1 (10 to 12) lb.beef brisket (sometimes called Texas brisket), frozen

MARINADE:

3 quarts water
12 large beef bouillon cubes (approximately 4 1/2 oz. total)
1/2 cup green chile powder
1/4 cup crushed green chile
jalapeno powder, to taste (if not hot enough)
3 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. basil
2 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dill
4 bay leaves

Put all marinade ingredients in a large pot, and bring to a boil, stirring often. Taste and adjust spices, if necessary. The marinade should taste overpowering and too salty and hotter than you want it, because it will be a lot weaker in the finished product. It should also be a little thick. After giving everyone in the house a taste, set aside and let cool. Throw half a tray of ice cubes in it if time is an issue

For best results, the beef should be frozen if you are using an electric meat slicer. Even hand slicing is easier if the meat is at least mostly frozen, especially if you enjoy thin, crisp jerky. When using an electric slicer, cut the brisket in half first, to make it easier to handle. Leave one half in the freezer while you slice the other. Whether or not you trim off the fat first is strictly up to you. I prefer thin, crisp jerky, so the fat is not an issue, and I leave it on. If you prefer your jerky thicker, you may want to trim the fat first, as it takes much longer to dry. The fat you trim off can be used for beef chicharrones, by simply cubing all the fat and boiling it down in a heavy pot, until medium brown. Scoop out the solids and let drain on paper towels in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and enjoy while you wait for the jerky meat to marinade.

Once the meat is sliced and the marinade is cooled (warm is fine), dip each slice of meat individually into the marinade, and lay flat in a large pot or bowl. This ensures proper saturation of each piece. Pour any excess marinade over the top, and place in refrigerator overnight.

The next day, the meat is ready to dry. Drying time varies depending on the method you use and the thickness of the meat. For thin sliced meat in a hot air type dehydrator, I usually can do one batch per day, changing out dried meat for wet about the same time each day.

Submitted by: zman111666