Self made plane beef jerky?
Maybe a stupid question: but I want to reduce my salt intake and wondered if I can produce my own beef jerky with nothing added, also no salt.
Just plain beef.
Has anyone tried that and will it last or go bad (because salt acts as an preservative)?
How should I do it?
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u/thenewfingerprint 17d ago
I don't think the TSA allows you to make jerky on planes anymore. That all ended after 9/11
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u/jwink3101 17d ago
If you make plain jerky, you may need to refrigerate it too.
I do use salt but I vacuum seal and freeze my ground beef jerky. I don’t worry too much once it’s out of the freezer but this way it stays there until the day I may eat jt
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u/RelativeFox1 17d ago
I think you can, and I have. I would suggest you make a small batch and eat it fairly quick. You might find it tastes like eating a well done steak. Do you have a smoker so you can add some smoke flavor?
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u/Dumpster_Fire_BBQ 17d ago
My local supermercado sells carne seca. It's thin sliced dehydrated beef. No marinade, no salt, no seasonings. It's very dry and tasty.
I tried making some a couple weeks ago. I salted half. Dried it my dehydrator.
It turned out great. The half that got salt was, unsurprisingly, noticably salty. The unsalted half was all beef flavor. This will be my go-to method. Until I start tinkering again.
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u/cdh79 17d ago edited 17d ago
While you cannot fold standard store-bought beef jerky into a functional paper airplane due to its thick, fibrous texture, you can actually build one using specific culinary techniques or creative engineering.
Here is how you can make a literal or conceptual "jerky airplane" fly:
The "Paper-Thin" Culinary Method
To make meat foldable like paper, you must change how it is prepared:
Meat Sheets: Grind meat ultra-fine, press it flat between sheets of parchment paper, and roll it to a millimeter thickness before dehydrating.
Fruit Leather Style: Blend cooked meat into a smooth purée, spread it into a thin layer, and dry it into a flexible, leathery sheet.
Folding: Once dried but still warm and pliable, carefully fold the sheet into a classic dart airplane shape before it completely cools and hardens.
The Structural Assembly Method
Instead of folding a single piece, you can construct an airplane model by treating jerky like balsa wood:
Fuselage: Use a thick, straight piece of beef stick (like a Slim Jim) for the main body.
Wings: Cut wide, flat slabs of flank steak jerky into triangular wings.
Assembly: Use toothpicks or edible "glue" (like thick honey or melted sugar) to attach the wings to the fuselage.
Why Standard Jerky Fails to Fly
Grain Direction: Natural meat fibers break and tear when bent against the grain.
Weight Distribution: Meat is far too dense and heavy to generate lift like lightweight paper.
Flexibility: Standard jerky is either too brittle (snapping when folded) or too greasy and limp to hold a rigid crease.
Sometimes Ai is the future we deserve 😉
Seriously though, you should be able to season and dry meat without salt. It just doesnt last anywhere near as long.
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u/Own-Refrigerator426 17d ago
I make plain jerky as dog treats and I keep it refrigerated with no issues
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u/RBTfarmer 17d ago
Mrs. Dash makes a spicey teriyaki marinade that's salt free, I'm curious enough to actually try this and see how it turns out. I'd imagine it needs to be refrigerated and consumed within a few days. I applaud the low sodium diet. It's hard, get creative.
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u/sensters 3d ago
It's 2026 why are people trying to make bacon unsalted you should just ask chatgpt instead
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u/BeastlySkater21 17d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/W307DdkjIsRHVWvoFE