While many people consider Beef Jerky to be an all American snack the root of the word Jerky actually comes from a tribe called Quechua which was indigenous to South America. The word Charqui originated from the local dialect which means Dried Meat.

Drying the meat at low temperatures and often salting or seasoning it was one of the earliest forms of food preservation and is often used to this day to create a perfect and tasty on the go snack.

While there are many commercial store varieties available to today’s consumer nothing can beat that home made beef jerky flavor and taste.

Creating your own recipes allows you to accentuate the flavors that you want to bring out of the meat, and you are by no means limited to using variations on the beef theme as "Jerky" can be made from many meats including turkey, fish, chicken, pork and even venison.

Most of today’s homemade beef jerky recipes include liquid smoke and soy sauce among other flavoring ingredients as a marinade to prepare the meat for slow drying in a conventional oven.

The following is a tasty and easy homemade beef jerky recipe to get you started:

Ingredients for the Marinade:

1/2 cup Soy sauce

2 Table Spoons Worstershire sauce

2 teaspoons Garlic powder

2 teaspoons Onion powder

2 teaspoons Freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Red pepper flakes, less if you prefer a milder beef jerky

2 Table Spoons Liquid smoke

You will also need 2 pounds of London Broil or other lean roast.

To begin making your homemade Beef Jerky start by freezing the London Broil or other lean roast, for at least several hours to make it easier to slice. When you are ready to make beef jerky, remove the roast from the freezer and let partially thaw. When just able to slice, first remove all fat and then slice against the grain in thin (1/4 inch or less) slices.

Cover the meat with the marinade, turn made from the above recipe it marinade overnight. In the morning line a shallow cookie sheet with a few layers of paper towels.

Place on the lower rack of your oven. Place the upper rack in your oven in the top position and lower rack in lower or lowest position.

Hang the beef slices from the upper rack with tooth picks above the paper towels. 6 hours at 160 degrees Fahrenheit average temp is about right. If your oven is real tight, you might crack open the door a bit to allow the water vapor to escape.

After 6 hours give a try to your new homemade beef jerky and I can almost guarantee that you will not find the store bought kind as appetizing as you once did.