Deer jerky provides protein in a low-fat, delicious form, and making jerky gives you a great way to use the meat after a successful hunting trip so that it doesn’t spoil. Whether you bought the deer at the store or hunted your own, use this delicious old-school deer recipe to make the most out of the deer meat you acquired.

Venison Jerky VS Beef Jerky

While beef makes delicious jerky, you may want to shake things up with some deer jerky from time to time, and with good reason! Deer has numerous nutritional benefits compared to standard beef jerky. 

Venison only contains about half the amount of fat and calories as beef. It also has more protein, with 26 grams of protein per 3 oz. portion compared to the 23 grams of protein per 3 oz. portion in steak. 

Venison also provides vitamins and nutrients, such as:

  • Iron
  • Niacin
  • Riboflavin
  • Vitamin B1
  • Vitamin B6

However, in most areas, more stores offer beef than venison. Furthermore, some people prefer the taste of beef to venison. 

Are you interested in other low-fat jerky options? Try Two Chicks Jerky turkey jerky!

Jerky Cooking Processes: Dehydrating VS Baking

The two main ways to make jerky are dehydrating and baking. They both produce amazing beef jerky, but both methods have advantages and disadvantages. 

Dehydrating

Dehydrators work best since they were specifically designed to dehydrate meat. They have a fan that evenly dries out all of the meat for consistently perfect results. Finally, they provide a lot of space in a compact device. Dehydrators usually don’t have additional flavors in them, as with an oven, and they don’t require a lot of maintenance. 

Buying a dehydrator can dip into your finances. Also, you need to find a place to store the device when done with it. 

Baking 

Almost every home has an oven, meaning you won’t need to purchase additional equipment and find a place to store it. 

Baking deer won’t dry out the meat as evenly as a dehydrator. You also can’t use the oven for anything else the entire time you plan to dehydrate meat in the oven, which takes hours. 

Related Link: Two Chicks Jerky Dedicated to Quality

Old School Deer Jerky Recipe You Can Take Pride In 

Want to make your own deer jerky? Try this deer jerky recipe for some of the tastiest deer jerky you can sink your teeth into! 

This deer jerky recipe shows you how to cook jerky in both a dehydrator as well as the oven, allowing you to make it the way you prefer most. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. of deer roast (you can also use beef roast, steak, or loin)
  • 2 Tablespoons of liquid smoke
  • ⅓ cup of soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Preferred spices (cayenne pepper, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning)

Equipment:

  • Ziplock bags
  • Dehydrator

Or

  • Air bake pans/cookie sheets

Instructions:

Step One: Cut Meat

Cut the meat against the grain in pieces ⅜” thick with a large, sharp knife.

If you prefer chewy jerky, you will cut the meat a bit thicker. If you prefer crispier jerky, you will cut the meat a bit thinner. 

Step Two: Create Marinate

Now, you will make your marinate. Mix the soy sauce, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, and spice together in a small bowl. 

Adjust the amounts of each ingredient to your preferences and spice to taste. 

Step Three: Marinate Meat

In a large ziplock bag, pour the marinade on the meat and squeeze out all of the air of the bag. 

Step Four: Refrigerate

To allow the marinade to seep into the meat, let the meat sit in the fridge overnight. 

Step Four (A): Dehydrate

The next morning, put the meat into your dehydrator. Set it to 150°F and let it dehydrate for 6 - 8 hours. 

Step Four (B): Bake

Arrange meat on cookie sheets or air bake pans. Place the meat into the oven and set it to 150°F, turning on the air bake setting (if applicable). Let bake for 8 - 12 hours. 

If using air bake pans, place a container at the bottom of the oven to catch drippings. 

Step Five: Store

Once finished cooking, put the jerky into airtight containers. 

The meat can last up to 2 months if stored properly. 

Step Six: Enjoy!

Enjoy the fruits of your labor by enjoying your deer jerky whenever you want a high-protein snack at home or share it with colleagues at work. 

Two Chicks Jerky

Don’t have the time to make your own jerky? Buy the best jerky on the market with Two Chicks Jerky in various meats and flavors. 

Available products include:

  • Classic Beef Jerky 
  • Habanero Beef Jerky
  • Carne Asada Beef Jerky
  • Classic Turkey Jerky
  • Spicy Turkey Jerky

Owned and operated by two women who started by making jerky in their own oven at home, the brand grew larger than they ever expected in no short part thanks to their dedication to their product and their sincere love for jerky. 

Related Link: Two Chicks Jerky Debuts Three New Flavors

Why Buy From Two Chicks Jerky?

These are just some of the reasons that you should buy products from Two Chicks Jerky!

High Quality Products 

All products come from grass-fed and cruelty-free stock with no additives or nitrates. This makes the products as healthy, ethical, and delicious as possible. 

Giving Back 

Two Chicks Jerky proudly donates a portion of their profits from their jerky and merchandise with the Looking Out Foundation. The Looking Out Foundation supports causes, such as the arts, civil rights, environmental causes, community development, and Covid relief.

Owned by two LGBTQ women, Two Chicks Jerky strives to support other women-owned businesses. 

Related Link: Two Chicks Jerky Gets LGBT Certified

Do you want to learn more? Contact Two Chick Jerky with your questions today!