Alton Brown's beef jerky

Yeilds 10-12 1-oz servings.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.

Step 2

Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Step 3

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.

Step 4

Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.

Step 5

Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.