Basic Venison (Deer) Jerky Recipe

2 lb Venison sliced thinly
1/4 c Soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 ts Onion powder
1/4 ts Pepper
1/4 ts Garlic powder
1/4 ts Liquid smoke

Preparing the jerky: Trim as much fat from the meat as possible. Freeze venison until firm but not hard; then cut into 1/8 to 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a medium-size glass, stoneware, plastic or stainless steel bowl, combine all ingredients except venison and mix thoroughly. Add venison and mix until all surfaces are thoroughly coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, stirring occasionally; recover tightly after stirring.

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