This jerky stuff is trickier than you'd think

[Tab]

I ended up buying 'cure' but still the flavoring is a rhymes-with-witch to master. it's either overboard, or underwhelming.

Makes for some cheap dog treats if it doesn't work out, but what I want is people treats.

[hippywife]

1. You'll get it pinned down.

I'm sure of it. You want it too badly. :rofl:

[kestrel91316]

2. My dad's easy jerky recipe:

Shoot deer.
Gut and skin deer.
Cut up miscellaneous non-steak and non-tenderloin parts of dead deer into thin strips.
Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Hang up to dry on string hung across workshop.
Hide it so youngest child (that would be me) cannot raid the stash and eat it all in the first two weeks.

[Tab]

3. Yeah, well..

Deer hunting season isn't until fall, and I don't own a rifle, so I'll have to pass on that recipe, but I appreciate the suggestion. :hi:

(I wonder if that would work for squirrels - lord knows we have enough of them around here)




Edited for typo. Frickin' keyboard.
Or maybe it was the squirrels.

[grasswire]

4. there oughta be some tornado kill in the woods.

Probably lots of squirrels around just for making into jerky. :-P

[badgerpup]

5. Here's what I use...and all my jerky gets quickly snarfed...

...and it took a blue ribbon a couple years ago when I entered it in the fair! :bounce:

Inexpensive strong dry red wine (burgundy or chianti...chianti is my preference)
balsamic vinegar- a few splashes
Lee and Perins Worcestershire sauce (gotta be L & P) a few splashes
Summer savory (optional) a pinch or so
Fresh-ground black pepper - not a lot...just enough to pull it all together
I don't use salt, but you can if you want to...just keep in mind that drying is going to intensify flavors, so a little dab'll do ya.

You want enough wine so you can have all the meat covered (squooshing it down is OK), and then add the flavorings until the flavors taste balanced to you.

either beef or venison (venison for preference) cut into strips about 1/4 inch thick.
Soak the meat in the liquid at least overnight (I've let it marinate as long as two days)...then lay it out in the dehydrator on the highest setting. You'll know when it's done. :9

Something I've discovered with a dehydrator...if you think stuff you're drying is done, but you're not sure, turn the machine off and let whatever you're drying cool off. THEN check it. Chances are it IS done.

I've sent venison jerky to my relatives who don't hunt or have buddies who do so. This can be a real treat and very big beans...some of the War on Christmas food catalogues that list venison jerky want an arm, a leg, a gonad and your firstborn for it. :yoiks:

[sandnsea]

6. There's a cazillion recipes

I like sweet and hot, hubby likes teriyaki, we've also used a savory based recipe. Just have to figure out what you really like. A tsp of salt per pound of meat is fine if your jerky is too salty. As I said previously, for brine we use salt until an egg floats and then add the rest of the seasoning from there. That's in a turkey roaster. We also dry it on the grill, although it's been years. I think elk and venison jerky flat out spoil you to anything else and we don't get much of that anymore.

[Tab]

7. tried it this time with just salt and pepper

totally uninteresting.

probably needs more salt or pepper, but it didn't cut it for me. it has no natural flavor, like it would if it was venison or bison or mammoth.

back to the spice rack, i guess....