, salt, brown sugar,Cajun seasoning and optional ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (non-metal).
3. Place the meat into the marinade and refrigerate for 24-36 hours.
4. Remove meat and pat dry.
5. Discard the marinade.
6. Heat oven to 145 degrees F (with the oven door left open about one inch; this is to allow for air circulation) and place meat on oven rack or a baking rack placed in the oven.
7. Spread foil on lower rack to catch drippings.
8. (Our oven will only heat as low as 170 degrees F and jerky was done in 5-5 1/2 hours.) At 145 degrees F, jerky will be done in 6-8 hours.