Lone Star Jerky

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A.J. Fick

Field Staff Writer at Harvesting Nature

I was born and raised in northeast Pennsylvania, and currently live in the hill country of Texas.I consider myself a western hunter at heart, enjoying glassing vast landscapes and the thrill of the stalk.My motivations as an outdoorsman are rooted in the sustenance and physical aspects.In fact, my largest driving factor for physical fitness is preparing for upcoming hunts and ensuring I’m well prepared to climb mountains and cover ground with a heavy pack.

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Jerky has a long history and remains a popular on-the-go, healthy, nutritious snack that has stood the test of time. I find it fitting to use the National Beer of Texas, Lone Star, in a recipe for a staple of the many early pioneers and cowboys that cut a living on this very land and relied on jerky in times when fresh meat was unavailable. If you don’t have access to Lone Star, Pabst Blue Ribbon works great too.

The result is a tasty jerky that is slightly sweet, has a little heat, all while not completely masking the underlying flavor of the venison. Whomever you decide to share it with will love it.

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Time to Make: 30 Mins Prep / 12 – 18 Hrs Marinade / 6 – 10 Hrs Dehydrate

Special Equipment: Food Dehydrator

Ingredients:
2 lbs Venison Roast
12 oz Lone Star Beer
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/3 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
4 Cloves Fresh Garlic (Pressed)
1 Tbsp A1 Steak Sauce (Optional)
1 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper

Preparation:

1. Start with a frozen venison roast that is not quite fully thawed, which makes slicing easier. You want it firm, but not frozen. Cut it into 1/8” thick slices across the grain. (Cutting with the grain will result in chewier jerky if that’s your desire.) Use a sharp fillet knife or electric carving knife to make quick work of the roast.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients together to make the marinade in a medium mixing bowl with a hand whisk. The sugar will want to settle to the bottom. That’s OK.

3. Transfer the sliced venison to a 1-gallon Ziplock bag and add the marinade. Tip: Just before adding the marinade, give it a quick whisk to stir up the sugar. Seal the bag and place it into another 1-gallon Ziplock bag to help ensure that it doesn’t leak.

4. Make sure the marinade gets on all the meat by massaging the outside of the bag to work it around. Then place it in the refrigerator for 12 – 18 hours. If possible, check on it every few hours and massage the marinade over the meat each time.

5. After 12 – 18 hours, strain everything through a colander to remove the meat and pat it dry before placing it on the food dehydrator.

6. Depending on environmental conditions, the thickness of the meat, capabilities of your dehydrator, etc. the time spent on the dehydrator can vary widely. They key is to check it every so often until it’s finished. You don’t want to it on so long that that it becomes brittle. It’s done when you can bend a piece of jerky and see white fibers appear where the meat pulls apart.