Lime Elk Jerky Recipe

5 lb Elk sliced thinly
1 C Soy sauce
½ C Lime juice
½ C Vinegar (rice wine vinegar is great)
2 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Preparing the jerky: Trim as much fat from the meat as possible. Freeze elk until firm but not hard; then cut into 1/8-1/4 inch-thick slices. In a medium-size glass, stoneware, plastic or stainless steel bowl, combine all ingredients except elk and mix thoroughly. Add elk and mix until all surfaces are thoroughly coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 18-24 hours, stirring every few hours, recovering tightly after stirring.

Drying the jerky: Remove the elk from bowl, shaking off any excess liquid. Arrange meat strips close together, but not overlapping, on racks. Dehydrator or oven drying: Arrange trays according to manufacturer’s directions (if using a dehydrator) and dry at 150-degrees until a piece of jerky snaps, when bent (6-8 hours; let jerky cool for 5 minutes before testing). Let elk jerky cool completely on racks; remove from racks and store in an airtight, insect proof containers in a cool, dry place; or freeze or refrigerate however keep in mind that cold jerky will collect moisture from the air when taken out of cold storage.

Storage time: Up to 3 weeks at room temperature; up to 4 months in refrigerator, up to 8 months in freezer.