The Best Venison Jerky Recipe - Offer!

[drifter]

Merry Christmas to All! My sons and I will be doing some late season meat hunting and hope to make some jerky. I searched the IFISH database and found great salmon cures but nothing for Venison. Please help me out with the BEST recipes for jerky. Is smoker or oven best? Liquid smoke or chips? Best brine and treatment before and after smoking?
MY OFFER - I will try several recipes, pick our favorite, post the results and send some of the finished product to the best recipe holder. Thanks, Drifter

"The True Meaning of Christmas Is Not Found At KMART!"

[Bait O' Eggs]

Everybody likes something different in their jerky recipe. I myself do not like jerky brined in either wine or soy sauce. To me it just ruins the flavor of the meat. I have attached a link to a web page with more recipes than you could possibly want to make.

I have used the "brined jerky" recipe on the link, It produces the flavor of jerky I like. I cut back on the salt a little from what the recipe calls for. Good luck

Jim Spier Jerky Recipes (http://www.melborponsti.com/jerky/index.shtml)

[ 12-20-2001: Message edited by: Bait O' Eggs ]</p>

[Gone Fishin]

Like Roy said, the best brine is what ever taste you prefer. To get the best jerky, you need to start with the best product. Then you need to take care of it during the process, the more care you give it will result in the best jerky at the end.

[Artwo]

drifter,
I did my first attempt at jerky this year before hunting season. I used a dry cure and seasoning mix from Hi Mountain. We bought ours when in Montana but I have also seen it here locally as well. I used the original and black pepper flavors with the black pepper being my favorite (added a little extra ground pepper to it). Just spinkled it on the cut strips of roast beef (both sides) and let it cure in the frig over night, then baked in the oven as directed. Turned out very good if I do say so myself, quick and easy with very little mess. Be sure and vacuum seal the end results, they will last much longer.

JK

[Lured In]

Regardless of the jerky recipe used, try using a dry rub marinade before you brine. This will add another day to the process but can really flavor the meat. I use a combination of salt, pepper and garlic powder for a base and coat each piece completely and press it into the meat. Depending on the meat or desired flavor, try adding either sugar or brown sugar to the dry rub. This will put a slight glaze on the finished product. Also if you have one, use a foodsaver canister for the brine, this will increase the amount of brine that goes into the meat.

I posted a duck jerky recipe on the hunting board that goes into the oven cooking process. The oven works fine, but I can't wait to get a smoker.

[Orca]

I've tried brines in the past until I found the Hi-Mountain Dry Cures. Easy to do, and tastes great. Can be found at Bi-Mart, or Joes. You can dry the meat in a smoker, oven, or food dehydrator, but don't put any smoke to it. I tried a little smoke once and it ruined the batch. Somthing about the cure and smoke combination made for a less than great taste. The jerky tastes super with just the cure alone, really the best I have ever had.

I am starting a 4 lb. batch tomorrow for some Christmas snacks.

[Gobbaworms]

5 pounds of meat sliced 1/8" to 1/4" thick
2 T salt
2 T sugar
3 t black pepper
1 t garlic powder
mix all together, cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.
Smoke at 200 degrees for about 8 hours with hickory chunks.
Simple but very good.

[Snapset]

Jerky brines all benefit from using a HOT fresh salsa as the base, IMHO. I agree with BOE about the Soy Sauce. Too salty. In fact unless you are planning on preserving the meat for a long time, don't use more salt than you would want on a steak. So, I would use a cuppla cups of Salsa, a teaspoon of Liquid Smoke, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and a ground up bay leaf. Slice the meat across the grain, unless your teeth are real long and you want to wear em down a bit, then marinate in a non metallic bowl for 2 days. Rinse the meat lightly, sprinkle with coarse Black Pepper, then put it in the dehydrator. Keep an eye on it and take it out before it gets hard, between 2 to 8 hours. The longer you marinate, the better.