• one piece garlic clove
• one small piece ginger root
• two tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Liquid Hickory smoke flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• four pounds flank steak lean

1. Peel and mash one or two cloves of garlic and about a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger.
2. Mash together with brown sugar to make a paste.
3. Mix in tomato paste.
4. Add remaining liquid ingredients.
5. Slice steak into strips approximately six inches by one inch by 3/16's inch.
6. Add to marinade and allow to marinate 6 to 12 hours, re-mixing every so often. You can add a little water or additional soy sauce if it needs more juice. Now we are ready to dry (not cook) the meat. If you have a dehydrator, follow manufacturers directions. Otherwise:
7. Arrange slices across cake racks placed on baking sheets.
8. Place sheets in a very slow oven at 125 degrees or less for several hours until meat is thoroughly dry with no soft centers. The desired results is a dental challenge of tearing and chewing. If the meat accidentally cooks, it becomes brittle and powdery, so keep an eye on it.

You can experiment with ingredient substitutions-choosing flavors you like better. You can also dry the meat in different ways-like stringing it up and hanging it in the sun on hot, dry day. Flies like jerky too!  Seriously, the meat should be protected with a layer of cheesecloth. I have dried it over radiators in the winter and in a box with an electric heater/fan blowing on it from a couple of feet away.