Deer Jerky?

[anchor man]

Anbody have a good recipe for some homemade deer jerky, I plan to use some steaks and loin sliced thin. The few batches I've tried in the past all taste the same and not all that good.

Thanks

[Mark Christianson]

Personally, I grind up all my jerky meat and spit it out on dehydrator trays with the caulk gun type jerky shooter.

As far as seasonings, I just go to Gander, Fleet, Walmart, or whereever and get their packets.

Extremely easy.

It draws rave reviews at work.

[metrojoe]

I have to agree with blb. I used to cut the steaks into thin strips, but I never really liked that method. When I have my deer processed I get steaks and chops and the rest ground into burger. I use the jerky shooter and the pre-mixed seasoning bags. I can't make enough.

[Big Pine Walleye]

I grind all mine as well and have found that I like the Eastman jerky spices the best. I get these packets at wal-mart, they cost a little more, but have great flavor!!

[anchor man]

thanks, I'll try some of the packaged seasonings this time.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I too have gone to all ground for jerky.. it just comes out better in my opinion as well... Also, this fall the company Shore Lunch came out with a bunch of flavors.. I have tried about 4 of the flaves... the garlic pepper was pretty dang good... the Chipotle was pretty darn good as well.

[PerchJerker]

I'll go against the grain here. I'm not a ground jerky guy, I'm a cut up the steaks and roasts and dry them in a dehydrator guy. If you cut with the grain the jerky will be chewier, if you cut across the grain it will be drier and crunchier.

I don't really have a recipe, I just start mixing until it feels right. I make the marinade with milk, soy sauce, worchestshire, and occasionally teriaki sauce. And liquid smoke and sometimes liquid hickory -- these really add a strong smokey flavor which I like a lot. Also put onion salt, garlic, and black pepper in the marinade. I marinate the strips of meat anywhere from 1 day with warm marinade to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

After they've marinated I lay the meat on the dehydrator trays (over the sink) and then season them with onion salt and garlic powder. Don't over-season them or they will be really strong when they're done. Can use black pepper if you want the pepper bite. Can also use Lawry's seasoning salt or something similar but it gets really salty really fast with that stuff. Then just put them in the dehydrator and let them go until they're dried out.

This works great for waterfowl jerky too. I don't like eating ducks or geese but they make the best jerky - even better than beef or venison in my opinion.

[Mark Christianson]

I will agree with the waterfowl statement about making the strips. And it is AWFULLY good.

[Polar Bear]

Anchorman... I have never written down my recipe but here it is from memory. I like jerky salty/sweet.

One quart pineapple juice

One pint orange juice

One cup brown sugar

One cup soy sauce

Quarter cup worchesteshire sauce

2 Tablespoons garlic salt

2 Tablespoons onion salt

2 Tablespoons pepper

2 Tablespoons liquid smoke

2 Tablespoons gated orange peel

2 Tablespoons curing salt

If you warm the pinapple juice the sugar and salts will dissolve better. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Make sure you cut your strips across the grain of the meat, your jerky will be much easier to bite and chew. Marinate your meat strips in the fridge for at least 24 hours, 2 days is better, 3 even better yet. Hang from toothpicks in oven and dry at 175 for 5 to 8 hours depending on desired dryness. Enjoy.

[blue_healer_guy]

Polar Bear,, glad to finally see a post. Maybe your in hibernation from the stress at work. Would this also work for ground jerky. Finally broke down and bought a nice grinder. Jiffy Pop

[Log Hopper]

I'm with PerchJerker and the cut up steak. I dig around the cabinet above the range and pull out what looks good. I stay away from the salt, there is plenty of salt in everything else I put in. My not-so-secret ingrediant is A1 Bold.

[Outdoors_guy]

Alright before i say what i prefer i want to clear something up. Polar Bear and Perch Jerker, in your posts you both say different things. Polar bear says it is easier to chew against the grain and perch jerker says with the grain it is easier to chew. I prefer to cut the roasts and steaks up for jerky. I worked in a meat market for 5 years and they made both kinds, but it is better to eat the sliced jerky. Proccessed jerky you eat to much it is like a pepper stick but flat. Jerky is suppose to be hard to bite and chewy, not something you take a bite of and chew a little bit and swallow. Go with the sliced jerky. And from working at the meat market it is going with the grain.

