Taylor Boetticher and Toponia Miller are the co-founders of the celebrated Fatted Calf Charcuterie, which opened in 2003 and now has locations in San Francisco and Napa. Their newest book, “Jerky: The Fatted Calf’s Guide to Preserving and Cooking Dried Meaty Goods” (Ten Speed Press, $22), features a variety of jerkies and cured meats using techniques from oven drying to smoking and air drying. This particular recipe, which is featured in the book, is easy to follow and makes the perfect gift for the Paleo, high-protein or Keto follower in your life.
The Fatted Calf’s Pocket Pastrami Jerky
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1½ teaspoons black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon cumin seed
1½ teaspoons yellow mustard seed
2 pounds well-trimmed beef brisket, sliced 1/8 to ¼-inch thick against the grain
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsmoked Spanish paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Directions:
In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the coriander, peppercorns, cumin and mustard seeds until fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. Using a spice grinder, pulverize to a fine powder.
Place the sliced beef in a shallow bowl or container. Season with the salt, then add the ground spices, the brown sugar, paprika and cayenne. Using your hands, mix well to evenly coat the slices. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the sugar and salt to dissolve, then mix again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
When you are ready to dry the beef, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Place the slices on the racks of a dehydrator, making sure no slices overlap. Set the temperature to 145 degrees. Insert the racks into the dehydrator, leaving as much space as possible between them. Dehydrate for about 2½ hours, until the slices are firm but still pliable, rotating the racks from front to back halfway through to ensure even drying.
Allow the pastrami jerky to cool at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container that allows a bit of air flow and store in a cool, dark place for up to 4 weeks.
— From Jerky: The Fatted Calf’s Guide to Preserving & Cooking Dried Meaty Goods (Ten Speed Press, $22)
