Opening Day (Jerky Recipe)

I woke up to the sound of  gun shots this morning.
Typical Opening Day.
Hunting is a popular sport in our neck of the woods.

Along with  hunting is "No Shave November". To be honest I have never figured that one out, I just know that in November my husband usually has facial hair along with a large part of the male population.

Work places are pretty bare and even  the local schools offer an excused absence for the first day of Deer Hunting Season (gun)

My husband grew up on venison and family hunting trips.

I on the other hand grew up with never eating venison and could never imagine myself actually cooking it.

As with every other  married couple, we have blended some.

We usually end up with some venison in the freezer. With raising  our own beef we usually do not eat much venison and we  end up giving a lot of  it away. BUT, I did discover that I like making jerky and it is something that the girls really like.

Jerky
¾ t. salt
2 T. soy sauce
¼ t. pepper
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 lb. lean meat, thinly sliced (remove all fat and gristle)
1 garlic clove, crushed 
(I have a large dehydrator so I do about 4 batches at a time)





Mix all the ingredients, except the meat.
Place the meat in container (I use an enamel roasting pan)
Pour marinade over the meat.
Marinate 6 - 12 hours in the refrigerator.
With the venison I marinate for 12.
Dry at 145 degrees or more (in dehydrator)
Jerky is dried when the strips are hard but still bendable and contains no pocket of moisture.


This year we did not raise a steer, so the freezer is bare and I am actually looking forward to some venison. With the pressure cooker I think I can manage some recipes that the family will eat!
I would also love to try Summer Sausage.

Happy Safe Hunting!

(original post from Nov. 2012- with a lot of editing)