Venison Jerky

2 min read
Beef jerky on parchment with herbs and bread on a rustic board.
Difficulty - 5/10

After a successful hunting season, one of the first things you ask yourself is what to do with all the venison. A good option is to make venison jerky. Jerky is a lightweight, dried meat product that makes an excellent snack for campers, backpackers, or anyone who loves jerky.

Venison meat is full of vitamins and minerals and has 50% less fat and 20% more protein than beef.

Below you’ll find the ingredients and a recipe for making delicious venison jerky. Some of these items can be found and purchased directly on our website.

Ingredients:

  • 5 pounds Venison
  • 1 cup Soy Sauce
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Smoked Paprika (SKU: 10-1074)
  • 1 tablespoon Instacure #1 (SKU: 11-1011)
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
  • 3 tablespoons Garlic Powder (SKU: 10-1049)
  • 3 tablespoons Black Pepper (SKU: 10-1079)

Steps:

  1. Pre-freeze meat so it will be easier to slice.
  2. Cut partially thawed meat into long slices about ¼” thick and an inch or two wide for tender jerky, cut at right angles to the long muscles (across the grain). Remove visible fat to help prevent off-flavors.
  3. Prepare your chosen marinade in a large saucepan.
  4. Pour the marinade over the meat and marinate the jerky for 12 to 24 hours. Overhaul jerky pieces at least once.
  5. Dry at 140-150° F (60-66º C) in a dehydrator, oven, or smoker. You can apply smoke for 30 minutes at this stage. Test for doneness by letting a piece cool. When cool, it should crack but not break when bent.
  6. Refrigerate, and then check again for doneness when it is cool. If necessary, dry further.