[PerchJerker]

I think you misunderstood me Outdoors_guy. What I was trying to say is if you cut with the grain the jerky will be chewier -- to me that doesn't mean easier to chew, it means it takes more chewing and longer to chew. If you go across the grain the jerky is easier to chew because it breaks into smaller pieces as soon as you start chewing it. I'd say Polar Bear and I are in agreement on that.

[harvey lee]

Perchjerker is correct on this as the jerky is much easier to chew with the meat cut against the grain.The other way with the grain and you can chew yourself to death.

[Royce Aardahl]

I've been makin jerky for about 20 years and switched to grinding it 10 years ago. I'll never go back. So easy and so good. I use the High Mountain jerky cure and spices. Lottsa variety. Like blb I use the shooter now also. I use to make big round ones with a tupperware burger press. American harvestor dehydrator. 3 pounds of ground venison makes 60 strips on 5 trays. Takes about 4 1/2 hours to dry.

[Anylakeanytime]

I have been dabbling in making jerky for a few years now. And I have found one recipe that ended the dabbling process FOREVER! And I do it in the oven!!! Have had nothing but compliments! You can e-mail me and I will send the recipe (not that I don't want to share, but if nobody is going to want it I want to save my limited time on f-mn for better things like reading the posts!)

[email protected]

[BLACKJACK]

pb, I may have to try this, it looks good. Always looking for new jerky recipes since we have a jerky contest at our summer campout, appropriately named 'The Jerk-off'. Believe it or not, we even have a traveling trophy.

[Royce Aardahl]

Please don't post a picture of the trophy!!!!!!

[jasongp99]

I am going to try making snack sticks for the first time and I got the grinder the gun and snack stick kit at Cabela's. My question is do I need to do it in a dehydrator to be good or will the oven work just fine? Won't spend the money if I don't have to. Does it work for jerky in the oven as well? I was planning to do a trial and error but with your help I may not have to go through that.

[BLACKJACK]

I've always used the dehydrator but I think that the oven on a low temperature like 200 will work. Put a drip pan under the meat so you don't make too much of a mess.

[Big Country]

Seems like no one has worked this post for about a week,but if you are reading this and you have an answer it will be much appreciated. I bought a Jerky Shooter kit years ago and only used it twice. I far prefer my jerky done with steaks. Problem was that when the product was done, the jerky turned out extemely thin. Wasn't fit for a rabbit type thin. I tried doubleing it up but it just made a mess. I think I need a larger nozzle on the end of my shooter which they do sell for the gun. Any thoughts? BC

[matthothand]

If you are slicing the meat get a realy sharp thin bladed knife (I use a fillet knife) and slice the meat before it's through thawing and you will be able to get more uniform slices of any thickness. Remeber to account for shrinkage.

Like Eyeguy I use the HiMountain seasoning/cure which is available at most grocery stores. I use both a dehydrator and oven to make large amounts of the stuff and lots of different shapes sizes and textures. I do prefer using the ground meat through the gun made into strips. I start them out in the dehydrator and then finish them up in the oven. Just made a big batch yesaterday and turned out superb.

[Big Country]

Matthothand, I have no problem with making jerky with steak, it's the ground venison that is causing me problems. I think I need a bigger nozzle on my jerky gun. The product comes out really small. Ever use one? BC

[matthothand]

If the gun isn't putting out the size that you are looking for leave the gun in the drawer and put all your prepared ground meat on a large sheet of wax paper. flatten it out a bit by hand and then put another sheet of wax paper on top and work it with a rolling pin or your hands until you have a big flat sheet of meat at the thickness you want. then just slice the meat into the shapes that you want. I'm satisfied with the size strips and sticks that my gun makes but i like to play around with really big pieces or little circles sometimes too and that's what works for me. Hope that helps!

[Big Country]

Hey, now we are getting somewhere That is an awesome idea. I can't wait to try the wax paper trick out. I am making summer sausage this weekend, but I now know what I am doing next weekend I will let you know when the time comes how it turned out. Thanks so much for the help Matthothand. BC