You've got your venison steaks and maybe even some ground venison burger, but now you're looking for a good venison snack. Jerky's the perfect on-the-go venison treat, and handing it out when you're hunting with your buddies will make you popular as ever. Looking for a sure-fire venison jerky recipe? Here's one from the NRA Members' Wild Game Cookbook.
Remember, you can substitute just about any wild game (or store bought, even) meat you've got laying around if you haven't had any luck killing a deer yet this fall.
Venison Meatloaf
The following recipe is taken directly from the NRA Members' Wild Game Cookbook, Second Edition. To buy your very own copy of the cookbook, visit the NRA Program Materials Center.
Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup red wine
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon Tabasco
• ¼ cup salt
• 2 cups water
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 5 pounds venison
Mix these ingredients together and set aside.
Prepare about 5 pounds venison by trimming all fat and waste away. Slice the meat with the grain in slices one fourth thick and one inch wide at most. If meat is semi-frozen, it will be easier to work with. Layer meat in a large, flat, glass dish, covering each layer with marinade before starting the next. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, remove strips from marinade and dry on paper towels for about one hour. If you have an electric smoker, put meat in and smoke it for 12 to 18 hours, depending on how dry you like it, and how large the pieces are.
If you don't have a smoker, set oven on a low heat 150-175 degrees and cook. Store your jerky in a plastic bag or glass jar in the refrigerator. Its shelf life depends on how dry you let it get and how many people you tell about it. Mine lasts a week if I'm careful.
I hope you like this one as much as we do.
Originally Submitted By:
Charles Hofmeister, III
Spencer, OH
