RCI-MT.003.0089.001
Smoked Venison Jerky
Purchased from the Rosenthal Estate in Montgomery, Alabama in 1989. Notation on card indicates this is a World War II recipe, exact date unknown. My uncle makes this recipe every year after Deer hunting and he gets rave reviews.
Prep15 min
Cook30 min
Total45 min
Servings4
Difficultyintermediate
Ingredients
- lean venison (he uses the shoulder)5 pounds
- 1/3 cup
- ¼ cup
- 2 cups
- 1 cup
- 1 cup
- ½ teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons
- of your favorite hot sauce (he uses tabasco)3 tablespoons
Method
1
Slice the venison shoulder meat against the grain into strips approximately ¼-inch thick, removing any visible connective tissue or silverskin as you work.
2
Combine soy sauce, water, red wine, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a large bowl, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve completely.
3
Add onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce to the marinade and whisk to blend evenly.
4
Submerge the venison strips in the marinade, ensuring all pieces are fully covered; cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
480 minutes
5
Remove the venison strips from the marinade and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
6
Arrange the venison strips on smoker racks in a single layer without overlapping, ensuring good air circulation around each piece.
7
Preheat the smoker to 160-180°F using a mild hardwood smoke source such as hickory or oak.
8
Place the loaded racks in the smoker and maintain steady temperature and smoke throughout the cooking process.
360 minutes
9
Check the jerky after 4-5 hours of smoking; the meat should be dried and slightly flexible but not brittle or overly hard.
10
Remove the jerky from the smoker once it bends slightly but does not break, and no moisture beads appear when pressed.
11
Allow the jerky to cool to room temperature on a clean surface for 30 minutes before storing in an airtight container.