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Venison Jerky, HELP!

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tony69

Knows what a fatty is.
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I have been put in charge of doing a whole bunch of venison into jerky. I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker & a 22'' Weber kettle. I plan on using the MB because I'm broke & can control my temps better. Just wanted to see what some of have used & could use any advice. We don't have a jerky gun so I was thing of just cutting a ton of medallions but we do have a grinder so I could use that too. Any ideas on anything would be appreciated(wood, spices, marinades, etc.) I think I have oak, maple, cherry, hickory & mesquite chips.
 
tony69 said:
I have been put in charge of doing a whole bunch of venison into jerky. I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker & a 22'' Weber kettle. I plan on using the MB because I'm broke & can control my temps better. Just wanted to see what some of have used & could use any advice. We don't have a jerky gun so I was thing of just cutting a ton of medallions but we do have a grinder so I could use that too. Any ideas on anything would be appreciated(wood, spices, marinades, etc.) I think I have oak, maple, cherry, hickory & mesquite chips.
Click to expand...

Being you are using game meat, I would highly suggest the use of Cure #1, especially so if you are considering grinding the meat. The curing agent will prevent any food-borne illnesses from the cold smoking process.

There are many commercial jerky mixes (IE: Hi-Mountian) that have a curing agent. Adding your own ingredients like Worcestershire or Soy Sauce, garlic powder, or red pepper.

I lightly freeze the meat and then slice at 1/8" on the meat slicer and set in 2 lb piles. Soak a few stacks in separate bags overnight, set on racks and dry until tacky. I then cold smoke for 2 hours using only an A-Maze-N Pellet smoker before turning the heat up to 110 to slowly dry the final product. I use whatever pellets on hand Apple/Cherry/Hickory and sometimes mixtures.

The other packages I keep refrigerated or frozen until time permits adding the curing liquid mixture 1 day before drying and smoking.

Cool each batch to room temperature after you have dried it out and Vac-seal into useable package sizes and distribute.
 
Thanks Madman I will that a go on one of the batches, Any other ideas people? We are going to grab some Hi-mountain or the like but am trying to get a few different ideas & make a bunch of different jerkys.
 
IamMadMan said:
Being you are using game meat, I would highly suggest the use of Cure #1, especially so if you are considering grinding the meat. The curing agent will prevent any food-borne illnesses from the cold smoking process.

There are many commercial jerky mixes (IE: Hi-Mountian) that have a curing agent. Adding your own ingredients like Worcestershire or Soy Sauce, garlic powder, or red pepper.

I lightly freeze the meat and then slice at 1/8" on the meat slicer and set in 2 lb piles. Soak a few stacks in separate bags overnight, set on racks and dry until tacky. I then cold smoke for 2 hours using only an A-Maze-N Pellet smoker before turning the heat up to 110 to slowly dry the final product. I use whatever pellets on hand Apple/Cherry/Hickory and sometimes mixtures.

The other packages I keep refrigerated or frozen until time permits adding the curing liquid mixture 1 day before drying and smoking.

Cool each batch to room temperature after you have dried it out and Vac-seal into useable package sizes and distribute.
Click to expand...


This. Having a meat slicer (deli slicer) helps tremendously. Seriously, if you can beg one off a friend/bar/business that you frequent you will have much, much better results than trying to cut slices by hand (also it is a huge pain in the arse to do so). Your slices will all be the same thickness and you won't have to monitor your cooker as much. You can bone out (if this is not already done) all the hindquarter roasts whole and slice them up in no time.

As an aside, if you make jerky out of your backstraps it is a crime in most states.:ban:

If you don't have cure #1 use Morton's Tender Quick in its stead. You can find it in your spice aisle of your grocery store. It has nitrate and nitrate in it.

I soak mine in my brine for two days then cold smoke until dried. Seems to work well. People eat em like potato chips.
 
