PEGGI'S VENISON JERKY

PEGGI'S VENISON JERKY image

I have been using this recipe for about 25 years now. I make about 60 pounds of it a year (starting weight). Everyone loves it. You can figure your dry weight on finished jerky is going to be a little over 1/3 of the weight you started out with. So, if you have 60# raw meat, you will end up with 20# + of dried jerky. The batch I...

Provided by Peggi Anne Tebben

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

2 lb lean meat, sliced thin (about 1/8
1/2 Tbsp coarse black pepper
2 tsp seasoned salt (cookie's)if you use
another brand, use 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
instead of 1/2 tablespoon
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp accent
2 tsp butter & mesquite seasoning-
(durkee's or tone's)
1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
1 c soy sauce
1 c worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp concentrated liquid smoke, if using
store bought (ready to use), use 3 t.
i get concentrated from amish store

Steps:

1. FREEZE MEAT WHILE STILL IN THE ROAST STAGE (RAW). THEN REMOVE FROM FREEZER & LET SLIGHTLY THAW. SLICE ON SLICER OR BY HAND TO 1/8"TO 3/16" THICK AGAINST THE GRAIN. IF YOU SLICE WITH THE GRAIN, IT WILL BE TOUGH & STRINGY.
2. MIX ALL OF MARINADE TOGETHER & PUT MEAT IN. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES, I LOVE TO TASTE THE MEAT. IT IS CURED BY THEN. IT IS HEAVEN. DO NOT PACK MEAT TIGHT. I DO THIS PART ABOUT 7 PM & LEAVE OUT ON COUNTER FOR ABOUT THE NEXT 3 HOURS & WALK IN & STIR WITH WOODEN SPOON EVERY 30 MINUTES OR SO, TO MAKE SURE IT IS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED. MARINADE IN FRIDGE OVERNIGHT. DO NOT PACK TOO TIGHTLY.
3. NEXT MORNING,EARLY, WASH SINK OUT THOROUGHLY. PLACE SOME SORT OF DRAINER IN BOTTOM OF SINK. I USE A ROUND PIE COOLING RACK. POUR JERKY & MARINADE OUT IN SINK. NOW GO HAVE YOUR COFFEE WHILE YOU ARE WAITING ON JERKY TO DRAIN. PLACE ON DEHYDRATOR TRAYS & PLACE IN DEHYDRATOR.
4. I HAVE A BIG SQUARE DEHYDRATOR WITH 10 TRAYS & FAN. WHEN ALL TRYS ARE IN, LEAVE DOOR AJAR ABOUT 3 INCHES FOR PROBABLY 3 HOURS UNTIL MOST MOISTURE LEAVES. THEN CLOSE DOOR & CONTINUE DEHYDRATING. IF YOU DON'T DO THIS, IT WILL STAY WET ALOT LONGER. IT TAKES ABOUT 6 FULL HOURS . MEAT IS DONE WHEN IT IS DRY TO THE TOUCH & YOU BEND IT & IT DOESN'T FEEL RUBBERY, BUT DON'T OVER DRY, TO WHERE IT STARTS TURNING WHITE (SALT CONTENT). I THROW IT ALL IN A BIG STAINLESS STEEL BOWL & LEAVE OVERNIGHT TO FINISH AIR DRYING. THEN THE NEXT DAY, I VACUUM PACK IT IN 1/2# BAGS.
5. I MIX 7 BATCHES OF THIS UP IN ONE BIG CONTAINER & ADD 14# MEAT. DO NOT PACK TIGHT.