Homemade Venison Jerky

This is an Instructable that will tell you how to make your own jerky including a homemade marinade sauce. You can also use the recipe for beef jerky as well, there is only one different mini-step, which I will explain further down.

Step 1: Gotta Get Some Venison

I'm a hunter and this is from a deer that I shot. You can buy some or if you have friends that hunt, you could always ask them for some (if they are willing to share :p).

Step 2: Make the Marinade

There's many different marinades you can make yourself. Typically I make the marinade in a pan, then put the meat in it. The 2 recipes that I have found very successful are these two (each marinade is for a pound of meat):

The first one is just a salty marinade that adds good flavor.

4 Tbs. bbq sauce (I use sweet baby rays)

4 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

4 Tbs. Ketchup

2 tsp. Salt (I use sea salt)

2 tsp. Garlic Powder

2 tsp. Onion powder

1 tsp. Black pepper

The second one is a Teriyaki marinade. This adds spice, but not too much spice.

4 Tbs Teriyaki

3 Tbs Bbq sauce (again I use sweet baby rays)

2 Tbs Ketchup

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Garlic powder

2 tsp Onion powder

Step 3: Marinade and Prepare the Meat

Once the marinade sauce is made, stick the meat in and let it marinade in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Because I don't put a cure in the marinade, you need to cook the meat after it has marinated. Venison you want to cook to a minimum of 160F internal temperature. Beef you want to cook to an internal temperature of 140F. This makes the meat safe for eating. It should be safe to dehydrate it and once it's done to eat it, but I have not tried it that way.

Step 4: Making the Jerky

Now to make the jerky! I use a dehydrator, and I put the thicker pieces of meat on the bottom and the thinner pieces on top. usually it takes 6 to 12 hours for the meat to fully dehydrate. Make sure you check it periodically as some pieces will not take as long. Squeeze it to see if any juice comes out. You don't want it so it's completely dried out, just a little tender.

Step 5: