Homemade Pork Jerky: Delicious & Budget-Friendly
Homemade Pork Jerky: Delicious & Budget-Friendly
Make Flavorful Pork Jerky Using the Cheapest Cut: Pork Leg
Hello everyone! This is Henri’s sister. Following up on my Australian beef jerky recipe, I’m excited to show you how to make delicious pork jerky using domestic pork leg. Pork leg is lean, affordable, and incredibly versatile, making it perfect for homemade jerky and many other dishes.
Key Ingredients- Pork Leg (lean meat only) 1kg
Flavorful Jerky Marinade- Onion Juice 2 packets
- Pear Juice 2 packets
- Soy Sauce 3 paper cups
- Plum Extract 1/3 paper cup
- Sesame Oil 1 tablespoon
- Korean Green Chili Peppers 2
- Minced Garlic 1 tablespoon
- Onion Juice 2 packets
- Pear Juice 2 packets
- Soy Sauce 3 paper cups
- Plum Extract 1/3 paper cup
- Sesame Oil 1 tablespoon
- Korean Green Chili Peppers 2
- Minced Garlic 1 tablespoon
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the pork leg, ensuring you use only the lean meat. This cut is remarkably affordable, often costing around 3,000 won for 500g. (Tip: Unlike beef, pork doesn’t require soaking to remove blood.)
Step 2
While buying online is economical, most sellers don’t pre-slice it for jerky. So, lightly freeze the pork leg to make slicing easier. Slice it to your desired thickness, aiming for about 0.7 cm. Be very careful when using your knife.
Step 3
To eliminate any potential gamey odor from the pork, marinate the slices briefly in soju (Korean rice wine). This step is crucial for a clean flavor.
Step 4
Now, let’s make the star of our jerky: the marinade! In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of soy sauce, 2 packets of onion juice, 2 packets of pear juice, 1/3 cup of plum extract, 1/2 cup of soju, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix everything thoroughly.
Step 5
To infuse the marinade with aromatic flavors, we’ll add garlic and chili. Finely mince the garlic and crush the green chili peppers. Place them in a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Submerge the sieve/cloth into the soy sauce mixture and gently rub the ingredients with a spoon for about 10 minutes. This process allows the garlic and chili essence to fully permeate the marinade.
Step 6
Your delicious pork jerky marinade, rich with infused flavors, is now ready!
Step 7
Drain the pork slices from the soju and place them into the prepared marinade, ensuring they are fully submerged. Pork absorbs marinade more slowly than beef, so we’ll let it marinate for at least 3 hours, or even longer. (Tip: Flipping the meat occasionally helps the marinade penetrate evenly.)
Step 8
Gently remove the marinated pork slices from the marinade. Lightly pat them dry, but avoid squeezing them too hard.
Step 9
Arrange the pork slices in a single layer on your food dehydrator trays. Make sure they don’t overlap, as this is essential for even drying.
Step 10
Now for the drying process! Set your food dehydrator to operate overnight for about 10 hours. (Tip: The drying time can vary depending on your dehydrator’s power and the thickness of the meat. Check the jerky periodically and adjust the time as needed.)
Step 11
And there you have it – your homemade pork jerky! After 10 hours of dehydration, you’ll have wonderfully chewy and flavorful jerky. Enjoy your healthy and delicious homemade creation!
