[Waiting2Fly]

Hi, everybody. Does anybody know of a way to "soften" beef jerky? I was wondering if you put it into a food processor and added a little water (?) or maybe some beef bouillon you could make it like a tuna or chicken salad consistency. I love the jerky but it's so tough and hard to chew sometimes. I'd like to get in more protein without tearing my teeth out!

Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[merrynail]

Suck on it. I would think that would do it. I eat buffalo jerky and don't have a problem with it. If it's like the stuff in the stores(Jack Links) I don't know. I get mine from a place that makes their own so it isn't too dry/tough.

[Perfesser]

Soak it overnight in broth (start with really hot broth when you put it in to open up the pores, then cool it) and see what that does. One thing to watch for in commercial jerky is the amount of sugar and sodium they use. The fat content usually isn't too bad, but for some reason they think they have to process it with sugar.

Now if you were to make your own, you could use what you wanted and cure it to the desired consistency. And you could use whatever meat you wanted. Turkey or chicken make outstanding jerky, and pork is a strong possibility, too. Watch for sales on meat and stock up. The jerking process is simplicity itself. Of course, without preservatives, you need to store it in the fridge, but I've never seen it last long enough to go bad!

CT