#beef-jerky

#beef-jerky

The perfect empanada is a thing of beauty. Imagine that golden, flaky crust with its crimped edges. You take in the color and half-moon shape before the smell of cumin, onions, meat, and spices hits your nose. The filling is boldly seasoned, a balanced mix of salty and umami flavors, with faint sweetness from the onion, smoky notes from the cook on the pastry, and a dash of heat from other seasonings.

Making your own beef jerky not only saves money but also allows you to fully customize the flavor of your snack. In this recipe, written with developer Michelle McGlinn, the beef is marinated in a sweet and spicy hot honey and ancho chile sauce, then dehydrated in the oven until chewy and pliable. The best part? Though a dehydrator is useful for many foods, you don't need it to make jerky.

The main source of our disappointment lies in the copious amount of sugar used to season the beef, giving it an unpleasantly sweet aftertaste.

The Signature Select Original Beef Jerky may be at the bottom of a ranking, but it's a solid, budget-friendly option for those who want to try jerky.