Cliff's Fantastic Jerky

Combine all marinade ingredients. Place marinade and meat in a gallon-size zip-loc bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Next day, stretch meat out on paper towels to drain while you clean the top oven rack. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the lower rack to aid in clean-up. Place meat strips on top rack. Set oven at lowest temperature setting to dry meat. Crack open the oven door to allow moisture to escape. Drying times vary due to the oven differences and meat size. Smaller pieces will be dry in about 2-1/2 hours - larger pieces may take 4-5 hours.

You'll know when the meat is ready as your family will begin stealing jerky right out of the oven!

Cook's Notes:

For Spicy Edition - add 2 or 3 teaspoons Tabasco sauce and/or 1 or 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to marinade.

Use your meat smoker to dry the jerky. Mesquite works well with all red meats. Don't fill the bowl with water as you normally would (you're drying the meat, remember?). And forget the Liquid Smoke if you dry the meat this way, otherwise you will have "SMOKED" the meat to death.

And one more option - Haul out that dehydrator your aunt got for you last Christmas. Flip the meat and rotate the drying racks for even drying!