Homemade venison jerky can be made in the oven or a food dehydrator. Turkey and other meats can also be made into jerky at home using these or a variety of other recipes from allrecipes.com.
Hunters are invited to share their favorite wild game recipes on the Wild Minnesota Recipe Exchange. Go to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website and click on the “share your recipe” tab.
Deer Jerky
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. liquid smoke flavoring
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion salt
1 pound boneless venison roast
Combine soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, ketchup, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion salt in a large releasable plastic bag and set aside.
Slice venison into long strips, 1 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick. Add strips to marinade and seal the bag. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, kneading occasionally to evenly distribute marinade.
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Place a pan or aluminum foil on the oven floor to catch drippings. Remove venison from the marinade and shake off excess. Arrange venison on a wire rack in a single layer and dehydrate in the preheated oven until desired texture is achieved, 6 to 8 hours, or use a food dehydrator to dry the venison by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Beer Marinated Deer Jerky
2 lbs. lean venison, cut into thin strips
12-oz. can or bottle beer
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Remove all fat and gristle from the venison. Mix venison with beer, soy sauce, Worcestershire, salt, garlic, curry powder, black pepper and ginger together in a medium stainless steel bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Remove venison from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.
Place the meat on the racks of a dehydrator so that there is room for the air to flow evenly over all of the pieces. Let dehydrate to desired consistency according to individual appliance instructions, 6 to 8 hours.
Amazing Turkey Jerky
1-1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cube beef bouillon
wooden paint stir sticks
Combine ground turkey, soy sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic powder, pepper, ginger, olive oil, and beef bouillon in a large bowl. Mix well and cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 12 hours.
Tape 2 paint stir sticks 2 inches apart on a flat work surface. Cover with a large piece of plastic wrap. Place a golf ball-sized piece of turkey mixture between the sticks. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Roll the turkey mixture into a thin strip using a rolling pin. Transfer strip to a dehydrator tray. Repeat with remaining turkey mixture. Dehydrate at 160 degrees until thoroughly dried, 5 to 8 hours.
Lorie Skarpness has lived in the Park Rapids area since 1997 and has been writing for the Park Rapids Enterprise since 2017. She enjoys writing features about the people and wildlife who call the north woods home.