What is cure#1? Hell no I'm not using the backstraps for jerky!!!! We just cut up a (220# hanging) buck & a 180#er. I'm doing about 10# this time but we have another week & 2 tags to fill plus bowhunting till the en of the year.
 
tony69 said:
What is cure#1? Hell no I'm not using the backstraps for jerky!!!! We just cut up a (220# hanging) buck & a 180#er. I'm doing about 10# this time but we have another week & 2 tags to fill plus bowhunting till the en of the year.
Click to expand...

Cure #1 is salt and a small percentage (about 6.25%) sodium nitrite. The sodium nitrite prevents the nasty microorganisms from infecting your meat. You add a little bit to your "cure" or "brine" and it does the job. It also gives your cured meats that "hammy or bacon" taste. Try using Morton's Tender Quick if this is your first time. It is readily available at your grocer. Otherwise, you will probably have to order it off the internet, for example http://www.amazon.com/Instacure-Prague-Powder-Cooking-Meats/dp/B001UPRY1W

I seriously have seen people on the forum talking about making their backstraps into jerky....for shame! Those are some good sized bucks you got there. Good luck with the jerky.
 
legendaryhog said:
This. Having a meat slicer (deli slicer) helps tremendously. Seriously, if you can beg one off a friend/bar/business that you frequent you will have much, much better results than trying to cut slices by hand (also it is a huge pain in the arse to do so). Your slices will all be the same thickness and you won't have to monitor your cooker as much. You can bone out (if this is not already done) all the hindquarter roasts whole and slice them up in no time.
.
Click to expand...

Also check craigslist.org, with the economy going south, I purchased mine from a deli that was closing for $250.00 (they wanted 500.00). I use it for everything. Makes childs play out of slicing bacon, canadian bacon, jerky, corned beef, pastrami, and even smoked turkey breast.

These should be a must have...... I wish I had looked sooner, and saved me years worth of slicing work (LOL).
 
IamMadMan said:
Being you are using game meat, I would highly suggest the use of Cure #1, especially so if you are considering grinding the meat. The curing agent will prevent any food-borne illnesses from the cold smoking process.

There are many commercial jerky mixes (IE: Hi-Mountian) that have a curing agent. Adding your own ingredients like Worcestershire or Soy Sauce, garlic powder, or red pepper.

I lightly freeze the meat and then slice at 1/8" on the meat slicer and set in 2 lb piles. Soak a few stacks in separate bags overnight, set on racks and dry until tacky. I then cold smoke for 2 hours using only an A-Maze-N Pellet smoker before turning the heat up to 110 to slowly dry the final product. I use whatever pellets on hand Apple/Cherry/Hickory and sometimes mixtures.

The other packages I keep refrigerated or frozen until time permits adding the curing liquid mixture 1 day before drying and smoking.

Cool each batch to room temperature after you have dried it out and Vac-seal into useable package sizes and distribute.
Click to expand...

Plus 1 on all of this.
I have made a tone of venison jerky on a cheap Big Chief electric smoker.
Really love the High Mountain Jerky Cure tastes great and really easy to use.
Good luck.
 
Funny you bring up a meat slicer, i just sold mine on CL 2 months ago. Moving & broke! I picked up some Tenderquick & Hi-Mountain Bourbon BBQ blend. Going to get them marinaing tonight or in morning. Smoke either Friday or Saturday. Thanks fo the tips, keep'em coming!
 
Just curious... Any jerky makers here Follow the USDA guidelines of simmering the meat to 160* IT before drying or 10 mins in a 275* oven after the drying? E Coli not being killed...

I just read about it myself tonight and do not plan too... still made me pause because I never considered it before...

(From field dressing to freezer I personally do every step so I am comfortable that fecal matter does not get on the meat... )
 
Sorry I missed this. Just hand slice the meat. use any basic salt brine and soak overnight. I do use tenderquick in mine and add some brown sugar and garlic powder. Next day I rinse and then soak in teryaki sauce (at least a couple hours and up to overnight) and hang the meat (you can just lay it on the racks if needed) sprinkle course black pepper or red pepper and smoke at 120° - 150° until done ~ 4 hours. I like to use maple or alder and usualy a mix.
 
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