Cooking with Jerky

We often get asked: "how and when can you eat beef Jerky?" It can be difficult to find healthy, portable sources of protein. Jerky does not just have to be for a protein intake after an activity or as a healthy snack on the go. The perfect blend of spices in our beef jerky really add flavour and are a great source of protein to your favourite dishes. (51.4g per 100g of Jerky).

Here are ten great recipes you can easily make for breakfast, lunch or dinner round the campfire stove or at home​. 
 
Tip: Try experimenting with different flavours of jerky for a different taste each time​

                    1 Great chopped and mixed over any fresh salad

Suggestion: "Beef jerky cucumber salad" 
Ingredients:
1 cup lettuce, 1 plum tomato (or medium-sized tomato), 1/4 cup cucumber sliced, 2 Tbsp. chopped jerky, 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil 
How to make: Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve with a low-fat salad dressing if required and enjoy!​​​

2 Homemade tomato sauce for Pasta and other dishes 

Ingredients:
1 can of chopped tomatoes (or 1 cup of freshly chopped tomatoes), 1 diced onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp. Olive oil, 2 basil leaves,( more to taste), 1/4 cup of chopped jerky, salt and pepper to taste
How to make:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add onions and garlic and stir. Add in tomatoes and bring everything to a low simmer. Lastly, add in basil; remove everything from heat and place in a blender or food processor and pulse. Return sauce back to skillet and stir in chopped jerky.​

​                                 3 Roasted with Brussel sprouts

Ingredients: 2 cups Brussel sprouts, 2-4 Tbsp. chopped jerky, 2 Tbsp. Olive oil, Salt and pepper to taste.​
How to make: Preheat oven to 200°C. Add sprouts to a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper over top. Place baking sheet in oven and roast sprouts for 15-20 minutes. Add jerky to the baking sheet after about 10 minutes and flip Brussel sprouts at this point as well. Once sprouts are golden brown on each side, remove from oven. Enjoy!​​​

Ingredients: 2 Tablespoon oil, 3 free-range eggs, 2 Tbsp. chopped jerky, salt and pepper to taste.
​How to make: Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Crack eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk, add to skillet and spread evenly. Once edges start setting, add Jerky and any additional vegetables. Use spatula to fold omelette in half, and then flip to cook the other side.​

                                       5 Add as a protein for any soup

Suggestion: "Garden soup"
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 can of chopped tomatoes (or 1 cup of freshly chopped tomatoes) 1 diced onion, 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped carrot, 1/4 cup chopped celery, 2 Tablespoon chopped jerky, 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth.​
How to make: Heat carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in skillet with olive oil. Add in diced tomatoes and stir. After 2 minutes, add in jerky, broth and basil and simmer on low for at least 20 minutes or until carrots have softened. Enjoy! 

6 Pack in a lunch instead of crisps for a healthy snack

Rather than making a recipe, simply exchange your child’s usual snack for some Jerky. It’s also a great snack during family trips!​

​7 Use instead of bacon bits in any recipe and as a topper for sweet/Jacket potatoes, Pasta/Pizza

​ 8 As a hearty Autumn/Winter stew

​Suggestion: Hearty beef jerky and vegetable stew 2-4 servings (great over rice).
Ingredients: 4 cups water, 1 chopped tomatoes, 1 cup thickly chopped jerky, 1 cup chopped potato, 1 Tbsp. paprika, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 cloves minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste, 1 sliced carrot.
​How to make: In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups of the water, tomatoes, beef jerky, potatoes, paprika, onion, Basil, Oregano, Garlic, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Add sliced fresh carrot, and simmer for an additional 30 minutes to an hour, until jerky is tender. Serve hot beef jerky stew over cooked rice for a hearty, satisfying meal​

​                                                    9 Charquican

This is a Chilean stew traditionally made with ch’arki, South American jerky which in the past used Llama meat. (We actually got this word for dried and preserved meat from the original Quechua term.)  Ch'arki was transformed through the English language into "Jerky".​

Ingredients (serves 2-4): 1 medium winter squash, cubed, 6 medium potatoes, cubed, 1 carrot, chopped, 1 cup peas, 1 cup corn, 1 cup beef broth (can substitute to preference), salt and pepper to taste, 3 Tbsp. Olive oil, 100g-200g chopped jerky, 1 onion, chopped, 2 cloves garlic chopped, 1 Tbsp. Paprika, 1 Tbsp. Oregano, 1 Tsp Cumin​

How to make: Combine the squash, potatoes, carrot, peas, corn, and broth in a large pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a pan, and then add the chopped beef jerky and onion, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, oregano, and cumin, plus a little more salt and pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add the beef mixture to the squash and potatoes, and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve.​

Ingredients: 4 Tbsp. beef stock, 2 cups of Kimchi (pickled cabbage) if available! 4 tablespoons of chilli-garlic sauce, 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (or others if not available), 50g-100g chopped jerky, 4 nests of rice noodles, 1 cup thinly sliced spring onions​
How to make: Steam jerky and onions until tender, transfer to skillet/big frying pan, add Kimchi, mushrooms chilli-garlic sauce and fry for 2 minutes, add stock and noodles and cook until noodles soft, serve