Libyan Dried Meat (Jerky): Gideed قديد ليبي

This is the Libyan way of drying and preserving meat. If you happen to visit Libya during Eid Adha, you will see thin strips of meat hanging from lines in the gardens and on the rooftops. This is gideed, dried meat which is used in many traditional Libyan recipes such as Megata/Rishdet Burma (Libyan home-made pasta). The meat is cut into strips and salted and dried, with spices added to prevent bacteria. The meat is then quickly fried in hot oil and then preserved in jars sealed with melted fat. A healthier if untraditional adaptated recipe is to use half the salt, skip the frying and freeze the gideed instead.

Ingredients
For every 2 kg boneless fresh beef or lamb meat / do not wash the meat.
8 tablespoon salt (or 4 if drying indoors)
2 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ground hot red chili pepper
Olive or veg. oil for brushing if drying outdoors
More olive oil for quick frying (if not freezing)

 

Cut the meat into strips.

 

Use a knife to puncture the meat at intervals.

Sprinkle the salt and spices and rub in both sides of the meat using your gloved hand.

 

Alternately, brush on the spices and salt and press it down.

Leave to absorb salt and spices for about 1 hour.

 

Hang the meat in a warm and dry place. Remember to put a tray covered with kitchen towel underneath to absorb any dripping. If outdoors, hang on sunny days, but in this case you have to use more salt and to brush both sides  generously with oil immediately before hanging it to protect the meat from insects.

You can even dry the meat in a tray in the oven if it is a hot air oven, 50c for about 10 hours, turning every 2 hours.

When the meat is completely dry cut it into smaller pieces and store. The time the meat takes to dry depends on the method used: 10 to 12 hours in the hot air oven, 2/5 days hanging inside in front of a radiator or outdoors. The traditional way of storing the gideed is to quickly fry in batches in hot oil, then place in jars where the melted fat forms a protective seal. Alternately, (more healthily) put the gideed pieces in plastic bags and freeze.