Making Deer Jerky 101 – Podcast

Welcome to another episode of The Iowa Sportsman Podcast! Join Dan Johnson on this episode as he interviews Dan Turner about the steps involved in making his favorite deer jerky recipe. Included in the episode is a step by step process from meat preparation to the final product. Dan then gets into the specifics of each step and talks about equipment needed and what you need to know to get started making jerky on your own. Eating deer jerky to Iowans is like drinking water to others, we just have to have it! So if you want a great DIY recipe tune into this episode!

Sweet and Spicy Whole Muscle Jerky:

This recipe is for one pound of lean red meat sliced ¼” thick. I usually make 3-5 pounds at a time and multiply the ingredients accordingly.
•½ cup brown sugar
•1 tablespoon black pepper
•1 tablespoon onion powder
•1 tablespoon garlic salt
•1 tablespoon lemon juice
•1 teaspoon paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)
•2 tablespoons Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce
•½ cup Worcestershire sauce
•½ cup teriyaki sauce
•1/3 cup soy sauce
•½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Add sliced meat, mixing to ensure the brine is touching all meat surfaces. Cover and put in refrigerator for 24 hours, mixing every few hours. After 24 hours drain brine from meat and place on trays, blotting both sides of the meat with paper towels until dry. Smoke for 1 hour at 160 degrees, then transfer to dehydrator for 3-6 hours longer. If you don’t have a smoker then you can skip this step. Remove when dried to your preference and store in zip lock bags.