Back in the “good old days” settlers and cowboys, mountainmen and outlaws learned a method of drying and preserving meat from American Indians and Spaniards. It was called “Charqui,” and it was used as a high protein, lightweight food as they made their way west opening new frontiers. Rumor has it that charqui was often the mainstay for many famous outlaw gangs. Today we know it as “jerky.”

Today, most of the new frontiers are thriving metros and for a little taste of the Old West you must pay between $18 and $24 per pound for jerky. Grandma LaMure’s Spice ‘n Slice Beef Jerky mix allows you to return to those good old days of yesteryear with a modern day taste of the west for a whole lot less. With Grandma’s unique spice blend and one pound of extra lean ground meat brought home by your mountaineer, you can make economical mouth-watering jerky to delight little “outlaws” and mountaineers alike. It’s easy, saves money, and you know what’s in it.

1. The meat mixture is more easily handled and less sticky when cold.
2. For easier mixing and shaping, occasionally moisten hands with water.
3. To prevent jerky from sticking to the waxed paper, use a fresh section for each piece of jerky to be rolled.
4. To obtain uniform thinness and dryness, lay a strip of 1/16th inch material parallel to each side of the meat about to be rolled. Place the rolling pin on the strips. When you roll over the meat patty, the strips hold the rolling pin up and create a uniform thinness. (The long sides removed from a shoebox lid work well).
5. Do not bake. Dry in warm 150º oven instead. If your oven is too hot, leave the door slightly ajar.
6. Once removed from the oven store jerky in an open container to allow drying to continue. Once jerky has attained desired dryness, seal container to prevent further drying.
7. To make jerky strips instead of patties, shape the one-inch diameter balls into rolls about 6 to 8 inches long and roll flat.
8. For solar jerky, very hot summer sun works well for drying your homemade jerky.
9. Each foil packet contains enough spice for one pound of meat. You may want to mix two pounds at a time and allow one to marinate in the refrigerator while drying the other.
10. Experiment! The more times you make it, the easier it becomes.
11. Lean ground game meat also works well.
12. For stronger flavor allow the meat mixture to marinate overnight or longer. You may also add small amounts of your favorite spices, i.e., pepper, garlic, onion, liquid smoke, etc.