Homemade Coconut Ground Beef Jerky: A Taste of the Tropics, Anytime, Anywhere
As autumn leaves fall and winter’s chill begins to bite, a longing for warm, tropical sunshine and sandy beaches often sets in. What better way to rekindle those cherished memories of paradise than by infusing a classic snack with an exotic twist? This recipe for coconut ground beef jerky is your ticket to a mini-vacation, bringing the vibrant flavors of the tropics right to your fingertips. Imagine sipping a Bahama Mama on a white-sand beach – this jerky captures that essence, making it an ideal savory-sweet treat to banish the cold-weather blues.
Making your own jerky is a rewarding experience, offering control over ingredients and flavors that store-bought options simply can’t match. This particular recipe stands out with its unique blend of savory beef, sweet coconut, and a symphony of complementary spices, promising a delightful snack that’s both satisfying and reminiscent of sun-drenched shores.
Choosing the Ideal Ground Meat for Your Jerky
The foundation of great ground beef jerky lies in selecting the right meat. For optimal results and a longer shelf life, it’s crucial to start with very lean ground beef, ideally 90% lean or even 93% lean. Aim for a fat content of 10% or less. The reason for this strict lean-to-fat ratio is simple: fat spoils much faster than muscle meat. When making jerky, the goal is to remove as much moisture as possible, and fat does not dehydrate. Any fat remaining in the jerky will eventually go rancid, significantly shortening its storage life and potentially affecting its flavor.
If your local butcher or grocery store only offers 80/20 ground beef, don’t despair! You can still use it, especially if you plan to consume the jerky within a few days. However, for long-term storage, stick to the leanest option available. Whether you opt for grass-fed or conventional ground beef is a matter of personal preference and budget; the critical factor remains the fat content. Always prioritize leanness to ensure your homemade jerky is both delicious and keeps well.
Crafting Your Tropical Coconut Marinade
The marinade is where the magic truly happens, transforming ordinary ground beef into an extraordinary tropical snack. For this recipe, we’re leveraging the concentrated power of LorAnn cooking oil flavorings. These specialized flavorings are incredibly potent, designed to impart intense flavor without adding extra liquid, which is ideal for jerky. I’ve personally explored a variety of their offerings, from sweet to savory, but for this specific jerky, their coconut flavor is essential, providing that authentic island taste we’re aiming for.
One non-negotiable step when making ground jerky is the use of curing salt, sometimes called Prague Powder #1 or pink curing salt. Unlike whole muscle jerky, which has a denser structure, ground meat offers a larger surface area for bacteria to grow, especially during the low-temperature drying process. Curing salt, containing sodium nitrite, inhibits bacterial growth and helps preserve the meat, making your jerky safe to eat and extending its shelf life. It’s a small addition that makes a huge difference in food safety and quality.
To ensure the curing salt is evenly distributed throughout the meat – which is vital for its effectiveness – I always dissolve it in a small amount of water first. In this recipe, a mere ¼ teaspoon of curing salt is dissolved in 2 tablespoons of cold water, along with 1 teaspoon of the coconut flavor. This ensures that every strand of ground beef receives its share of the preservative and flavor.
Once the curing salt, water, and coconut flavoring are combined, add the remaining marinade ingredients: allspice, honey, finely ground sea salt, cinnamon, ground coriander, and crushed basil leaves. Each component plays a crucial role. The honey provides a subtle sweetness that balances the savory beef and salty cure, while cinnamon, allspice, and coriander enhance the tropical profile with their aromatic warmth. Basil adds a fresh, herbaceous note that perfectly complements the coconut.
Thoroughly mix all these ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Then, transfer your lean ground beef to a larger bowl and pour the prepared marinade over it. Now comes the hands-on part! Using disposable food-safe gloves is highly recommended for proper hygiene and to prevent skin irritation from the spices. Mix the meat and marinade together vigorously by hand, ensuring the flavors and curing salt are distributed completely and evenly throughout the entire batch. This step is critical for consistent flavor in every bite.
After mixing, cover the bowl and place the seasoned ground meat in the refrigerator for 1 to 8 hours. This chilling period is not just for marinating; it allows the meat mixture to bind together more effectively, making it easier to form into strips that hold their shape during the dehydration process. This binding action is key to preventing your jerky strips from crumbling apart.
