Backwoods Venison Jerky

Redneck cuisine from the hunting camp.
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HunterGKS
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Backwoods Venison Jerky

Post by HunterGKS »

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

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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

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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

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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

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10 pounds of venison & 4 pounds of pork. I trimmed as much fat & silver skin from all the meat
as possible.

Pic 6

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The ground venison & pork. I prefer to have all the meat partially frozen as it grinds a lot better.

Pic 7

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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

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1 dehydrator tray filled with jerky.

Pic 9

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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

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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.
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


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Hognutz
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Re: Backwoods Venison Jerky

Post by Hognutz »

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!!
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!!
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HunterGKS
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Re: Backwoods Venison Jerky

Post by HunterGKS »

Hognutz wrote: December 10th, 2018, 11:48 am 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!!
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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


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