VENISON JERKY ??????????????

[DUCKJ]

I GOT ALOT OF DEER STAKES LEFT AND WOULD LIKE TO TURN SOME OF THEM INTO JERKY. CAN ANYONE GIVE ME A EASY AND GOOD TASTING WAY TO FIX IT? THANKS FOR THE HELP.
HAPPY HUNTING
DUCK

[Guest]

Really easy jerky:

Half thaw the steaks in the fridge, while slightly frozen slice into thin strips (1/8"-1/4"), marinade or rub with your favorite spices and seasonings, whatever you like, soy sauce, cajun, bbq, black pepper, etc. set oven or prepare smoker or grill for low heat(150-200 degrees) indirect heat for grill (just a few lumps of charcoal at a time), suspend from rack with soaked toothpick or skewers so strips are separated and there is room for air to circulate, bake with door ajar or smoke until well dried. Store in an airtight container in the freezer. Caution jerky prepared in this manner is not "cured" and will require refridgeration or keep in a cooler when out camping/fishing. For a more stable jerky see below.

If you want a more "traditional" jerky, include a long soak, 12-24 hours in refridgerator in a 1:4 salt brine, this will extend the shelf life for long camping/fishing trips, and will not need refridgeration, for an even more effective cure (ie, longer "shelf" life), use tenderquick salt (1 cup:4 cups water) or get some sodium nitrate from your local butcher, and brine with that first, then into the seasoning rub or marinade, if you dry it thoroughly, should keep for a good while unrefridgerated if kept in an freezer ziplock with the air squeezed out, or vacuum sealed. This is a great way to use up extra turkey, goose, salmon(my favorite), etc. sure beats tossing it out, but jerkify it before freezer burn sets in. Good eats!

Another alternative is to make a ground mixture with salt and seasonings, and smoke or dehydrate thin patties or use a "jerky shooter" machine.

[This message has been edited by coldone (edited 06-13-2002).]

[DUCKJ]

THANKS FOR THE HELP COLDONE, ILL BE GIVEING IT A TRY THIS WEEKEND. ILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT FOR ME.

HAPPY HUNTING
DUCK

[blue_healer_guy]

Duckj, Here's a liitle tip from a buddy of mine who makes great jerky. He grinds up any leftover duck breast right in with his vension jerky. It is awesome! One way to get rid of the duck I guess. Joe

[DUCKJ]

coldone, are you suposed to rince the meat after soaking it in the salt brine. i didnt and then soaked it in soy. very salty, uneatable. first batch without brine was tasty. didnt last but a couple hrs. thank for your help.

happy hunting
duck

[Guest]

Yes, sorry about that... Give the meat a rinse after the strong brine, then proceed with drying it.

[Xplorer]

DUCKJ,
Read thru this thread and got a good chuckle at myself remembering the first batch of jerky I made. I did the same thing as you, I ended up with at whole ziplock bag of jerky so salty it curled your tongue. I was young and stubborn and had made it for a trip to Canada with my new father-in-law. I gave him the good second batch so he didnt know I screwed up.
My jerky was so salty it was white, but i forced the stuff down during the week! He probably thought I was a heavy drinker tho by the amount of beer I put down that week, just couldnt get enough molson and labatts that week to quench that thirst
Xplorer

[DUCKJ]

LOL EXPLORER, MY FIRST WENT IN THE TRASH. I WOULDNT EVEN LET MY DOG EAT IT.
AFTER RINSEING MY LAST BATCH, IT TURNED OUT PRETTY GOOD. GOT T0 EAT IT AT LEAST.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP GUY'S.
HAPPY HUNTING
DUCK

[Guest]

I'm going to make up some jerky this weekend. I've got a lot of deer meat to smoke up. Going on vacation with my future in-laws and their whole extended family.... I'll need a lot of jerky. I'm going to cure it in the 1:4 salt water, but then I'm a little lost. After I cure it do I then soak it in a brine, or just put a rub on it? Which works best? I would imagine soaking it in a brine keeps it a little more moist which I like. Thanks for the help.

Good Luck,
Rusty

[Guest]

The 1:4 salt is actually the brine, and basically the salt penetrates the meat in a great enough concentration to inhibit the growth of spoilage organisms. After the brine soak, as others have pointed out, it is important to rinse the meat to remove the excess salt, dry strips with a kitchen towel and place into your favorite marinade or dry rub, basically the marinade makes for moister or more "tender" jerky, and the rub makes for a more spicy dry jerky. Both methods work great but have different qualities depends what you like, some folks like the desert dry crisp bootleather jerky( which has a very long shelf life). Others like the moist "beefsteak" thick sliced type, which is fine to keep refridgerated or in the cooler. I like mine fairly dry, and you can still achieve this with a marinade, so maybe make some of each, or a range of flavors to keep things interesting, you know like: mild, medium, hot, hotter, prarie fire, wildfire, blast furnace, and nuclear or terriyaki, cajun, cracked black pepper, honey spice, garlic, etc. Good luck.

[Guest]

Thanks for the tip coldone, I'm going to give it a try this weekend. Can't wait!!

Good Luck,
Rusty

[Capt'nJosh]

High Mountain makes a Jerky cure that is great! I've tried all of their flavors and found the mesquite to be the best on venison. You can get it at most grocery stores.

Capt'n