Ground Venison Jerky

[brentman0110]

Hey folks, got a comment and then a question. My first Jerky making session flopped. Since my little Black R2D2 Electric brinkman does not have a temp control, I had a terrible time with my last jerky. Usually, I slice it and then dehydrate for 8 hrs or so @ 130-140. Well, I tried to sling it on the old Brink and basically it sucked. Again, I have no temp control so I smoked it at what was prolly 225F for about 2 hrs and it pretty much tasted like well done steak, but had a great smoky flavor! Now I know what I can do with my old shoes. Anyway, I am eventually going to try some jerky again when I get a GOSM or similar where I can control the temp down to 120F. My question is this, I would like to try to gring up some venison and make jerky sticks, but since it is very lean, what type of fat would I add?

 

[brentman0110]

Sounds good. I had planned on using a gun and then sticking it in the smoker at 120 or so to get the hick smoke a flowing then finishing through my dehydrator. I think the trick is to, as you say, add pork. I marinated a ground a deer roast in Allegro last year, then ground it very fine and then began to put it through the shooter and it came out like bread crumbs. No tack at all. I figured it was because of the extreme lean nature. So, I assumed I should have added fat.

 

[bassman]

Adding some ice water to your mix will help it stick together. When I make jerky, I too use my Gardenmaster dehydrator and the jerky cannon. By adding fat to jerky mix the jerky could become rancid much more quickly than if you just used lean meat.

Keith

 

[walking dude]

Check out MossyMo's version

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...=venison+bacon

 

[mulepackin]

I use the method in Rytek Kutas" book. Grind and add seasonings/cure with ice water so the meat has a consistency like you would want for stuffing, usually this is about a quart per 25#. Then pack into a plastic lined pan. Allow to slightly freeze up over night then slice with my slicer. I feel the meat in the jerky shooter is not packed well enough and the sticks seem to flake apart easier if overdried some. I have used dehydrators and my smokers, whichever or both. I use oak wood for smoke, as it imparts some smokiness without overdoing it.

 

[osage]

Bentman, I made some pretty good jerky once with my brinkman. I didn't leave it in very long though. I gave it a heavy mesquite smoke and then moved it to the oven to dry. I don't own a dehydrator but that may change. I much prefer jerky made in a smoker. I think the best option would be to smoke the jerky and them move it to the dehydrator to finish.

 

[walking dude]

thats how i do it osage.........

 

[brentman0110]

I think my next try at jerky will be when I get my GOSM big block. That way I can control the temp since I believ that 250F id too hot for doing jerky anyway. If not, then I will try it the osage way. Course, at 250F it wont take long to give it a heavy smoke...

 

[sporty]

Here's my recipe for shooter jerky. The added liquids help keep it together when shooting. I have dropped the liquid smoke and put in the smoker. The best results I had were smoking for a short period of time with mesquite the finishing in the dehydrator.

I went Alton Brown on a batch a few weeks ago and did half with the liquid smoke and straight dehydrator and the other half no liquid smoke on the smoker and finish in the dehydrator. The latter was the better IMO.

http://www.sportysworld.com/BeefJerky.html


I recently got some venison with pork fat mixed in and did a batch of jerky - never again!! The jerky was horrible. I can't say if it was the mixture or the venison - but straight venison has produced some good jerky.

P.S The smoke I did get on the jerky the first time in the smoker was in an electric ECB that I couldn't keep over 140.

 

[osage]

With my "new" smoker, I can control the temp so I'll probably just finish it in the smoker - just cause it's less work. I got some deer butt just waiting so maybe I have something else to do this weekend.

 

[osage]

Caution: This thread is being Hijacked.

I'm going to make my venison jerky this weekend. I picked up some thin grill covers for extra shelving. Hopefully, I can build the racks in a way that forces the air flow through them instead of around. I still haven't given up on finding some type of fan that will circulate the air inside the smoker.

I'm thinking of running at 160-170 for a couple hours for smoking and then cut it back to about 140 until it's dry enough for me. I don't own a dehydrator. I tend to leave my jerky a little softer for better eating. I'll be freezing most of it anyway.