Smoky Venison Jerky

If you’ve got a freezer full of venison from last hunting season, this is the recipe to put a dent in it. Three pounds of meat sliced paper-thin, shaken with a heavy-handed dose of black pepper, garlic and onion powder, seasoned salt, a splash of cayenne, and a whole bottle of liquid smoke, then left to swim in the marinade for a day or two before drying.

The long marinate is the key. Venison is leaner and more porous than beef, which means it absorbs spice fast but also dries out faster. The 24 to 48 hour soak gives the meat time to take on the smoky, peppery flavor all the way through, and the salt cures the surface so the dehydrator can finish the job without leaving the inside underdone.

The finished jerky is dark, peppery, and chewy in the way only real jerky should be. Wild flavor, smoky finish, no preservatives.

Pro Tips

• Slice the venison super thin while it’s partially frozen. Half-frozen meat slices cleanly; thawed meat tears and slices unevenly.
• Cut against the grain for tender, easier-to-bite jerky, or with the grain for traditional chewy strips. Both work; it’s a texture preference.
• Trim every bit of fat and silver skin before slicing. Fat goes rancid faster than lean meat and shortens the jerky’s shelf life.
• Lay strips in a single layer on dehydrator trays without touching. Pieces that overlap dry unevenly and can stay damp in the middle.
• Test for doneness by bending a strip. It should crack and bend without breaking; fully snap means overdried, easy bend means underdone.

Variations

• Use beef (eye of round, top round, or flank) instead of venison if you can’t get game meat.
• Add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and ¼ cup of soy sauce to the marinade for a more umami-rich flavor.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup for a sweet-and-spicy version that balances the heavy pepper.