Making jerky is a method of preserving meat by dehydrating it. Beef is the most common meat for jerky, but venison is well suited for it because it is quite lean. Venison also offers an interesting flavor -- a tasty alternative to beef. Venison jerky is simple to make and is another way to use deer meat.
Sliced Meat
To prepare sliced meat for drying, trim off as much fat as possible and slice the meat across the grain in 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices. To make slicing easier, use slightly frozen venison that is firm but not too solid to slice. Meat sliced across the grain is easier to chew, while meat sliced with the grain will be tougher.
Ground Meat
The easiest way to form ground meat into jerky is by using a jerky gun or jerky shooter. This tool lets you squeeze the meat out into a thin, uniform strip. Squeeze the prepared meat through your jerky gun directly onto dehydrator trays or a greased baking sheet. You can also roll the ground meat out with a rolling pin into jerky-sized strips but this method is less precise and more difficult to execute.
Curing and Seasoning
Jerky made from ground venison is usually cured prior to seasoning and drying. Mix your ground meat with salt and a curing mix and place it covered in the refrigerator for a few days. Curing mixes contain a blend of ingredients that prevent bacterial growth in the meat before it is fully dry. After curing, add your seasoning and mix the meat again. You can let the meat rest again for a day or two to absorb the seasoning flavors if desired.
Sliced meat jerky is either marinated or seasoned with a dry mix. To marinate sliced meat, dissolve the seasoning and curing mixes in liquid according to your recipe, put in the sliced meat and put it in the refrigerator in a sealed container for a couple of days, or as specified by the recipe. Stir the meat a few times a day. To use a dry mix, just rub both sides of the sliced meat with seasoning and curing mix and either refrigerate or immediately dehydrate it, depending on your recipe.
Dehydrating or Smoking
The USDA recommends cooking meat to 160 degrees F. before dehydrating for safety. Dehydrate at 150 degrees in a food dehydrator or oven for up to eight hours or until dry. Sliced jerky is done when it is firm but still flexible, not brittle. Ground meat jerky is done when it has shrunk to 1/3 or 1/4 of its original size and is firm. If you plan to store your jerky at room temperature, dry it harder to prevent spoilage. You can also smoke your venison jerky, in which case you should follow your smoker's instructions.
Storing
Store venison jerky in an airtight container for three weeks at room temperature, four months in the refrigerator or eight months in the freezer.
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