A lot of questions about making venison jerky were asked on an outdoor site of which I am a member.
Hopefully this string will clarify the process in the way that I make jerky.
I made 14 pounds of venison jerky & took pics as I went along. I don’t do anything special, just
followed the directions on the jerky seasonings packet.
Pic 1
Encapsulated Citric Acid lowers the PH making the jerky more shelf stable, makes the drying time
shorter, & the jerky more firm. It also adds a slight citrus flavor which, IMHO, makes the jerky
taste even better.
LEM Cure helps the meat cure properly. The jerky mix had a packet so I didn’t have to add any.
Trehalose improves the flavor of the jerky by removing the “gamey” taste as well as any freezer
taste. It also helps retain water, reduces shrinkage, & preserves the flavor of the jerky.
Backwoods Snack Stick mix contains all the spices needed to make jerky. I like jerky more than
the sticks but they both taste the same & require the same processing.
Rubber gloves help keep your hands clean. The jerky is extremely sticky & comes off the gloves
easier than the hands.
Pic 2
I use a LEMs Jerky Cannon to shoot the jerky onto the trays of my dehydrator. I use the ice cream
scoop to fill the shooter. It’s a lot easier the using my hands. I do have a tamping tool to push the
meat down but it’s more trouble than it’s worth. The scoop pushes the meat down easily.
Pic 3 & 4
The Redhead Dehydrator I use. It had 6 trays & I bought 4 more as that’s the max number of
trays the dehydrator can handle.
Pic 5
10 pounds of venison & 4 pounds of pork. I trimmed as much fat & silver skin from all the meat
as possible.
Pic 6
The ground venison & pork. I prefer to have all the meat partially frozen as it grinds a lot better.
Pic 7
The jerky meat mix. I have a hand mixer that holds 17 pounds of meat. I spent 15-20 minutes
mixing the meat & seasonings. If you ever want to work-out your arms, this is a good way to do it.
Pic 8
1 dehydrator tray filled with jerky.
Pic 9
All 10 trays filled & the dehydrator running. I have it set to 158 degrees &, after 2 hours, I rotate
the bottom tray to the top & then, every ½ to 1 hour, depending on dryness, move the bottom tray
to the top. Also, I turn each piece over as this helps the drying process. I have found that this
helps getting all the jerky done at about the same time.
Pic 10
The finished jerky. The pile is 20” long & 8” high at the highest point. It took a total of about
12 hours to get it all done. It took a total of 13 trays so I had to wait until 3 trays were done
before I could get it all loaded.
Backwoods Venison Jerky
- HunterGKS
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 5575
- Joined: January 2nd, 2013, 5:12 pm
- Location: North Central Ohio
Backwoods Venison Jerky
George
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR BODY STILL. YOUR HEART JUST HASN'T CAUGHT ON.
.17 = NITRO OF THE RIMFIRE WORLD USAF 1969-1973
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR BODY STILL. YOUR HEART JUST HASN'T CAUGHT ON.
.17 = NITRO OF THE RIMFIRE WORLD USAF 1969-1973
- Hognutz
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 8220
- Joined: June 28th, 2011, 5:29 pm
- Location: S.E. Wisconsin. Global Flatulater
Re: Backwoods Venison Jerky
That’s what I’m talking about, right there. I love that stuff. I add an ounce or two of Tabasco and a shake or two of coarse red pepper!!
You’re killin me here, George!!
You’re killin me here, George!!
May I assume you're not here to inquire about the alcohol or the tobacco?
I am the man from Nantucket.
“Leave the gun, take the cannoli” -Clemensa
When attacked by a group of clowns...Go for the Juggler!!
I am the man from Nantucket.
“Leave the gun, take the cannoli” -Clemensa
When attacked by a group of clowns...Go for the Juggler!!
- HunterGKS
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 5575
- Joined: January 2nd, 2013, 5:12 pm
- Location: North Central Ohio
Re: Backwoods Venison Jerky
George
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR BODY STILL. YOUR HEART JUST HASN'T CAUGHT ON.
.17 = NITRO OF THE RIMFIRE WORLD USAF 1969-1973
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR BODY STILL. YOUR HEART JUST HASN'T CAUGHT ON.
.17 = NITRO OF THE RIMFIRE WORLD USAF 1969-1973