the butcher, the baker

    This may be a surprise to some, but jerky doesn't have to be beef, nor does it have to be bland and laborious to chew. I just made my first jerky of the season from some local deer and it is both moist and flavorful. Jerky really is one of the simplest things you can do with some meat, and here I'll share my simple method.

garlic deer jerky

    I said "method" above, and not "recipe," because to try to make a recipe of it would just be over-thinking things. Here's what I do:

1. Slice jerky into long thin strips. How thin? That's up to whoever is making it. Thicker jerky can take much longer to dry but can stay more moist and provide a more rewarding chew, while thinner is much quicker to dry and is easier on the jaw. I generally prefer around 1/8in thick meat.

laid out for salting

bags go in fridge overnight

•  If I have to do it by hand instead of on a slicer precision goes out the window and thicknesses can vary wildly. This makes the drying process harder since different pieces will come out at slightly different times, or the thinner pieces will resemble leather if they are left to dry as long as the thicker ones.
2. Season the meat. Lay the strips out and go to town with the salt. Season it as heavily as you would a steak, and add any other dry seasonings, like five-spice or garlic powder. Bag the meat and let sit overnight.
• Before the bags go in the fridge, any wet seasonings should be added. Molasses or teriyaki or soy sauce, for instance.
3. Lay the meat out. If you have a dehydrator, that would be a great place to do this. If not, you'd still be able to proceed by placing the jerky on a sheetpan in either a very, very low oven or a gas oven with just the pilot lit.
4. Remove and eat.The jerky is done, simply put, when it feels like jerky. This can vary by taste but generally you're okay to let it run overnight if it's not too hot.

pre-drying

    Now some really dehydrated meat strips can last pretty much forever if all the water is removed. What we're going for here, though, is a pleasantly chewable character with some moisture left, and I have no idea how long that can keep because no batch has ever lasted more than a few days in my house. I would guess months, if you have the willpower.

fin