Repulse Bay (Sep 08/04) - There is nothing quite like the taste of your own homemade -- or in this case school made -- caribou jerky.

Recently, 16 and 17 year old students at Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay got the chance to make their own jerky with caribou they brought from home. The results were spicy, and mostly yummy, country treats.

"It was exciting," said Michael Putulik, 18. "I had fun but my caribou jerky was spicy and hot. I put on soy sauce and a lot of pepper. It was too hot."

The students brought frozen caribou from home, which they cut, marinated for 12 hours, dried then cooked the next day.

Teacher Brent Urie got them involved in the project as part of a nutrition class.

"It was part of talk about obesity and diabetes and good eating habits," said Urie.

Most students had caribou at home and Urie thought the jerky recipes would appeal to them.

"So we made marinades, soy sauce or a beef bullion and pepper. It's like marinating a roast, in a big plastic bowl. Twelve hours later you take it out, pat it dry and spread it out on the oven rack or a dehydrator," Urie explained. "As soon as it breaks easily you know it's dry enough."

"It was really interesting for us. It was our first time ever making it," said Putulik.

Hunting with his family

At age 6, Putulik started going out caribou and seal hunting with his family.

"I'd tried dried caribou with my mother and father."

But jerky was a new recipe.

He brought his creation home to his parents for the ultimate taste test.

"My father liked it but he said it was too hot. But it was good," said Putulik.

Trevor Kringayark, 16, brought one pound of caribou in to school to make his jerky and was happy with the outcome of his work, even if his jerky had more kick to it than he expected.

"It was too spicy," said Kringayark.

"The soy sauce flavour was better to me."

Kringayark may try caribou jerky at home but his all time favourite country food to enjoy at home is beluga whale.

"I like the skin with the fat and I add soy sauce. When we boil it we can make muktuk salad," Kringayark said, sharing a family recipe.

"We take mayonnaise and vinegar and mix it together. It's very tasty and delicious."