Any way to make jerky from deer steaks without a dryer?
03-26-2009, 06:24 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ohio and Indiana
Posts: 2,088
RE: Any way to make jerky from deer steaks without a dryer?
Yes, in an oven.You can put them directly on the oven rack or on a pizza pan (with holes in it), on low heat around 200 degrees give or take. It is very important to leave the oven door cracked about an inch or a little more. It will take around three hours but on some ovens this can be longer, or shorter. Keep an eye on it. I now have a dehydrator, but this is the way my brother an I used to do it, and it works well.
Good luck to you
Good luck to you
03-26-2009, 10:24 AM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,425
RE: Any way to make jerky from deer steaks without a dryer?
Since jerky was being made at least 500 years ago, I would think so...
That's where the name buccaneer came from...
You could also make over a fire with the jerky hanging on sticks or even slowly dried on a charcoal grill...
That's where the name buccaneer came from...
You could also make over a fire with the jerky hanging on sticks or even slowly dried on a charcoal grill...
03-26-2009, 07:56 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coralville, IA. USA
Posts: 3,802
RE: Any way to make jerky from deer steaks without a dryer?
I've always used the oven method. Here's my proceedure:
Slice the meat in strips and remove all the fat. I like to have the meat "soft" frozen when I slice it. It makes it easier to get nice even slices (important). If you have a meat slicer it works even better. Let thaw the rest of the way in the fridge. Put the strips in 4qt freezer bags with marinade, then marinate for at least 24 hours in the fridge turning the bags every few hours. Then I take the strips and place a wooden toothpick through the end of each strip and hang them from the highest rack of the oven so they dangle freely from the toothpick. This allows you to do larger batches, and it ensures that the warm air circulates evenly around each strip. The meat should not touch any adjacent strips, and it's best to get them as evenly spaced as possible, to promote even drying.
Place a drip pan under the meat on the lowest rack (very important, or you'll turn your whole house into a smoker and could start a fire). Turn the oven on the lowest setting possible and prop open the door with a wooden spoon or other wooden or metal utencil. Don't use plastic, as some plastic cookware will melt or bend even at this heat (don't ask how I know). Depending on how hot the oven is, and how thick the slices of meat are, the drying process will take about 3-6 hours. Make sure you check the meat every hour, because once they start to really get dry, it's easy to overdo it and you'll have rawhide instead of muscle jerky.
One of these days I'll get myself a proper dehydrator or smoker, but this method has always yielded acceptable results if I do my part to keep tabs on the process.
Mike
Slice the meat in strips and remove all the fat. I like to have the meat "soft" frozen when I slice it. It makes it easier to get nice even slices (important). If you have a meat slicer it works even better. Let thaw the rest of the way in the fridge. Put the strips in 4qt freezer bags with marinade, then marinate for at least 24 hours in the fridge turning the bags every few hours. Then I take the strips and place a wooden toothpick through the end of each strip and hang them from the highest rack of the oven so they dangle freely from the toothpick. This allows you to do larger batches, and it ensures that the warm air circulates evenly around each strip. The meat should not touch any adjacent strips, and it's best to get them as evenly spaced as possible, to promote even drying.
Place a drip pan under the meat on the lowest rack (very important, or you'll turn your whole house into a smoker and could start a fire). Turn the oven on the lowest setting possible and prop open the door with a wooden spoon or other wooden or metal utencil. Don't use plastic, as some plastic cookware will melt or bend even at this heat (don't ask how I know). Depending on how hot the oven is, and how thick the slices of meat are, the drying process will take about 3-6 hours. Make sure you check the meat every hour, because once they start to really get dry, it's easy to overdo it and you'll have rawhide instead of muscle jerky.
One of these days I'll get myself a proper dehydrator or smoker, but this method has always yielded acceptable results if I do my part to keep tabs on the process.
Mike
03-26-2009, 08:09 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ohio and Indiana
Posts: 2,088
RE: Any way to make jerky from deer steaks without a dryer?
Stonewall, yes I marinade them and cut them into strips. I usually marinade them overnight, sometimes a little longer. Looks like you got a lot of good info from people
03-27-2009, 04:44 AM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA
Posts: 698
RE: Any way to make jerky from deer steaks without a dryer?
I also use the oven method, and make both sliced and ground jerky. This link has some of the best home made marinates that I have seen. You can also buy jerky spices already mixed that are very good.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3252443