We all need treats when we drive long distances, right? OK, maybe some of you don't, but it seems as soon as we start a trip Bruce is looking for something to eat. This time we decided to try to manage that activity better, for both of us. I really don't want to return from this trip sporting even more weight.
Anyway, instead of peanut butter crackers and oreos, we are trying homemade beef jerky and pistachios, at least as a start. I imagine trail mix will work its way in too, but it hasn't yet. And yes, we will still have meat & cheese roll ups, boiled eggs, fruit, etc. in the cooler, but I don't consider those foods treats. Treats, for me, mean salty, crunchy and/or sweet. The jerky should cover salty and the nuts crunchy so that leaves sweet for me to find. The nature of jerky seems to include an automatic limiter, but I can easily overeat on nuts. To help limit those calories a little, as you can see, these still have shells. Yes, I know that is not much of an impedance since most are already open, but it is much better than being able to grab a handful and put the whole thing in your mouth at once. Talk about easy mindless crunching not even considering the calories.
The pistachios were purchased so we just needed to make the jerky. I can accept added salt on purchased nuts but am not too keen on all the stuff used in most commercial jerky s. And have you seen the price?? They all certainly think each of their brands is something really special. For the cost of premade, with a little work on our part, we get all meat with known seasonings and nothing else.
This is a picture of our third batch cooking (dehydrating). First batch was made using flank steak cut across the grain, and the second from a flat brisket - unfortunately not cut across the grain so a little thicker and stringy. The version in this picture is also a flat brisket but cut thinner and across the grain. A bit less rubbery that way I hope. Each batch started with a soy based marinade for salt, but each has a different spice combination for savory. All have turned out tasty. So far only part of one bag is gone, but I really have to keep an eye on it to ensure some actually makes it to the trip start. He is so sneaky.
So, one more activity in the planning process done, except that now I have that ?!xi$ dehydrator to clean. Guess who forgot to spray the racks this time before HE set it up? Time to baggie up this last batch. Later......
