Alright, let me tell you how I got this batch of barbecue deer jerky done. It’s not rocket science, but there are a few things I’ve learned along the way, mostly by messing stuff up first, you know how it is.
Getting Started and Slicing The Meat
First off, I had a nice piece of venison roast, probably a couple of pounds. My buddy gave it to me from his last hunt. Good guy. The first thing I always do, and this is a pain but you gotta do it, is trim off every last bit of fat and that silvery connective tissue. Seriously, every speck. If you leave fat on, it goes rancid fast, and your jerky tastes like old boots. Nobody wants that. I spent a good hour with a sharp knife, just meticulously trimming. It’s tedious, I won’t lie.
Once it was all cleaned up, I popped it in the freezer for about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. You want it firm, but not frozen solid. This makes slicing it thin a whole lot easier. I aim for slices about an eighth to a quarter of an inch thick. Some folks like it paper thin, some thicker. I go for something in between. And I always, always slice against the grain. Makes it easier to chew. If you go with the grain, you end up with jerky that’s like trying to bite through a leather belt.
The Marinade – Keeping it Simple BBQ
Now for the good part, the barbecue marinade. I don’t get too fancy with this. I’ve seen recipes with a million ingredients, and honestly, who has time for that? Here’s what I threw in a big bowl:
- Soy sauce: Maybe a cup. The salty base.
- Worcestershire sauce: A good few glugs, maybe half a cup. Adds that savory depth.
- Brown sugar: Probably half a cup too. For the sweetness in the BBQ.
- Smoked paprika: A couple of tablespoons. Essential for that smoky flavor.
- Garlic powder: A tablespoon.
- Onion powder: A tablespoon.
- Black pepper: A good healthy dose.
- A bit of liquid smoke: Just a teaspoon or two. Don’t overdo this stuff.
- Some ketchup: Maybe a quarter cup, for that classic BBQ tang.
I whisked all that together until the sugar was dissolved. Then I tossed in all my venison slices, made sure every piece was coated real good. Covered the bowl with plastic wrap and stuck it in the fridge. I let it marinate for a full 24 hours. Some people say 12 hours is enough, but I like to give it a good long soak. Turns out way better, I think.
You know, it’s funny. I started making my own jerky because the stuff you buy in stores is, first off, crazy expensive. Like, highway robbery for a tiny bag. And second, you read the ingredients and it’s full of stuff I can’t even pronounce. Nitrates, nitrites, who knows what else. My kids love jerky, but I wasn’t keen on them eating that all the time. So, I figured, how hard can it be? Turns out, it’s mostly just patience. Like a lot of things in life, I guess. My first few batches were… well, let’s just say the dog enjoyed them more than we did. Too tough, too salty, once even a bit moldy because I didn’t dry it enough. Live and learn, right?
Drying it Out – The Dehydrator Method
After the marinating, I took out each piece, letting the excess marinade drip off. You don’t want them soaking wet. I laid them out in single layers on my dehydrator trays. Make sure they’re not overlapping, or they won’t dry evenly.
I set my dehydrator to about 160°F (that’s around 70°C). The time always varies, depends on how thick your slices are and how humid it is. This batch took about 6 hours. I started checking it around the 4-hour mark. You want it to be dry and tough, but still pliable enough to bend without snapping. If it snaps, it’s overdone and too brittle. If it’s still really soft and squishy, it needs more time.
The Final Product
Once it was done, I let it cool completely on the trays before I put it into airtight containers. This stuff disappears fast in my house. The barbecue flavor was spot on this time – smoky, a little sweet, a little tangy. Way better than anything I could buy, and I know exactly what went into it.
So yeah, that’s how I make my barbecue deer jerky. It’s a bit of a process, takes a good chunk of a weekend day if you count the marinating, but it’s totally worth it. Plus, there’s something satisfying about making your own snacks, especially when it’s something as good as this.
