Four and a half stars. I made life a little easier by putting the olive oil and butter in a glass bowl, with 3 cloves diced garlic for flavor, and nuking until melted. Then I gently lifted the smashed potatoes with a slotted spatula and dipped them in this mixture. Once on the lined and greased tray, I added the mixture of spices (good mix, only added fresh thyme as I happened to have some on hand). I made these ahead for tonight's dinner, so I haven't yet tasted them (they smell divine), but I can tell they will be great. Thanks for a great recipe, CJ.

Reviewed On: Sep. 13, 2011

WOW! I barely know where to start...thanks to Can_it_Rachael's review and rave in the buzz, I knew I would try this recipe. Try as I might, I simply could not find ANY of the type of mustard seed this recipe calls for, but since I was too impatient to order online, I used simply "mustard seed" from my bulk store, and "hot mustard powder" to replace the Oriental seed (as I gather they are the spicier of the three). The taste is simply incredible, and like Rachael, I couldn't wait two weeks to try it! I doubled the recipe, and got perfectly enough to fill three 500 ml wide mouth jars. I used 1 tsp of "hot mustard powder" for the doubled recipe, and got a very noticeable ZING (no complaints here!), but for those that prefer a milder mustard (and couldn't find the original mustard seeds called for and must substitute) they may want to start with 1/2 or even 1/4. I am so thrilled with how this turned out that I too, will never purchase a grainy mustard again! Thanks so much, I am so pleased! Update: This tasted spicier at first, now after maturing, it is more mellow...still 'tangy' but not hot. So, next time I won't reduce the hot mustard powder, and may even add more!

Reviewed On: Sep. 9, 2011

My first time making beef jerky. I followed the recipe quite closely, only leaving out the Italian seasoning and upping the hot sauce. I didn't hang them, I put them on a rack over a sheet pan, and used balls of tin foil to make the rack tilt on an angle to let the juices run off. I did four hours at 170 (lowest my oven goes, for some reason) and they were nowhere near done...did a further 2 1/2 hours at 190. The texture is a bit off...any bits of fat (I did trim, but there's always a bit) are oddly chewy, and the rest varies from crunchy to tough. I think that the marinade requires an acid such as red-wine vinegar or lemon juice to give it a better texture and tang. It isn't bad...but it's not great. If I try again, I'll use more hot sauce and some vinegar...It's a good thing I started early in the morning, or I wouldn't be making the (baked) dinner I had planned. Thanks for sharing. EDIT: After letting them cool, they were MUCH dryer than when I took them out of the oven. I think that the recipe should specify that they might not seem quite done when the time is up, but that taking them out and letting them cool will dry them out further. I suppose if I had been experienced with this sort of recipe I would know that, but I didn't). They are a little too dry now, a combination of my own mistake and unclear directions. Again, thanks anyway. :)

Reviewed On: Jan. 20, 2011