Deer jerky

[CTR0022]

So I want to start making my own jerky. What equipment do i need? What dehydrator do yall recommend? Is one of those jerky slicers worth the money? What are some of your favorite seasonings? What else do I need to know about the process?

TIA

[lunatic'hunter]

I like my Little Chief electric smoker, wore my last one out so I just bought another one. Makes awesome jerky. Included is a marinade recipe that you can tweak to your liking and some smoking chips. Don't do deer jerky, I use beef bottom round roasts.

[Tony Pic]

Bought a Hesco from Walmart. It has 4 trays. You can buy more to stack up the drying tower higher.
For a recipe...I find it at Costco and use this Gourmet sauce called Mr Yoshidas(teriyaki) with a 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke. Let it sit a few days in the fridge then dehydrate away.
I find that 1/4" slices take about 4 hours to dry at 185 degrees.
You can use the oven in the house also at a low slow temp.

[Txtourist]

Hi mountain seasoning cracked pepper. Jerky trays sprayed with nonstick.
Follow detections on seasoning package, cure etc. Spread on jerky racks so nothing is touching. Set oven at 200-230f for 2-2.5 hours, put a pot holder in to wedge the door open a bit. Works great, tastes amazing, fewer gadgets and little clean up.
Let it cool , place a paper towel in a zip loc and refrigerate. Don’t bag it hot or even warm, or it will get condensation and not last as well as look nasty. Directions say to cure 24 hours for while muscle meat. I usually add an ounce or two of good bourbon and a cap full of liquid smoke to the whole thing and let it cure for a couple of days in the fridge, mixing the meat around to ensure spices and cure on all sides. Also, only use fresh seasonings, don’t try to use some left over mix months later, your meat deserves more respect and the flavor will be weak/stale, trust me. If ordering online, try their steak rub, it is amazing especially on the sous Vide (with said bourbon)!

[TacticalCowboy]

I like to use the rounds to make jerky, as I don’t care for ground-then-dehydrated as much.

Follow the seams on the round and use everything but the knuckle for jerky. Then slice about 3/16” thick and place in a ziplock with your marinade. I like to use a 50/50 mix of allegros hickory and hot and spicy, along with a healthy dose of garlic powder or garlic salt, tony chachres, black pepper, and red pepper. Then onto the dehydrator for roughly 10 hours.

[TX_Hoghunter]

I have always just used regular seasonings that I find around the house. I put it in the oven at the lowest setting and let it go. I must be doing something right because when I made it I have a line out the door waiting on it........

-john

[xman59]

ant dehydrator will work,, it is plenty easy to start with just a fillet knife to see if you want to make more after your first couple of batches ,,, i do not marinate mine i use a dry rub,, my all time favorite is Zachs southwest jerky seasoning,,,, but i have also used seasoning from bass pro shops, cabellas and academy.... you can make your own,, i have used a mix of red pepper, cajun seasoning and 7 steak, black and white pepper, and different things i have in the house if i am out of a packaged mix,,, nothing wrong with getting creative on your own,,,,,,

i did recently pick up a jerky slicing kit at cabellas which consist of a long fillet style knife and a cutting board with 2 different depths to lay the meat in and using the blade across the trays to get a consistent cut thickness

[Smart]

I cut mine by hand with a Dexter Russel boning knife...cut across the meat grain, when possible, for a better chew

Here is my recipe link. Very easy. Search the recipe section for several more. I use an Open Country dehydrator with temp control. Works great.

https://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=675669&highlight=jerky

[Tubby]

Jerky board

Dehydrator

Ragin Blaze Jerky Seasoning


You'll thank me later...

[wytex]

We smoke ours then finish in the oven if needed, no dehydrator.
The Hi Mountain seasoning has cure in it , most other commercial ones do too, jerky keeps longer if cured.

[duckmanep]

rather than slicing super thin, I use a meat tenderizing hammer to beat it down to the thickness I am looking for.

[Smart]

jerky keeps longer if cured.

I make some pretty big batches but it rarely stays around long enough to need cure..

[kd350]

My dad and I built a cold smoker and let it hang for a week until it’s done. Our favorite seasoning so far is hi mountain garlic and cracked pepper, got ragin blaze for the next batch

[mastercraftka]

So I want to start making my own jerky. What equipment do i need? What dehydrator do yall recommend? Is one of those jerky slicers worth the money? What are some of your favorite seasonings? What else do I need to know about the process?

TIA

Are you wanting to make it year round?? If so ya you need a dehydrator. Or built you a smoke house with a dehumidifier in it.


I only make it a few times per year in the winter and do it all naturally. Season with salt pepper and garlic salt. Hang it in the smoke house give it a good smoke and depending on the weather it is done in 3 days. Vac bag it and put it in the freezer.

[Hunteraudit]

i slice using my favorite slicing knife when it’s half frozen still. Then I marinade in Stubbs mesquite liquid smoke and some reo’s jerky seasoning for 24 hours in the fridge. Then on the dehydrator til it’s done. I’ve owned several different dehydrators. Just get one that is big enough. The kind that have fans in them seem to work better and don’t have to rotate the trays as much.