Related Reading: Explore Dozens of Delicious Jerky Recipes – Click Here!
Forming the Perfect Jerky Strips
When it comes to shaping ground meat into jerky, you have two primary methods, each with its own advantages. The most popular and often easiest method, which I utilized for this coconut ground beef jerky, is using a jerky gun or cannon. This tool allows for consistent strip thickness and shape, which is important for even drying.
If you opt for a jerky gun, proper loading is essential to prevent air pockets, which can lead to uneven drying and potential spoilage. To load, push the plunger lever all the way forward, leaving about 3 inches of space at the cylinder’s end. Fill this initial space with your ground beef mixture, then pull the lever back another 3 inches to create more room. Continue this process, compacting the meat as you go, until the entire pound of ground jerky mixture is loaded into the cylinder. This technique helps remove air and ensures the meat is packed tightly.
Once loaded, “shoot” uniform strips directly onto your dehydrator trays. Keep a butter knife handy to cleanly cut the meat from the nozzle after each desired length. I typically aim for strips about 4-5 inches long, but you can customize this to your preference. After laying out all your strips, you can use the knife to further score them into individual jerky lengths if needed.
The alternative method, for those without a jerky gun, involves flattening the meat. Spread the seasoned ground beef onto a baking sheet, cover it with wax paper, and use a rolling pin to achieve a uniform thickness, typically ¼ inch. Once flattened, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to score the meat into strips of your desired length and width. For a visual guide on this technique, check out my comprehensive How to Make Ground Jerky Page, which offers detailed instructions for both methods.
Drying and Testing Your Tropical Jerky to Perfection
Drying your jerky effectively is the final step to a perfect chew and optimal preservation. For this coconut ground beef jerky recipe, I relied on my trusty Excalibur Dehydrator, known for its consistent heat and airflow. While a dehydrator offers excellent control, you can also achieve great results using a smoker or a conventional oven set to its lowest temperature. Each method has its nuances, but the goal is always consistent, low heat to slowly remove moisture without cooking the meat.
Using the dehydrator, I dried the strips at 165°F (74°C) for the first 3 hours to quickly pass through the bacterial growth zone, then reduced the temperature to 145°F (63°C) for an additional hour or until finished. The total drying time can vary based on your dehydrator, the thickness of your strips, and the humidity in your environment, so vigilance is key.
Begin checking the jerky for doneness around the 3-hour mark. The most reliable way to test is to pull a piece from the dehydrator and allow it to cool to room temperature for about 5 minutes. Warm jerky will feel softer and more pliable than cooled jerky. Once cooled, bend the strip. Properly dried jerky should bend significantly without snapping cleanly in half. It might show some white fibers or cracks along the bend, but it shouldn’t completely break. The jerky should feel firm but still pliable, with a slightly leathery texture on the outside, and not overly hard or brittle. If it breaks in half too easily, it’s likely over-dried. Conversely, if it feels spongy or raw, it needs more time.
The flavor profile of this coconut ground beef jerky is truly outstanding. The sweet coconut essence shines through beautifully, perfectly complemented by the warm, earthy notes of coriander and cinnamon. The allspice adds another layer of complexity, while the honey provides just the right amount of sweetness to cut through the richness of the beef and the sea salt. The result is a uniquely flavorful jerky that delivers a delightful tropical punch. It truly turned out tasting pretty darn good!
Storing Your Delicious Homemade Jerky
Proper storage is essential to maintain the quality and extend the shelf life of your homemade jerky. The curing salt used in this recipe plays a significant role in preservation, but other steps are necessary to ensure your jerky stays fresh and delicious for as long as possible. Once the jerky is completely cooled to room temperature, store it in airtight containers. Glass jars with tight-fitting lids, heavy-duty freezer bags with all air removed, or vacuum-sealed bags are excellent choices. Storing jerky in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat is also important.
For even longer storage, consider refrigerating or freezing your jerky. Refrigerated jerky can last for several weeks, while freezing can extend its shelf life to several months, or even up to a year, without a significant loss in quality or flavor. Always ensure the jerky is completely dry before storing to prevent mold growth. I’ve put together a detailed guide on how to store beef jerky, outlining various methods and best practices to maximize its longevity. Don’t let your hard work go to waste – check it out for comprehensive tips!
