Jerky?

[Alix]

Ok, jerky is my next experiment. What cut of meat should I buy? I have a marinade/brine recipe but no idea what cut of meat to buy. Just something cheap?

[Ken]

I'll pick up something on the way home from work......

[CharlieD]

I never made Jerky, but Flank stake should work nicely. Of course it is only a guess, cince i do not eat flank, it is not kosher, so what do I know...

[Andy M.]

I saw a Good Eats where AB used flank steak. I think brisket would also work. You want a cut with little fat.

[Alix]

Ken, you are gross. (And anything you "pick up" on the way home would likely be "mall rat" major ewww!)

Charlie, is flank steak like blade steak? I haven't seen that label in the store.

[Alix]

Ah, thanks Andy. Is it better to buy it in roast form? Easier to cut that way?

[CharlieD]

Aha, so I was right then, good.

Brisket might be too tough, might be... Here if you go to a butcher they will slice for you. Do you have to slice it pretty thinly, right? It is not that hard to slice flank, just throw it in the freezer until it starts getting frozen but not frozen yet. The knife will cut it thru like thru the butter.

[Alix]

Ooooo, smart idea Charlie. Thanks!

[CharlieD]

I’m not sure what other name it goes buy. Maybe some body else does. But quick Internet search shows this:

“Definition: The flank steak is technically not a steak, but has become so popular in the last few decades that it can't be ignored. The flank is the belly muscle of the cow and is typically cut into small pieces. The flank is very flavorful but contains almost no fat and will be tough pretty much no matter how you cook it.
The flank steak became very popular with mainstream introduction of fajitas. Traditionally, however, this is actually the steak known for the dish London broil. “

If that the case brisket will work too. Looks like they come from the same part of cow. Just the flank is in the rear half.

[Katie H]

Alix, when we make jerky, we use chuck. I usually freeze it pretty firm and use my sharpest knife to nearly shave slices, then put in our marinade. We dry our jerky in our dehydrator. Yum, yum, yummers. Hmmm! This reminds me, we haven't made jerky in a while.