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To most people, jerky is just a grab and go snack, something you eat quickly without much thought of presentation, plating or any of the fancy stuff. But what if I told you that you could elevate humble beef jerky. What if I told you that you can turn it into an ingredient worthy of gourmet meal, or at least something a lot more thought that you could whip up on date night perhaps?
It’s time to forget everything you know about jerky and start seeing it in a different light, start seeing it as an ingredient with a lot of potential. It can bring some much needed flavor to a meal, add a little crunch or just take an otherwise normal meal to a higher level. So if you want to take your meals up a notch with an ingredient that you might have been underestimating, this blog will give you some ideas you can add to your recipe list.
In Salads
Let’s face it, when you’re trying to eat more greens, salad can get really boring, really quickly. This is why we add things like feta cheese and croutons to it. Jerky is also another addition you can make to your salad. You can grate it into the leafy greens to add some salty flavour. It will elevate a boring old salad into a five-star dish.
In Pasta
We put bacon in pasta and all sort of meat, so why not beef jerky too? You can cut it up into chunks and add it to your creamy pasta dish. It will give you a break from the standard pasta dishes you’re used to making every single day.
On Pizza
Now you don’t have to make the pizza to enjoy this little hack. Next time you order a pizza, whatever flavor you get, you can add a little more pizazz to it with some beef jerky. Sprinkle some chunks of jerky on your slices and even add a little extra cheese. Pizza night will be a whole lot more interesting, and next time you’re entertaining, you can just throw your secret ingredient on your regular pepperoni pizza.
As a Starter
A very popular starter is asparagus spears wrapped in bacon and grilled. Trade the asparagus for a stick of jerky, and instead of grilling the bacon with it, cook the bacon separately and then wrap it around the jerky. It’s a meaty starter that will definitely get people talking.
Before you look down on jerky as a snack for road trips, consider all the possibilities of this humble food. There are so many new combinations, dishes and treats you can come up with. From salads to pasta, there are so many ways to infuse jerky into your cooking and food prep, and introduce something new and fresh to your diet. Remember, jerky isn’t just tasty, if you buy the right kinds, it’s actually healthy. It’s also packed with protein, and many variations are low in fat. You can get it without any additives, in fact nitrate free jerky is a very popular snack you can easily find. The moral of the story is, don’t knock the jerky, it just might be the hero of your next meal!
I’m not crazy about beef jerky, but the starter sounds interesting!
I love beef jerky but admit I had never thought of putting it on salads before. What a great idea!