Expert Tips for Ground Beef Jerky Success:
- **Enhance Binding and Texture:** Consider adding Corn Syrup Solids to your marinade. Just ½ teaspoon per pound of meat can significantly improve the jerky’s binding properties, making it more pliable and less prone to over-drying, resulting in a more tender chew.
- **Effortless Forming:** A jerky gun is an invaluable tool, especially when making larger batches of ground jerky. It ensures uniform strip thickness and saves a lot of time and effort compared to rolling and slicing by hand.
- **Achieve Smoked Flavor:** If you’re using a dehydrator or oven and crave that smoky depth, add a few drops of Liquid Smoke to your marinade. It imparts an authentic, slow-smoked flavor that beautifully complements the other spices.
- **Maintain Sanitation:** Always use food-safe gloves when handling and mixing ground meat to prevent bacterial contamination and ensure cleanliness.
- **Uniform Thickness is Key:** Regardless of the method you choose for forming, strive for consistent thickness in your jerky strips. This ensures that all pieces dry at the same rate, preventing some from being under-dried while others become over-dried.
For more in-depth directions on how to dry your beef jerky using various appliances, visit my comprehensive page on Jerky Making Methods, or simply click on the images below to explore specific techniques for ovens and dehydrators.
Coconut Ground Beef Jerky
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
Lean Beef
- 1 lb Lean ground beef (10% fat or less)
Marinade
- 2 tablespoon water (cold)
- 1 teaspoon coconut flavor
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoon sea salt (finely ground)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
- ½ teaspoon coriander (ground)
- ½ teaspoon basil leaves (crushed)
- ¼ teaspoon curing salt (optional, but highly recommended for food safety)
- ½ teaspoon corn syrup solids (optional, for improved texture and binding)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the water, coconut flavor, allspice, honey, sea salt, cinnamon, coriander, basil leaves, and curing salt (if using). Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well dissolved and incorporated.
- Transfer the 1 lb of lean ground beef into a larger mixing bowl. Pour the prepared marinade mixture over the ground beef.
- Using food-safe gloves, thoroughly mix the ground beef and seasonings by hand for several minutes until the marinade is evenly distributed throughout the meat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1-8 hours to allow flavors to meld and meat to bind.
- If using a jerky gun, load it with the ground beef mixture, pressing out any air pockets. Extrude 4-5 inch long strips directly onto your dehydrator trays or a baking sheet lined with a non-stick sheet.
- If not using a jerky gun, spread the seasoned ground meat evenly on a baking sheet to a ¼ inch thickness. Cover with wax paper and use a rolling pin to ensure uniform thickness.
- Once flattened, cut the meat into desired jerky strips, approximately 4-5 inches long and 1 inch wide. Carefully transfer them to your drying racks.
- Dry the jerky using your preferred jerky making method. For a dehydrator, I recommend drying at 165°F (74°C) for 3 hours, then reducing to 145°F (63°C) for another 1-3 hours until finished.
- Ground jerky is finished when it feels dry to the touch, firm, but still pliable. It should bend without snapping cleanly in half. If it cracks a little, it’s done; if it crumbles, it’s over-dried. Let it cool completely before storing.
Pro Tips
Expert Tips for Success:
- **Lean Meat is Key:** For optimal storage beyond a few days, always use ground beef with no more than 10% fat (90/10 lean or leaner).
- **Ensure Food Safety:** Incorporate curing salt (Prague Powder #1) or celery juice powder into your marinade to safely inhibit bacterial growth and significantly extend the jerky’s shelf life.
- **Binding and Flavor Infusion:** Refrigerating the mixed meat for 1-8 hours is crucial for the meat to bind together, making it easier to form, and allowing the flavors to deeply penetrate.
- **Improve Texture and Pliability:** Adding corn syrup solids (about ½ tsp per pound of meat) can help create a more tender, less brittle jerky texture.
- **Consistent Thickness:** Whether using a jerky gun or rolling pin, aim for uniform thickness in your jerky strips to ensure even drying and a consistent final product.