Deer Jerky, How to Make Venison Jerky

One of the first recipes many new hunters make has to be jerky. Deer jerky is easy, delicious and a perfect on-the-go snack.

What is jerky?

Jerky is a dried meat that has been made for many hundreds of years, some would say thousands. It can be made with both domestic and wild game species meats. It allowed humans a way to preserve meat for a long time without refrigeration, see this article for more information.

This marinade does not have a ton of added salt so it should be stored under refrigeration.

It is best to let the jerky marinate at least 24 hours to soak up all of the flavor. This teriyaki flavored jerky has become a family favorite over the years.

Which cuts of meat should you use?

The best cuts of the deer are the larger muscles from the rear leg and hind quarter. Top round roasts, bottom round roasts, butts and eye of round all make great jerky and are easiest to cut.

How to slice the meat

Decide which roast you would like to use. Freeze roast for a couple hours until semi frozen. With a very sharp knife (a filet knife works great for this) slice the meat across the grain to very thin strips, about 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick.

If you have a meat slicer, this will make the job incredibly easy.

What you need

• sliced venison
• soy sauce
• brown sugar
• oil
• grated fresh ginger
• minced garlic

How to make it

1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a covered plastic or glass bowl. Add venison. Marinate for 1-2 days, shaking the batch a few times per day to mix the ingredients up again. Don’t leave the meat in the marinade for more than 48 hours.
2. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a rack over the baking sheet.
3. Lay venison on rack, not touching each other.

1. Place in oven on the lowest setting. Mine is 170°F, but some have a lowest temperature of 200°F. Dry for 4-6 hours, until the jerky is done to your liking. If jerky is still flexible when you try to break it, it will be chewy. If the jerky breaks, it will be sufficiently dry and crunchy.

Store the jerky in plastic bags in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.

Pro tips for success

• To make this recipe gluten free, substitute tamari for the traditional soy sauce.
• Don’t skip the marinade time. It will give the jerky move flavor.
• You can literally use this same recipe with a commercial dehydrator. Depending on the heat and quality of your dehydrator, it should dry between 4 and 8 hours.
• Make sure you cut pieces thin. If you have a meat slicer, that is a great tool to use to get uniform pieces.
• You can also ask your local butcher to slice the meat for you.
• Cook the jerky to your liking. Some people like jerky that is chewy and not as dried. Others prefer their jerky to be fully dried out.
• Use this jerky recipe with any protein you like. Most domestic and wild sourced meats works great for jerky.

Some other delicious venison recipes

• Venison stew
• Venison burger
• Deer neck roast
• Venison enchiladas

Tools I Use

• large glass bowls
• non stick cookie sheet
• cooling rack

That is how easy it is to make deer jerky at home! Venison jerky is great way to preserve your harvest. Make some today!

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

Originally published December 8, 2020. Updated October 2, 2021.