Simple Paleo Jerky

***I wanted to get this posted before I forgot!  I will be back to add pictures later tonight!***

Since I discovered this recipe, beef jerky has become a staple of my paleo day.  Before, I wasn't at all tempted by the plastic packaged stuff in the store.  Let's face it, it is marketed to men and the idea of unrefrigerated meat sitting in a bag for weeks on end in a store isn't so appetizing.  But I am psyched to eat it if I made it myself.

So, depending on the meat you choose, it can get pricey.  I bought flank steak that wasn't on sale the first time I made jerky because I wanted to try it.  It was around $8 a pound.  Add the coconut aminos which are around $12/bottle (and you use half a bottle per 2-3 lbs of meat) and the spices and it becomes one of the pricier snacks.  But totally worth it as a treat or if you see a good deal on meat (I recently got an organic rib eye that was discounted because it was on its last "marketable" day for $2/lb and it made GREAT jerky!).

The "best" cuts for it according to my extensive googling are london broil, top round or flank steak.  Basically that is because they are very lean.  But as long as you don't mind a little extra elbow grease, any cut will work provided you trim off any visible fat.  Leaving fat on the meat makes it take longer to cook and increases the chances it will become rancid (yuck!) after a few days.  Plus, it isn't good for you anyways.....

Recipe

3 lbs lean beef (place in freezer for an hour or two for easier thin slicing)
3/4 cup coconut aminos (I have cut this down a bit when using spicier spices and it still works.  Plus aminos are expensive!)
1/4 cup water (increase the water in an equal ratio to the aminos you remove if you do)
3 teaspoons granulated or minced garlic (I prefer fresh minced but powered will work fine)
1 tbs dried ginger*
1/2 to 1 tbs fresh cracked black pepper
1 tbs sea salt

Slice beef very thinly, approximately 1/4 inch thick and across the grain.
Place big in a large glass bowl or zipper bag.
Premix all of the above ingredients.
Add the liquid to the meat bag and mix well (I prefer the bag because I can squish it around easily)
Marinate for at least 4 hours (I prefer at least overnight and have left it as long as 48 hours).

Dehydrator: Place in dehydrator for 4 to 5 hours at 160 degrees or until it looks done.

Oven: Place strips on cookie sheets (metal) with no overlapping.  Cook on 170 degrees for 4 to 5 hours (might be longer if your meat is thicker and dependent on your oven so leave yourself extra time just in case).  Leave the oven door cracked open (you can prop with a wooden spoon).

*Note: I don't use the ginger.  We like our jerky spicier so I used one tablespoon either Jamaican or Indian style curry powder.  Even my coworkers who don't love curry love the jerky with curry so try it!  I am eating some right now....

Curry Bacon Brussel Sprouts

It really bothers me that I have no idea if it is "brussel" or "brussels". Googling produces results for both and I prefer to use proper English. Regardless these sprouts are divine!

I have a bit of an obsession going with curry. The curry I am using was purchased on our trip to Grand Cayman last November and is a Jamaican style yellow powder. I am sure the recipe would also work well with an Indian style yellow curry as they are very similar. I will have to try it out with Thai before I give that my blessing though!

Recipe

Brussel(s) sprouts, cleaned - 2 cups
3 tbs olive oil
1 tbs curry powder
1 tsp minced garlic
3-4 strips bacon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the olive oil and curry together until well combined.

Toss the sprouts in the garlic and then toss them in the oil mixture (right in the dish you are going to roast them in so you don't lose a drop of yummy curry oil!).

Arrange in a tightly packed single layer in the baking dish.

Drape the slices of raw bacon over the top.

Pop in the oven and cook until both the bacon is cooked and sprouts look a bit browned and crispy (30-40 minutes depending on your oven).

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Carefully (ouch, it's hot!) break the bacon into bite size pieces and mix it into the sprouts.

Serve and enjoy!

Paleo Friendly Italian Dressing

I posted this recipe the other day on the Working Paleo Facebook page.  Hubby and I love it and it is so much cheaper than the commercially prepared dressings.  I have stored it in the fridge for about a month now without an issue.  I make huge batches (quadruple the below recipe) and fill several jars so it is ready to go for salads and marinades.  I substituted a little crushed mustard seed for the mustard and even left it out completely in one batch and it was still fabulous!

Recipe

1 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine vinegar (can substitute other vinegars and mix in some lemon juice too)
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder (I added minced garlic instead)
1 tsp onion powder or dried minced onion
2 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 1/2 dried basil (I have used fresh as well)
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried or prepared mustard

Combine all ingredients and shake well.  Store in a jar with an airtight seal either in the fridge or at room temperature.  Keep in mind that the oil and vinegar will separate so it will need to be shaken prior to use and, if refrigerated, might need too warm up a bit.

Paleo Ketchup

When I first started eating paleo, I didn't even think about the condiments I use as being "bad".  Because, honestly, I don't really use a lot of condiments.  But hubby and the kiddo do.  And when I looked at the label for our ketchup and saw how much sugar it had in it, I decided to make my own.  So here's a super simple recipe that I found on Pinterest for super easy paleo ketchup!  I have no idea who Ryan Wilder is but his ketchup is pretty great.  I am going to tweak it a bit for next time as hubby's comment was that it was "too tomatoey" - are you laughing too?

Recipe

12 oz tomato paste
1.5 cups water
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder (in my tweaks, I think I am going to up this and see how it goes - stay tuned!)
1/2 tsp onion powder (more of this too!)
1/4 tsp allspice

Put all of the above in a sauce pan and heat thoroughly, stirring frequently and well.  Allow to simmer for a few minutes and then pour into a glass container.

I have a bunch of 32 oz mason jars for this type of thing (ordered on Amazon) that work perfectly.  The one criticism I have of this (and it isn't really a criticism) is that it separates and gets quite "chunky" or lumpy.  Stirring well before use remedies this and, of course, using all natural ingredients generally means things don't emulsify as well.  So, the positives outweigh the negatives!  This ketchup is awesome on the paleo meatloaf that I posted on Facebook (here soon) as well as sweet potato "chips" and almost anything else.

Enjoy!