How To Make Ground Venison Jerky
Create deer jerky that everyone will love
Venison jerky, like any traditional jerky, can often be chewy and tough. If you've tried deer jerky before and liked it but found the texture too leatherlike, try creating your next batch of jerky with ground venison.
Ground venison can be formed and dried into strips just like traditional jerky meat. The benefits of using ground meat is that you don't have to have your venison specially cut or sliced into jerky pieces. If you aren't a hunter, or don't have a ready source of venison, ground venison is also sometimes easier to find in a food store. Underhill Farms sells one pound packages of ground venison online.
The texture of ground venison jerky is not as tough as strip jerky. My family prefers the jerky we make from gound meat—my son devours it. Here's how I make it.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Ground Venison
- 1 Premeasured Spice/Seasoning Packet of American Harvest Original Jerky Spice
- 1 Premeasured Cure Packet of American Harvest Original Jerky Spice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper, only if you like it hot!
Tools Used
- Jerky Making Kit with flat tip
Lynn recommends the American Harvest Jerky Works Kit - Dehydrator
Lynn recommends any of the American Harvest Food Dehydrators
Mix together your ground venison and the spices in a large bowl. I don't use the extra cayenne pepper because my son prefers jerky that isn't too spicy. Pack your meat into the jerky maker and use it to create your venison strips. The jerky making kit I use comes with a generously sized container that will hold the full pound of meat.
Thinner strips dry faster in the dehydrator; thicker strips can take considerably longer to dehydrate. We usually leave the strips in the dehydrator overnight.
Once the jerky comes out of the dehydrator—while it's still hot—layer it on paper towels. They'll absorb any excess oils.
Storage: Store your venison jerky in a cool, dry place, preferrably the refrigerator. This will help stop the oils in the jerky from going rancid and your jerky will last for months—if it doesn't all get eaten before then!
I hope you enjoy using this recipe to create your own jerky from ground venison. It's our family's favorite way to make deer jerky. -- Lynn
