Venison Jerky Recipe

[xcutter]

I'm looking for some recipe ideas for venison. Please share your favorite recipe.

Thanks in advance for everyone's comments.

 

[xcutter]

Also curious how you store your jerky. Do you use a foodsaver seal and freeze? What's the best method?

 

[Hootsma]

I've been making the following recipe or iterations of it for years. Everyone who has tried it has loved it. It doesn't usually last long either.

Wolverine Lodge Jerky
5 lbs Venison
3/4 cup Soy Sauce
3/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 bottle of Chipotle Tobasco
2 tsp Black Pepper
8 cloves Garlic - Pressed
1/2 tsp Powdered Onion
1 Tbsp Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Ginger
1 - 2 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
2 Tbs Raw Sugar

I like the meat sliced in 1/4" slices and I let it marinate for no more than 24 hours. If you let if go longer, it will start to Ceviche and that messes up the final texture of the jerky.

As far as storage is concerned, the whole point of drying meat it to cure it, so freezing is unnecessary. Unless you cook your jerky like your steak... medium rare, which I do not. I pinch the thickest part of the piece to see if it's done. If there is any spongy give, then it's not done. You can also cut it in half and if there is any pink or color change across the meat then it's not done.

The best way to store it is in a paper bag in a cool dark place like a pantry. However, I wrap mine in paper towel and put it in a gallon zip lock. I don't know how long it will last like this because it's usually gone within 2 - 3 weeks.

If you intend to keep it for a really long time, then vacuum sealing may be the way to go.

Good luck and let us know if you find any other recipes that turn out good.

 

[6mm Remington]

I don't make my own mixes but use Hi-Country mixes from Lincoln Montana. They have some wonderful Jerky mixes and oh man oh man are they good! I love them! Here are some of my favorites.
https://shop.hicountry.com/storefront.aspx

Original - smoky - spicy - three pepper - sweet & spicy - those five not in any particular order, but I had many folks tell me the smoky one was the bomb!!

https://www.himtnjerky.com/ Hi Mountain Seasonings out of Wyoming has some very good mixes also. It's just personal preference, but I like some of each company. I do tend to use Hi-Country the most though.

Made a correction. Hi-Country is what I use most!

 

[InIt2Live]

Are you going for ground and then gunned out jerky, or whole muscle jerky? I try to stick with whole muscle style jerky, and I use Alton Browns marinade, always a hit.

2lbs of meat (cut to what you consider jerky sized pieces
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium)
1 Tbsp honey
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (if using a dehydrator)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Mix it all up and marinade overnight in a ziplock bag.

It's simple, but tasty!

As for storage, if I make a lot, I vacuum seal it and freeze. Once a package is open, it's gone in a day or two around my house.

 

[COlineman78]

I also use Hi Mountain and the Cabela's mixes; both are great. Haven't gotten around to experimenting with my own yet.

 

[rbljack]

Another Hi Mountain Fan here.....they have a variety of good flavors, easy to prepare, and taste good. There is nothing better than smelling that jerky as you enter the house and the dehydrator is doing its thing. Like others have mentioned, the jerky never seems to last long enough to freeze and store it.

I like using the ground meat recipe most of the time, and making them into sticks using a jerky shooter instead of the strips of meat, but they are both good.

 

[aron]

The cabelas black pepper muscle jerky is awesome. I slice it thick as it shrinks a lot during the drying process. I vacuum seal and freeze.

 

[COlineman78]

Now you guys are going to make me whip up a batch. I forgot to say that I just store it in a ziploc in the fridge as I only make 2lbs at a time it usually doesn't last too long.

 

[BruinPoint]

I'm in the Hi-Mountain camp too. I follow the directions pretty much to a T but sometimes add some extra seasoning. I smoke mine with apple wood and then vacuum pack in small zip-lock vacuum bags.

 

[xcutter]

Thanks for everyone's comments.

I haven't made any yet this year. These are some great ideas and recipes.

 

[DWD]

I've been using the Nesco American Harvest Original flavor and prefer that to Hi Mountain. Nesco has about a dozen flavors but have not experimented with others as I really like the original.

I grind the meat 3 lbs at a time, mix and shoot. 3 lbs fits in my dehydrator well. If I'm making multiple batches I will vacuum seal and freeze.

 

[xcutter]

Tried your recipe last night Hootsma. Turned out awesome. Great flavor. It will be hard to store some for next years elk trip. LOL. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

I still need to try some of these other recipes. Thanks for everyone who has shared.

 

[bpctcb]

I use this with 1/4" sliced elk or deer roast. Refrigerate meat in gallon ziploc bag with marinade for 24 hours. I always squeeze out all the air so everything stays covered in marinade.

1 bottle soy sauce
1 bottle Worcester
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp quick cure

Or for my wife who loves garlic, I substitute 1 tbsp of garlic powder for the red & black pepper.

I throw it in a nesco dehydrator set on the highest setting (155*?) for 8 hours. I plug the dehydrator into a timer so I can run it while I'm at work without fear of over doing it if I'm running late.

I store it in a ziploc bag for 1-2 weeks; by then it's all eaten.

BP

 

[xcutter]

Has anyone ever done a combination of dehydrating and smoking? Could you dehydrate it almost complete then finish it off in the smoker?

 

[Poser]

Has anyone ever done a combination of dehydrating and smoking? Could you dehydrate it almost complete then finish it off in the smoker?

You'll want to reverse that order: smoke it for 1-4 hours (depending on the amount of smoke flavor your want) and then finish in the dehydrator.

 

[InIt2Live]

You'll want to reverse that order: smoke it for 1-4 hours (depending on the amount of smoke flavor your want) and then finish in the dehydrator.

+1 on this, with jerky you can probably get away with a 1 hour smoke and then dehydrate.

 

[xcutter]

Thanks Poser I will give it a try.

 

[jquarnberg]

I have tried Hi Country, Hi mountain and the cabelas brand. Nothing is as good as the nesco brand jerky cures. I promise. .5 to 1 hour on a traeger and finish in the dehydrator for the best jerky you can hope for. Dehydrator alone does a fine job as well. I freeze that bags and move a bag at a time to the fridge or into my truck/cooler/pack as we eat it.

 

[xcutter]

A lot of good recipes. Thanks for everyone's responses. Keep the recipes coming.