I know this shouldn't go here but I get the best responses here. I am planning on making some jerkey myself from the deer I got. I have been reading different ways of doing it and the USDA said something about how you have to use "wet heat" or something to get the meat to 160 degrees and then dry it. I was just planning on setting the oven to 170 and putting the meat in for like 6-8 hours with the door cracked a little bit.

How should I go about making the jerkey so it is good and it won't get anyone sick?

Thanks,
-Joe

Never heard of wet heat. Jerky is usually cured with salt petre "peter" not cooked. I've prepared it in the oven and with a dehydrator. Both work equally well. Oven is set on its lowest setting with the door cracked like you stated. I'm not sure about the degrees. I've never made anyone sick.

Find a recipe under the camp cooking thread starter and go with it.

Do a search for Tony's Venison Jerky....Awesome recipe, I just made a batch Sunday (thanks Tony). PM me if you can't find it!

I can get a kit at the local grocery store that has curing ingredients. I have tried and liked the hickory and pepper blend. http://shop.himtnjerky.com/online/ho...ction=0&page=1

Started with 5 lbs of straight venison yesterday at lunchtime, worked the cure and spices in, sat it in the fridge in 2 1-gal freezer bags.

Took it out today, loaded the jerky shooter and laid out 3 racks of "sticks".

Turned the oven on to 135 degrees, used the convection option (more airflow), and left the door open about 1".

Had about 2lbs of fresh jerky by 5:30. Dried it until it got very stiff. The more moisture that you get out of the jerky, the better it'll keep. The cure does the "cooking" - not the oven.

Kids were lining up for the stuff. Gotta love teenage daughters that look like "girly-girls", yet want to help dad gut out and drag the deer home.

I've made it for years in the oven, no one ever got sick that I know of. Be sure to get all the fat trimmed off of the meat, this is the most tedious part, but is easier with venison (than, say, beef) because it's so lean. My wife bought a dehydrater this year, she says using the oven runs the electric bill up. I figure what the hey, we're heating the house anyway...

170 should do the trick, I prefer to make mine from ground deer w/ a jerky shooter. You can pick them up at a wal mart or Dick's, its easier (cheaper too) to just buy the cure/seasoning kits. In fact I'm eating some home made jerky as I type this, Sweet & Spicey... yummm...

Most everyone's oven is a bit different, so to use "YOUR" oven, set it as low as it will go... Mine is 170 degrees and I thaw the steak 1/2 way for cutting ease and slice it @ 1/8". Use a pastry rack and pop the oven open every 1/2 hour to release any residual moisture and it will be done in about 3 hours! This method provides tender and chewy jerky instead of tough "rip apart" jerky. If you prefer the alternative then increase the cooking time for another half hour or so...

Tony's recipe is indeed a good one that you can alter to your liking over time and experiment, sorry Tony...!!!

The LEGENDS recipe..
Tony’s Venison Jerky

2 c Worcestershire sauce
2c cup Soy sauce
½ c Liquid Smoke
1 c Red Hot Sauce
6 TB Honey
3 TB Mustard
6 TB Garlic Salt
2 TB Pepper
4 TB Onion Powder
1 c Brown Sugar
To Add HEAT
2 ½ TB Crushed Red Pepper or
¼ c Tabasco sauce

Mix all marinade ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Pour into plastic container and refrigerate until needed. Measure out 2 cups of mixture for every 3# of meat to be marinated. Pour over meat slices that are already in a quart size zip lock bag. Thoroughly wet all sides of meat. Refrigerate for at least 24+ hours. Rotate bag every few hours, working the marinade over all meat.