There are some instances that we tend to get sick out of the conventional meals out there. Even recipes made from venison (deer meat) has become a common sight, especially in specialty restaurants.
Of course, I am always searching for alternatives. That’s why I tried making the infamous ground venison jerky recipe. One of my friends who is into big games told me that this particular dish is quite popular, especially among the hunters. It somehow piqued my interest, considering that I am a big jerky fan.
If you’re looking for a meat dehydrator for jerky then take a look at Happy Home Reports.
The good news is that this particular recipe is not that hard to make. As long as you got the right condiments and spices, you can actually make this food anytime you want. In fact, you can turn it into a commercial business once you can get the hang of it.
In this article, I will show you how to make a ground venison jerky. Take note that there are various variations of this recipe. This one that I will teach you is a self-made recipe. Therefore, you have the freedom to alter it, depending on your preferences.
Ground Venison Jerky Recipe
Ingredients:
- Ground venison (5 pounds)
- Salt (3 tablespoons)
- Ground pepper (2 teaspoons)
- Sugar (2 teaspoons)
- Garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon)
- Onion powder (1/2 teaspoon)
- Worcestershire sauce (1/2 teaspoon)
- LEM Cure (1/2 teaspoon)
- Liquid smoke (1/2 teaspoon)
Directions
Preparing the Meat
The first thing that you need to do is to acquire a fresh venison meat. Now, this procedure might be difficult, as this meat type is quite difficult to find in the market. Usually, you can get this ingredient after hunting or during big games. But of course, there is a risk to that as the meat might not have been sanitized properly.
This is the very reason why I included a curing agent in the marinade. I want to make sure that bacteria and mold won’t invade the meat. After all, nobody just wants to get foodborne illnesses from eating a tasty jerky.
If the meat is still whole, you need to use a meat grinder to ground it. Therefore, it is quite essential that before you do this recipe, you got a grinder already in your kitchen. In this way, you can conveniently prepare the food without any hassle.
Mixing the Marinade
The next thing you need to do is to combine all the ingredients in a bowl. This will form your marinade. Stir the mixture carefully until it can reach its desired flavor. After this, you can already add the ground meat for the coating process. Mix them thoroughly so that the meat can acquire the luscious flavor of the marinade.
Cover the bowl with a plastic sheet and put it in your refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours. In this way, you can guarantee that the marinade will seep in through the flesh of the meat.
Making the Meat Strips
After the refrigeration, take out the ground meat from the marinade. Next, you should place the meat inside a jerky gun. This particular device will allow you to create uniform meat strips out of your ground meat. The size of the strips could be adjusted, depending on the nozzle of the jerky gun.
When packing the meat inside the canister of the jerky gun, make sure that there are no hollow parts of pockets. Shoot the meat strips into a wire rack. Specifically, the strips should have a good distance between each other (around 1/4 inch apart).
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The Essence of Having the Right Temperature
Start preheating your oven for around 175 degrees Fahrenheit. In this way, you can be sure that those bacteria and other fool-spoiling organisms will be killed in the process. While preheating, place the meat inside your refrigerator for around 10 minutes for preliminary drying.
Drying the Meat
Once your oven is ready, place the meat strips immediately. Make sure that you leave a hatch or a slice opening in the door. You can a rolled heavy duty foil to do this. By doing this, you are optimizing the proper movement of warm air inside the device. The dehydration process would be a lot more efficient if you will do this technique.
If you are using a gas smoker or a food dehydrator, just set them on the same temperature that I have mentioned. A gas smoker has a vent for the release of moisture. Therefore, you should open it. Meanwhile, a food dehydrator has a specialized mechanism or design to promote the even distribution of heat. Any of these heating devices should work well for your venison jerky.
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Testing the Jerky
With this temperature, your jerky should be ready after 3 to 5 hours. But if you want to avoid over drying, better sample the jerky from time to time.
There are various ways to tell if your meat is already a jerky. First, check its color. If it has already a brownish texture, it means that the meat has been dehydrating sufficiently. Second, you could also take one meat and bend it. If it bends and doesn’t break, then the meat is already a jerky.
Storing the Jerky
Take your ground venison jerky out from the oven. Let it cool for a while before you start munching it. You could also put it inside the airtight container. If you put the container in your refrigerator, the jerky should remain consumable for a month.
If you store the jerky in your freezer, it should remain good for at least three months. Of course, it is natural for jerkies to have long lifespans. After all, the means of preparing them is actually a traditional food preservation process (dehydration). You should know that the liquid inside the meat is an hotspot for bacteria and molds to grow. By removing them, you are also extending the lifespan of the meat.
Conclusion
The ground venison jerky recipe is quite easy to do. As long as you will prepare the meat properly, your jerky should be safe to consume. Of course, before you start, you should assess first if you the right tools and devices for making a jerky. They can enhance the speed and efficiency of the jerky-making process.
I also have separate recipes for moose, rabbit, and buffalo jerkies. If you want to check them out, just click their corresponding links!
Did you like this tutorial of mine? If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, just as me in the box below. I will be waiting!
Last update on 2022-09-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API