Holtham’s Venison Jerky

by Michael Holtham

Freeze the Venison first. Then allow it to thaw in the ‘fridge for 6 to 8 hours. Before the meat thaws completely, slice it thinly across the grain.

Ingredients

  • You will need 3 pounds of lean venison meat, sliced thin
  • Marinade:
  • 1 thumb of ginger, sliced
  • 1¼ cups dark brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 2 Tbsp. hot sauce (Mike likes Sriracha)
  • 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. smoked sea salt
  • 3 cups cold water
Holtham’s Venison Jerky

Sybil Teles

Mix all wet Ingredients and the sliced ginger in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. When wet ingredients heat up, add all other ingredients, while stirring slowly.

When the salt and brown sugar have completely dissolved, place the marinade in a large bowl and allow it to cool in the refrigerator. When marinade is roughly at 40°c, add all of the sliced venison and cover with plastic wrap. Let it marinate for 24 to 36 hours stirring every 6 to 8 hours. Place the meat on food
dehydrator trays and let dry for 18-24 hours, checking every so often and rotating trays as needed to allow even drying. (You can also use an oven set at 200°F with a hot pad in the oven). You don’t want to dehydrate the meat so much that it gets crispy, so later in the drying process it is important to keep a close eye on the jerky.

When the venison reaches desired texture, remove and enjoy. Store jerky in large plastic bags, in the refrigerator, and in your cold weather jacket pockets.