AnnieDrews
Senior Cook
I saw this thread last night and thought it was a tribute thread to jerky...."Dear Jerky"...
Anyhoo...that does look very good!
Anyhoo...that does look very good!
Deer Jerky.
- Thread starter FrankZ
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Dear Jerky
My husband was an avid hunter and our kids would eat anything. So I learned all different ways so that my kids friends comming over would eat it too.
One way my kids loved dear meat is when I made jerky. I went out and bought a $20.00 food hydrator. I'd cut the meat into long slices, marinate with seasonings, and put in the hydrator. I'm telling you from experience, this $20.00 food hydrator will dry out any kind of food. I've used bananas, raisins, etc. and the kids loved watching the food change. The only work involved is turning the shelf the meat sits on.
The hydrator is white with 4 levels of shelves. The whole machine is about the size of a cuisinart food processor, is made of plastic-completely washable and you'll still be able to find it in cooking stores
, maybe check walmart or Meijers too.
Hope that info. helps, I just hate to see you slaving over a smoker if you don't have too, although, that process is good too!
My husband was an avid hunter and our kids would eat anything. So I learned all different ways so that my kids friends comming over would eat it too.
One way my kids loved dear meat is when I made jerky. I went out and bought a $20.00 food hydrator. I'd cut the meat into long slices, marinate with seasonings, and put in the hydrator. I'm telling you from experience, this $20.00 food hydrator will dry out any kind of food. I've used bananas, raisins, etc. and the kids loved watching the food change. The only work involved is turning the shelf the meat sits on.
The hydrator is white with 4 levels of shelves. The whole machine is about the size of a cuisinart food processor, is made of plastic-completely washable and you'll still be able to find it in cooking stores
, maybe check walmart or Meijers too.Hope that info. helps, I just hate to see you slaving over a smoker if you don't have too, although, that process is good too!
OP
OP
I wouldn't call it slaving over the smoker. It was quite fun, though it did make for a long day. In the second half of the day I started to get a rhythm with the fuel and damper to keep a better, consistent, temperature.
lol, I was going to say the same thing, Frank. Slaving?
Playing with the fire and temps is half the fun... maybe more than half.
I have heard great things about dehydrators though. Of course they won't add that smoky flavor
Playing with the fire and temps is half the fun... maybe more than half.
I have heard great things about dehydrators though. Of course they won't add that smoky flavor
OP
OP
It was a lot of fun, not the kind of fun I I need every day though. I suppose one could use liquid smoke for flavor but there is something satisfying about watching the thin blue come out of the chimney.
lol, I was going to say the same thing, Frank. Slaving?
Playing with the fire and temps is half the fun... maybe more than half.
I have heard great things about dehydrators though. Of course they won't add that smoky flavor
You both just like playing with matches.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
Sounds good, but I'd have a hard time using a venison roast for jerky...my favorite way to make a v.roast is to treat it like a beef roast and toss in some red wine, morrel mushrooms, and onion. I then take the drippings and make a gravy using cream, a bit of flour, grated gjetost (Norwegian goat cheese) and lingonberries or dried cranberries...another tasty way to prepare venison roast, which we cook to medium rare...
Kathleen
Cupcake
You both just like playing with matches.
At least one of them runs with scissors too.
This deer meat was hunted, killed and cleaned by the hunter friend b/c the friend wanted Frank to try making jerky. Venison roasts are great, and your recipe sounds good, but this was a good day for jerky experimentation!
~Kathleen
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
At least one of them runs with scissors too.
This deer meat was hunted, killed and cleaned by the hunter friend b/c the friend wanted Frank to try making jerky. Venison roasts are great, and your recipe sounds good, but this was a good day for jerky experimentation!
~Kathleen
Unfortunately, the only time I get venison is when I go visit my folks. Wild rice, morel mushrooms, and MN walleye are what I eat when I'm there (and bring back--hoping customs won't confiscate them). My DH doesn't hunt and the hunter we let hunt on our property doesn't understand the concept of sharing the meat in exchange for use of the land. We've recruited s/one else to hunt next year in exchange for a 1/4 of the meat.
OP
OP
Yeah, I would say that unless they are paying well for the privilege that a share is nice.
In the end I kept a few strips of the jerky, add to that the test samples and I still have another roast in the freezer. I would have kept more but, truthfully, my friend wanted to send most of it with his son back to college. And the son is a good kid, and I think it was his kill anyways. I don't mind spending the day making jerky so he could have some back at school, I did have a good time.
The goose he gave me he told me to enjoy the whole thing, last year we split it roughly 50/50. And I still have deer ribs too....
OP
OP
Round two of the deer jerky is today. I have some pictures I will post in a bit.
I cut and cured the meat yesterday and it just went into the box.
I cut and cured the meat yesterday and it just went into the box.
OP
OP
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Any changes to what you did last time?
OP
OP
The only real change is I got to start with a large piece of meat and slice it myself instead of trying to rework someone else's slicing. This seems to have resulted in more uniform thickness.
Ok.. I have to say it here too.. the Hattori is sharp.
Ok.. I have to say it here too.. the Hattori is sharp.
OP
OP
It is beautiful!!!
OP
OP
And tasty...
Thanks...
Thanks...
That looks awesome! How many pounds did you start with and end with?
OP
OP
Umm.. about 2 pounds of meat yielded a little less than .75 pounds of jerky.
Snip 13
Master Chef
Being South African I only really know how biltong making works but apart from biltong not being smoked it's similar to jerky. I've made kudu, springbuck, and impala biltong and they tasted great! Sure the jerky wil work fine. It's common in africa to cure deer meat and I prefer it to beef myself. Good luck!
