I titled this article deer jerky but actually it could have been deer, antelope or elk jerky.
This method will work pretty much I guess on any meat including turkeys and pheasants. Everyone loves jerky, don’t they? I suspect that even a lot of vegetarians are closet jerky eaters. In fact, I know that they are. I used to work with a girl (In a plant that cooked beef, pork and chicken) that was a vegetarian.
I know, I’m terrible but I’d tell her let’s go in the closet and we can eat some smoked salmon. She’d say Tom, you’re horrible but give me a little piece and I’ll take it home at lunch and put it on my salad.
It’s somewhat the same with jerky and bacon. Like the popular phrase goes, “I could be a vegetarian if it weren’t for bacon”! But back to today’s topic. Everyone loves jerky. So, if it’s so popular, why don’t more people make it? I think the answer is twofold.
1. They don’t know how to make it.
2. They don’t have good spices.
Really making jerky is quite simple but to make top-notch jerky, you do need to follow a few steps. So, let’s cover those. First and foremost, you will need good spices or your jerky will be subpar at best. Over the years I’ve had some ok homemade blends but the best blend that I’ve found is by Hi-Mountain Seasoning. They offer a variety of flavors but I like their Original, Hickory or Pepper blends the best.
The seasoning that you use is paramount. It is obviously the main item that effects the acceptability of your jerky. Don’t scrimp on this item. Consequently, this is why I choose to use Hi-Mountain Seasoning.
So, let’s jump into making jerky. To make jerky you’ll use some of your tougher cuts. Sure, you can make jerky out of your backstraps but why waste a good steak? Trim off the outer thick fat but don’t go anal and try to remove every spec of fat or silver skin.
Some people go over the top and only end up with a handful of meat. Do you think the commercial jerky makers remove all of the silver tissue? NO! Why do you think that there’s some tough chewy stuff left over after you’ve chewed on a piece of commercially made jerky?
As I type, I’m making a big batch of deer jerky. The first step will be to slice your meat. I put all the chunks that I’m going to make jerky out of in a bag and freeze until later.
When ready to make it, I’ll set the bag in the fridge for a couple of days. I let it thaw enough to be able to slice but frozen enough that it isn’t like slicing Jell-O. It is a lot easier to slice in thin strips if it’s partially frozen.
Slice the meat cross grain to make it more chewable. Cut it in thin slices 1/8-3/16-inches. It’s easier to slice if you use an 8-inch knife. Lay the slices flat and evenly sprinkle on seasoning.
If you want to make your own spices many people make a mixture of Soy Sauce, Worcestershire, salt, garlic and pepper.
If you go this route, I like to mix the marinate and then pour it over the sliced meat in a plastic bag. Squeeze out the air and then tie off the bag.
I like using a bag vs. marinating it in a bowl because I can massage it every hour or two to ensure I get a good dispersion of the spices and you don’t get your hands dirty like if you have to mix it in a bowl.
I’m sure you’ve noticed some jerky looks like it has been ground. Well, it has. If you want to make ground jerky, I found a tool called a Chard Jerky Gun. It looks like a big caulking gun with a flat outlet. Grind your meat, season it and use the Chard Jerky Gun to squirt out strips of jerky and then dry them.
Some people put liquid smoke in their jerky but that’s sacrilegious or something. I just got a Camp Chef SG 24 pellet grill and am drying my batch of jerky on it.
It’s best to dry your jerky on slotted plates so the juices can run off, you don’t want to make boiled meat. I just ran down to the Salvation Army and got two broiler pans for $2.00 each for the top slotted plates.
Or you can just lay the strips on the grills. Since I had so much, I filled the slotted plates and the pans and packed my smoker.
Air dryers are also popular. Buy extra racks because you’ll want more than comes with the package. The bottom treys will dry faster so every so often rotate the treys and remove the jerky as it dries.
Don’t over dry your jerky. You don’t want to be eating dental floss so don’t make it hard and brittle. You may wonder if you don’t need to super dry it?
You don’t eat raw meat, right. Don’t worry. If you use a Hi-Mountain mix it has Nitrates/Nitrites in it which preserves it even though it is dried at a low temp.
If I make a big batch I’ll freeze mine in portion sizes. I put a helping worth in a freezer bag and freeze it. That way if I’m going hunting I can throw a bag in my backpack.
And for you closet vegetarians don’t despair. You can go in the closet and read this article on-line. No one will know. But the smile on your face from eating some superb jerky may give your devious ploy away!
Tom Claycomb is a hunting enthusiast and writes a bi-monthly column for Great Basin Sun.
