How To Cook Jerky with MeatEater

Join Steve as he cooks some jerky on MeatEater.

Jerky Recipe Ingredients: 4-20 pounds of whole muscle venison Weston jerky seasoning mix

Specialty Equipment: Dehydrator

Methods: Before slicing the meat, place it in the freezer for a couple of hours. You want it icy and firm, but not so frozen that a knife can't easily pass through. This helps you get perfect slices and saves you a lot of aggravation. Slice the meat across the grain in slices that are 3/8-inch thick. The Weston Jerky Board does a great job keeping the slices uniform. If the meat starts to thaw, pop it back into the freezer. Mix 1 tablespoon of seasoning with 1 tablespoon of water for every pound of meat. Combine seasonings with meat and mix thoroughly. Set meat on dehydrator racks immediately or let it marinate overnight to let the flavor sink in. Lay the meat out on the dehydrator trays, leaving space between the slices. Set the dehydrator to 145°F. Depending on the idiosyncrasies of your climate and dehydrator, it will probably take between 2 to 4 hours to finish the job. Start checking the meat at 2 hours and remove pieces as they finish. They should be firm throughout, with no sponginess. They will not break when you bend them. Rather, the fold will reveal a network of thin white lines. You can find all the special equipment used for this recipe at Weston.