Making Jerky From Wild Game Is Too Easy

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Below all of this, you will find two basic how to methods that you can adjust to your heart's desire for making jerky out of both whole muscle and ground wild game. These are methods I use, and great ways to get you started in your jerky making journey. What you're about to read below is super helpful and let's you know what your options are. It's inspiration. To jump to those how-to's now, click here. But I recommend you read through.

You can make jerky. It's so easy, it's so fun, and there is (almost) no right or wrong way. It's the most customizable and beginner friendly way of preserving your wild game and you do not need any fancy equipment. Also, not trying to be a sales guy here, this is free - I went a bit nuts and did a deep dive on making jerky and oh boy do I have I got a treat for you. Below you will find a couple of jerky making guides that I have created that are just super fun ways to plan out your next kitchen session. Enjoy, let me know what you think and let me know what your favourite methods are.

Alright, so as you can see above, jerky is an incredible thing with endless possibilities and uses. It's a quick snack that you can grab at home, work or on the go - I know it's my go-to when I'm running around with no hands and 100 things to do trying to work, keep up the house and wrangle an infant. It's the perfect, easy to pack snack to curb hunger when you're out in the field or on the lake or it can be presented on a fancy charcuterie board. It's also one of the primary ways many people like to utilize their wild game.

I've used whole muscle, and I have used ground. I prefer whole muscle, my husband prefers ground. I have also used the jerky kits you can buy in your local hunting store, and I have made my own cure and seasoning. Honestly, I love it all. It's also fun to whip out around people that don't hunt because trying goose or venison or wild turkey is often exciting and memorable for them.

I'm going to walk you through the basics, but by basics I mean this is more than enough to allow you to make an informed decision when mapping out your jerky making journey. Of course, to an extent, there is no right or wrong way, but what you're about to read below is what I have learned and tried along the way.

So here we go, let's make jerky.

We have nine(ish) different elements. Have you every read those "Give Yourself Goosebumps" books where you can choose your actions as you read? It's like that. Each batch is built by choosing on option from each element. So here's what your primary elements and options are:

Element 1 - the way you handle your meat

• Whole muscle (sliced)
• Ground meat (hand-formed)
• Ground meat (jerky gun)
• Thick-cut slabs (biltong-style)
• Pounded or traditional strips

ELEMENT 2 - WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL ARE WE WORKING WITH?

• Venison, Canada Goose, Snow Goose
• Elk / Moose / Caribou
• Bear (*see notes below)
• Wild boar
• Wild Turkey and Poultry
• Fish
• Pork
• Beef
• Something totally different

element 3 - what kind of fat are we working with?

• Ultra-lean (long shelf life)
• Lean + pork fat
• Lean + beef fat
• No added fat
• Added fat (short shelf life)

ELEMENT 4 - HOW ARE WE MAKING IT TASTE GOOD?

• Marinade
• Dry rub
• Salt-first cure
• Cure + marinade
• Dry rub + post-dry seasoning
• Jerky making kit

ELEMENT 5 — CURING & PRESERVATION

• No cure (refrigerated)
• Salt-only
• Prague Powder #1
• Vinegar/acid based
• Fermented (advanced)
• Whatever comes in your jerky making kit

ELEMENT 6 — IMPORTANT - THE DRYING METHOD

• Dehydrator
• Oven
• Smoker
• Pellet smoker
• Air fryer (low temp)
• Air-dried / biltong box
• Cold-smoked then dried

element 7 - make them safe

• Pre-heated
• Steam-treated
• Oven kill step
• Smoker kill step
• Cure-only (traditional styles)

element 8 — what do we want as a FINAL TEXTURE?

• Soft & pliable
• Chewy
• Tough trail jerky
• Brittle/dry
• Meat-stick style

element 9 - how you store it matters!

• Same-day eating
• Pantry (short-term)
• Refrigerated
• Frozen
• Backpacking
• Long-term storage

Making jerky doesn’t have to be rocket appliances. Jerky is simply just lean meat that’s seasoned and dried so it lasts longer and tastes great. Once you understand the basic steps, you can make jerky with almost any meat and almost any setup.

Step 1: your meat and how you're forming it

Jerky works best with lean cuts. Fat doesn’t dry well and can shorten shelf life significantly - especially with wild game. Trust me, I have made this mistake and quickly ruined a couple of pounds of meat by adding too much fat.

Do you want to keep it as whole muscle? (I love this method). Slice your meat about ¼ inch thick. For tender jerky, slice against the grain. For a classic chewy texture, slice with the grain. Be warned, slicing with the grain will make super chewy jerky. I like it - not everyone does. This is a great way

Do you want something more tender? Grind the meat up, add a binding and curing agent along with your seasoning and allow it to sit in the fridge for six to twenty four hours. After this you can either roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper 1/4 inch thick OR use a jerky gun to lay out strips or sticks of jerky. I have a video below with more details - kind of. I was wrangling a four month old while filming so it's kind of just super chaotic. Sorry.

Step 2: how do you want it to taste?

There are two basic ways to add flavour. Are these the only ways? No. They're the ways I use and am most familiar with.

1 - You can do a marinade. Soak sliced meat in a liquid seasoning to produce softer, more flavourful jerky. This is the method I started with and used for the longest time.

2 - Slowly becoming my favourite method - a dry rub. You season the meat with salt and spices only to form a more traditional and firmer texture. This is a pretty simple method also.

Both methods work. Pick the one that fits your taste.

Step 3: Decide on YOUR Preservation METHOD

Not all jerky is meant to last for months - and trust me, it won't if you don't make it a specific way. So, what are we doing? Eating it within a week? No curing salt required, and you can add more fat if you want. Want it to last longer? Use salt or curing salt and be sure to use as lean of meat as possible. Making jerky for trips or long storage? Cure and dry thoroughly and avoid fats,

I started with some pretty basic slice, marinate, dehydrate, refrigerate.

Step 4: Dry the Jerky

Use what you have. You don't need any fancy or expensive equipment. A big part of hunting and making your own jerky is the self sufficiency aspect of it all while saving money.

• If you have a dehydrator. This here is the one I have used for years and years for everything from fruits to meats and from herbs to candy. This is the most consistent and beginner-friendly method. This is still one of my favourite methods - and I have a smoker.

• Another method that virtually anyone can use is an oven. You need to set your oven to the lowest temperature and prop the door open (if you can) to allow moisture to escape. I cannot prop my oven door open while it's running - so I just open it periodically through cooking to allow moisture to escape.

• Last but not least, another top notch method and favourite for many... the smoker. This adds so much flavour and depth while drying.

For the most part, no matter what method you're using, you're going to want to dry the meat until the jerky bends and cracks gently but doesn’t snap completely and crumble. It should feel dry, not soft or wet. If it's actually dry and there's a bit of moisture, remove it with a paper towel as soon as you can.

Step 5: Cool and Store your jerky - make it last

Let jerky cool completely before storing. You don't want condensation and moisture building up - no matter how you're storing it.

Storage options are pretty generous. You can use zip-top bags for short-term storage, good ol' mason jars, one of my favourites - the vacuum-sealer bags, and of course another method I'll always use when not immediately eating my jerky - the freezer for long-term storage.

If moisture appears in the container after a day, dry the jerky longer. I know it's a pain, but it's worth it.

I do hope this helps. I hate reading long, drawn out tutorials with a bunch of unnecessary fluff, but I also find a lack of information uselss, so if this isn't the happy medium I hope it is - please let me know. I want this to help you understand the basics so you can adjust the meat, the seasoning, the drying method and the storage time you need.

Start simple. Learn what you like. Then experiment.

Below are two clear instructions for making both sliced and ground jerky.

Jerky from Sliced Whole Meat

Best cuts are cugs like eye of round, top round, sirloin, venison hindquarter, goose breast - but really - almost anything will work.

1. Prep you meat:

Trim all visible fat (fat causes spoilage - trust me)
Partially freeze the meat for 30–60 min to make it much easier to slice
Slice your meat to a ¼" thick against the grain (for a more tender bite) or with the grain (for a chewier bite)

2. Marinate that meat:

Use a jerky marinade or dry cure. Either one will work great. Just make sure your meat is fully coated or saturated and placed in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

Refrigerate this for 6–24 hours. Make sure you stir, flip or shake up the meat at least once partway through this refrigeration process so you can ensure all of the pieces are going to be evenly marinated.

3. Dry it out!

Lay strips in a single layer on parchment paper or an oiled/greased wire rack.

There are a few different ways you can dry the jerky:

• Dehydrator: 155–165°F for 4–8 hours
• Smoker: 160-180 for 4-6 hours
• Oven: Lowest setting, door cracked, rotate trays

Ideally, your jerky is done when: Jerky bends and cracks but doesn’t snap; no moisture squeezes out

Jerky from Ground Meat (Jerky Gun)

You want to use a pretty lean ground meat (90–95%). You can add up to 10% fatty pork for flavour if you're using very lean wild game.

1. Prep that meat:

Grind your meat. Mix your cure and seasoning thoroughly into the cold meat

Refrigerate for 4-24 hours for binding agents and seasoning to do their thing.

2. Forming it into jerky:

Load up your jerky gun and form your strips directly onto your prepared tray OR take two pieces of parchment paper and roll out your ground meat to 1/4'' thick. You may want to stick the rolled out version into the freezer for 30-60 minutes if you will be transferring to a rack - it make them easier to handle.

Leave space between strips! You want them to be able to dry evenly.

3. Dry that meat.

• Dehydrator: 160–165°F for 4–6 hours
• Smoker: 160–170°F (71–77°C) for 2–4 hours
• Oven: 170°F (lowest setting) for 3–5 hours

Done when: Firm, dry, and bends without breaking