Ground Venison Jerky Recipes For Dehydrators

PEMMICAN-STYLE GROUND MEAT JERKY

Steps:

• Grind the venison, bacon and dried cranberries through the fine die of your grinder. If you are using pre-ground venison, chop the dried cranberries well and add them to the ground meat. Put the meat and cranberries in a large bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well with your (very clean) hands until everything comes together and starts to stick to itself.
• If you have a vacuum sealer, seal the mixture and set in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours. If you don't, pack the meat mixture into a lidded container and press some plastic wrap directly onto the surface and let it sit that way.
• The next day, separate the mixture into two or three chunks, depending on how big your jerky gun is. Pack it in and squeeze out lengths of jerky onto your dehydrator trays. Make sure they are separated from each other. Dehydrate at 150°F until the meat is mostly dry, but still chewy. If you don't have a dehydrator, you can smoke-dry it in your smoker, or in an oven set to "warm," with the door slightly ajar. In both of these cases, you want to keep the temperature as close to 150°F as you can.
• This sort of jerky doesn't keep as long as traditional jerky because of the fat content. But it will keep for several weeks in the fridge, and it freezes well.

SWEET AND SPICY VENISON JERKY

Steps:

• Whisk together the sugar, black pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, lemon juice, liquid smoke, paprika, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the venison strips and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Mix the venison a few times as it marinates to ensure even absorption of the marinade.
• Remove the venison strips from the marinade and squeeze off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Arrange the venison on the racks of a food dehydrator so that it does not overlap.
• Dry the venison on High until dry but still pliable, about 4 hours. The jerky should bend without breaking. Store the jerky in an airtight container or in a resealable plastic bag.

VENISON JERKY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine ground venison, salt, MSG, hot sauce, curing mixture, barbeque seasoning, water, liquid smoke, garlic powder, and pepper; mix thoroughly. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Line food dehydrator trays with plastic wrap. Pat meat mixture into a very thin layer on the trays. Place in dehydrator set according to manufacturers directions. Once the meat has firmed up, after about the first 2 hours, remove it from the plastic, cut into strips, and replace onto the racks. Continue until the meat is done drying, about 5 to 10 hours total depending on machine.
• When finished, blot off any grease with a paper towel. Store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight fitting lid.