Using a traditional marinade and a smoker, this homemade jerky recipe turns out the tastiest deer jerky you've ever had.
By Jennifer Danella |
Most hunters love to prepare and eat the meat they themselves have hunted, and there's no doubt that "venison jerky recipe" appears near the top of the list of their favorites—and their search results. Not only is the meat delicious, dehydrating or smoking venison or elk meat into jerky also preserves it longer—and pieces of the dried deer meat can be brought along as a snack on the next hunt.
When choosing a venison jerky recipe, you don't want to get caught up in extreme flavors that take away from the rich taste of venison or elk meat. You also don't want to waste too much time with prep, and you don't want to buy tons of specialized ingredients.
This recipe for homemade jerky keeps it simple: Cut the meat, mix up the traditional marinade for an overnight soak, then smoke it several hours to the desired chewy texture.
There are a few pointers worth keeping in mind when making venison jerky. First, the cut of wild game meat you use for jerky can make a big difference, not only in texture but also in overall cooking time. More-tender portions of meat, such as the backstrap or rump, require less time and have a better bite. A tougher cut such as the ribs, top round, or bottom round calls for a longer cook time and will be a little chewier as a finished product.
You can use several methods to create great deer jerky, but they all require a slightly different set of instructions and cook times. Here, we cover the steps for using a smoker, which we think offers the best flavor. You can make this deer jerky recipe in a food dehydrator, but we suggest adding a hint of liquid smoke to the marinade—1 teaspoon per 2 pounds of meat.
Smoked Venison Jerky Recipe
Jennifer Danella for Wide Open Spaces
Ingredients
2 pounds venison roast (can also use elk)
1 cup soy sauce (use low-sodium for less salty taste or teriyaki for sweetness)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
Recipe Directions
Trim the roast of any silver skin. Then thinly slice against the grain into quarter-inch slices. It helps if the roast is still a little frozen. Alternatively, taking the meat to a butcher to cut up using a meat slicer ensures perfectly even pieces for the best jerky results.
Whisk together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (if desired) in a large bowl with a lid or shake in a large zipper-topped bag.
After your jerky marinade is mixed, place the sliced meat into the bowl or bag, one piece at a time, stirring or shaking to coat. Cover the bowl with a lid or zip the bag shut, and and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours.
Heat your smoker to 180 degrees. Drain the marinade off of your jerky meat, but do not rinse.
Once preheated, place meat slices directly onto the grill grates. Smoke your jerky for 2 to 4 hours, depending on how chewy you like your jerky. Start checking the pieces for flexibility after the 2-hour mark. Some grills run hot in certain sections, so you may need to rearrange or remove pieces. The exact doneness is personal preference. Overcooked jerky has a firmer texture and ends up tough to chew.
The jerky should be stored securely, preferably in a sealable plastic bag, and eaten within a month. You may also place jerky servings in the freezer for longer storage. Note that cooking the jerky slightly longer keeps it better longer but makes it harder to chew.
READ MORE: No Freezer Space? How to Can Venison to Preserve It Instead
Related Content
The 5 Best Venison Jerky Recipes for Fall
How to Make Easy Venison Recipes for Quick Meals
The Tastiest Deer Jerky Recipes, Using a Dehydrator or Smoker
I always use whole roasts from the hind legs of the deer because they hold together well, slice easily and are generally a bit tougher than backstrap, which makes them a better candidate for jerky.
Contrary to popular belief, marinades don't penetrate much deeper than the surface. For that reason, longer marination times don't offer additional benefits past the 24 hour window, and in fact, can turn the exterior of the meat to an unpleasant, mushy texture.
Marinate at least one hour. For a longer marinating time, place in refrigerator in a covered container or an air-tight plastic bag. Remove from marinade and place in your NESCO® Dehydrator on dehydrator trays. Dry at 155° F for 4 to 15 hours, depending on how thick meat is cut.
Then, soak the meat for three to five days. This takes away the gamey flavor by draining out the remaining blood. Most people will use either a solution of saltwater or vinegar and water over ice. Change out the solution each day to keep it fresh.
The short answer is that your jerky is so tough because it's too dehydrated. For some people, this is a great thing and the tougher the jerky, the better!
If you want to make beef jerky with a rough and rugged texture, bottom round is the cut of meat you should select. Compared to the previously mentioned top round, this cut is quite a bit tougher but it's even more flavorful.
Curing salt is not required to make jerky, but it is an important tool. The key ingredients in curing salt inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria, specifically Clostridium botulinum, that can cause potentially lethal foodborne illnesses.
The key to making good venison jerky is to have consistent, thin slices of meat. You want to cut the venison into one-quarter of an inch thick slices. Thinner slices will result in a harder jerky, while thicker pieces may not dry all the way.
Place the whole bag into the fridge to thoroughly marinate for up to 24 hours, but no fewer than 4 hours. The longer you marinate, the deeper your flavor and tenderizing action.
The hindquarter is my favorite part of the deer. It's large and variable, with cuts that are suitable for steak, jerky, braising, stew, kebabs and grinding. The major muscles in the hindquarter are the top round, bottom round, eye of round and sirloin.
Freezing the venison prior to marinating makes it easier to slice and helps kill any parasites that might be present. Always marinate meat strips in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Dehydrate until a test piece cracks but does not break when it is bent.
Preferably you want to dehydrate your deer jerky at 165 degrees. But most ovens don't go that low. They typically will go as low as 180-200 degrees. If that is the case for your oven, you will want to prop the door open with a wooden spoon to let some of the heat out as it is dehydrating.
35ml apple cider vinegar: Acids are essential for food safety since they inhibit the growth of microbes. This ingredient will not just add a distinct taste but help ensure your jerky is safe for consumption.
Venison silver skin, fat, ligaments, and other undesirable parts of a deer that aren't muscle don't taste very good. Deer fat is generally bitter, unlike beef fat. This is probably the number one reason why folks think venison, particularly ground venison, tastes gamey.
Is a cure necessary when making jerky? For safety, yes. Using a jerky cure will inhibit bacteria growth and prevent botulism or other foodborne illnesses, as jerky is dried at low temps, not cooked. Cured jerky will also lengthen the shelf-life of your product.
The best cuts of meat for beef jerky are Top Round, Bottom Round, Lifter and Pectoral, but a variety of cuts can be used such as Flank Steak and Skirt Steak. These cuts of beef check all the boxes for beef jerky—economical, lean, and full of flavor. Selecting a lean cut of meat that has very little fat is key.
Choosing the Meat: You will need roughly four pounds of meat to make one pound of jerky. You want to choose lean cuts of venison, beef, or other game, because you will have to remove all visible fat. Game meats are great choices for jerky because of the natural leanness of the meat.
Curing salt is not required to make jerky, but it is an important tool. The key ingredients in curing salt inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria, specifically Clostridium botulinum, that can cause potentially lethal foodborne illnesses. Think of curing salt as an insurance plan.
Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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