How to Make Venison Jerky

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 References Approved

If you're looking to preserve several pounds of venison, make jerky with it. Unlike commercially made jerky, you can customize the flavor of yours by making your own marinade. Refrigerate strips of the venison in the marinade for up to 1 day for the most intense flavor. When you're ready to make the jerky, pat the strips dry and lay them in a single layer on dehydrator racks or baking sheets. Let the meat dry for several hours over low heat in a dehydrator or oven. Once all the moisture has been removed, you can store the jerky for up to 2 months at room temperature.

Ingredients

Classic Marinade

1½ teaspoon (7 g) pickling salt
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) curing salt
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground coriander
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) onion powder
½ teaspoon (0.5 g) garlic powder
¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) liquid smoke
1½ teaspoons (3 g) ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons (6 g) granulated sugar
¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) cold water

Makes enough marinade for 1 pound (0.45 kg) of venison

Sweet and Spicy Venison Jerky

³⁄₄ cup (180 ml) Worcestershire sauce
¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) teriyaki sauce
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) soy sauce
1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (113 g) honey
1 teaspoon (2 g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2 g) onion powder
2 tablespoons (11 g) crushed red pepper

Makes enough marinade for 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of venison

Teriyaki Venison Jerky

2 cups (470 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 ¹⁄₂ cups (350 ml) teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) liquid smoke
1 cup (240 ml) soy sauce
4 teaspoons (8 g) onion powder
2 teaspoons (4 g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2 g) cayenne powder
4 teaspoons (8 g) black pepper
1 tablespoon (17 g) curing salt
1 1/4 tablespoons (6 g) red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons (50 g) brown sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup

Makes enough marinade for 5 pounds (2.3 kg) of venison

Spicy Venison Jerky

1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon (0.5 g) onion powder
1 teaspoon (0.5 g) granulated garlic
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) curing salt
¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) soy sauce
¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon (12 g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (2 g) paprika
2 teaspoons (4 g) cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons (3 g) red pepper flakes
2 habanero peppers, minced

Makes enough marinade for 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of venison

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Marinating the Venison

1
Whisk together the original jerky marinade. Measure all of your ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk them together until the sugar and spices dissolve in the cold water. Keep the marinade in the bowl or pour it into a sealable plastic bag.^{[1]
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2
Heat the sweet and spicy jerky marinade over medium heat. Place all of the marinade ingredients into a small saucepan. Stir and heat the marinade over medium heat until it starts to bubble gently. Turn off the burner and stir the marinade until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool to room temperature before you marinate the venison in it.^{[2]
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3
Mix together a teriyaki marinade. Measure savory teriyaki into a large mixing bowl and add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and liquid smoke. Stir in the remaining spices until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- If you'd like to marinate the venison in a sealable bag, pour the marinade into a sealable plastic bag that's large enough to hold the meat.
4
Combine a spicy venison marinade. For hot jerky, mince 2 habanero peppers and transfer them to a large bowl. Stir cayenne, red pepper flakes, and paprika into the remaining marinade ingredients until they're combined.^{[3]
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- To marinate the meat in a bag, transfer the marinade into a sealable plastic bag that's large enough to hold the meat.
5
Cut the venison into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm)-thick slices. Take your piece of venison and set it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the meat into evenly sliced strips that are ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm)-thick.
- Remember to slice against the grain so the jerky is easier to chew.
6
Marinate the meat in 1 of the marinades for at least 4 to 5 hours. Place the trimmed venison into the bowl or sealable plastic bag with your marinade. Stir the venison so it's completely coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate the meat for at least 4 to 5 hours or overnight.^{[4]
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- Avoid marinating the meat at room temperature because this will allow harmful bacteria to grow.
- The longer the meat marinates, the more flavorful the jerky will be. You can marinate it for up to 1 day.
7
Lift the venison strips out of the marinade and dry them. Remove the marinating venison from the refrigerator and lift each of the strips out of the marinade. Set them on a plate or cutting board and use a paper towel to pat them dry to remove the excess marinade. Turn the meat over and pat the other sides dry.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Using a Dehydrator

1
Arrange the venison on the dehydrator trays. Lay the meat in a single layer so the strips aren't touching or overlapping. Leave at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between each piece of meat so air can circulate and dry the meat.
2
Turn the dehydrator on to 150 °F (66 °C). Put the dehydrator tray with the venison in the dehydrator and close the door. Ensure that you're using a dehydrator with a temperature control instead of preset settings.^{[6]
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3
Dehydrate the venison for 4 to 8 hours. Begin checking the jerky at 4 hours to see if it's dry and chewy. The jerky is finished once it bends and you don't feel any wet spots. Avoid dehydrating the venison too long or it will become brittle.^{[7]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Using an Oven or Smoker

1
Arrange the venison on baking sheets. Lay the strips of venison in a single layer on baking sheets. If your oven racks are clean, you can even lay the strips directly on the racks. Leave at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between each piece of meat so air can circulate easily.
2
Heat the oven or smoker to 150 °F (66 °C) and put the meat in. If you're using an oven, set the sheet of venison in the center rack. If you're using the smoker, place the meat as far away from the heat source as you can.
- Keep in mind that while you can put more than 1 sheet of meat in the oven, you'll need to rotate them as they dehydrate so they dry evenly.
3
Dry the venison for 4 hours and flip it. Use tongs to turn each piece of meat over. This will ensure that the meat dries evenly. If you're using the smoker, check the jerky to see if it's completely dry and finished.
- If you laid the venison directly on the oven racks, you don't need to flip them over.
4
Cook the jerky for another 4 hours, if you're using the oven. Feel the meat to see if there are any wet spots. The jerky should become dry and bendable.
- Avoid overcooking the venison or the pieces will break in half.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Conditioning and Storing the Jerky

1
Store and shake the jerky for 2 to 4 days at room temperature to condition it. Put the cooled jerky into a glass or storage container. The container should be 2/3 full of jerky. Seal the container shut and shake it once a day for 2 to 4 days.^{[8]
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- Shaking the container will help the dry pieces absorb any moisture that may be in the other pieces.
2
Transfer the jerky to storage containers. Place your conditioned jerky in an airtight container that's about the same size as the jerky you want to store. Avoid using a storage container that's too large or too much air will become trapped in the container. This can make the jerky spoil faster. Keep the jars of jerky in a cool, dry location.^{[9]
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- For short-term storage, you can put the jerky in small plastic baggies.
- Vacuum-sealing is a great way to remove air from the storage container.
3
Store the venison jerky at room temperature for 1 to 2 months. Homemade venison jerky can be safely stored and used for 1 to 2 months. If you'd like to store it for 3 to 6 months, keep the jerky in the refrigerator.^{[10]
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- You can also freeze venison jerky for up to 1 year.
4
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I do anything if it gets too dry?

Community Answer

You could make a soy marinade and drop it there but you really do need to avoid it getting dry during the cooking process. It's pretty hard to remedy once too dry, although it can be tossed into a stew for long, slow cooking.
Question

Do I cut with the grain or against it?

Community Answer

Cut with the grain. Cutting against the grain is harder, but still doable.
Question

How long do you dry jerky in a dehydrator for?

Community Answer

It depends on the quality of the jerky. Observe the venison and when it turns black or dark brown, it is dried.

Warnings

Always wash your hands when handling raw venison. Ensure that the meat has been properly chilled and never leave it to sit out at room temperature or dry in the sun.^{[11]
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If you find mold on your venison jerky, discard the meat.

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