🐮 please see part one if you already have not 🐮
This refined recipe should reduce the factors of failure, which seems like a good tactic in reverse, focusing on increased quantities of those flavours that worked well together the time before. I mulled the idea of leaving this for a 48hr marinade period but learning from one Meathead (47:12) that the only ingredient able to penetrate meat below surface level to be a compound of salt, I felt it better to avoid falling for instinct over practice, not this time.
INGREDIENTS
- Beef: 395g (~4oz)
- Marmite XO: 2 tablespoons (heaped)
- Orange Peel (dried): 3 tbsp
- Liquid Smoke (Stubb’s): 1 tbsp
- Black Peppercorns (ground): 1 tbsp
With perseverance the Marmite will meld and sink into the beef, just be sure to wear gloves for this process as it takes some persuasion.
What appeared to be a sticky situation soon shrugged off any resistance when dry goods were introduced, miraculously moping up all of the escaping oil spills streaks around the container, amazing!
marinade time: 24hrs
TASTE
If marmite was the desired flavour then it was the undisputed winner! Marmite is King this second time around, there is no dodging it, you either love this batch or you hate it.
As overpowering as ever the subtle orange tint that was evident before is now a distant fourth place from all the other ingredients added, but it will poke through, it’ll fly up your nose like a smokeries chimney.
The smoky flavour has a reduced role, which worked out right for this recipe, it could even be omitted.
The black pepper could’ve done with a doubling of dosage for heat and flavour; in the realm of beef jerky it could only compliment Marmite (which is a complex set of ingredients in its own right), I do find that I miss the heat from before somewhat, but only at a reduced dosage.
The expected beef flavour comes through later on, but more than you’d think, much like when used as a stock, it’s ever present and very welcome in this setting. The aftertaste is moorish, you will salivate, but it’s likely to do more with what they put in Marmite than any of the three other ingredients.
MEAT CONSISTENCY
As I suspected, the jerky was more chewy as the Marmite, oily in nature, was not able to fully evaporate after a 7½ hour dehydration process (the literal equivalent of 7½ days natural air drying with the Biltong process). With a muted glistening matt finish, like glass washed up from the salty jaws of sea, there seems to be a story to what you’re eating.
Far softer than the last cardboard bone-dry batch, I’m not sure if this jerky will actually keep, maybe I didn’t dry it for long enough, but I suspect that a few hours more wouldn’t have made much difference, but it does tear, although you’ll need to pump some iron, like ripping off your T-shirt.
The one sure downside when using oily and sugary substances is that they leave a lot of mess to clean on the drying rack (and fingers). However this was balanced by the absence of the dry-patting process usually required before skewering the jerky before the dehydration phase.
CONCLUSION
I don’t usually rely upon ready-made ingredients for home-made jerky, otherwise how can it be “home-made”?! However, Marmite hasn’t radically modified its makeup in over 100 years, so it’s a safe bet this simple recipe could be tried again in just as many in the future. Maybe I will..
This was the “XO” version of Marmite, so at least in that respect I know the flavour could be toned down with the usual variety, which even for Marmite lovers could be welcome. However this is beef jerky and all flavours *should* be exaggerated.
I would say that my intent to flavour jerky with the raw power of Marmite has succeeded in this second attempt, not diluting the Marmite may have seemed the more obvious method, but best to start our cautious I say. Perhaps I’ve not had Marmite in such a long time, but I feel it needs more than what it is But, if you are not one of those, then this recipe should be enough, perhaps with a little bit more black pepper though.
Although I achieved my aim and am pretty pleased with the result, I will admit that it’s one of those flavours that takes time to get used to, but by that point there’s precious little left. I might consider launching a third batch, making it a little bit more tart with some Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar? If I really care to refine this recipe, I would be open to exploring that..
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