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Here are some good books about making jerky and wild game at home.

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The Guidelines for safe smoked or dried meats

Meat stored in a freezer at 0 degrees will always be safe

Freezing meat keeps bacteria in a dormant stage Once thawed these bacteria can become active again

Never thaw meat on the kitchen counter for more than two hours

Never defrost meat in hot water

Always thaw meat in the refrigerator for safest practices

Meat can be thawed in cold water however, water must be changed every thirty minutes and package must be leak-proof.

Meat thawed in cold water must be cooked before re-freezing.

Meat thawed in microwave should be cooked immediately after thawing.

When marinating meat be sure to do so in the fridge and never re-use the marinade

Washing your hands is probably one of the most vitally important things you can do when working with meat. It takes 15 seconds and some soap and water but it does a world of good and ensures that you do not infect other areas of your kitchen or work area with something that could make someone very sick.

These are just some meat safety tips that will make you a better cook and you can be sure that your family and guests may get sick from overeating your delicious barbecue but never from a food borne illness.

We have added a new category to our web store ! Hunting and outdoors.

Browse the category very slow because we have added hundreds of items and there are some great prices on a lot of these items.

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Here is a great Cut Chart that I received from someone I am following on Twitter. KyFarmersMatter

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All of our recipes are free and if possible in pdf format for your convenience.

In these pages you will find information about venison, venison jerky, dehydrating venison jerky, smoking venison jerky and all the products you need to do it like a pro at our Cookware Store

Here is an article that might interest you. Its about the cost of Buying and Making Jerky

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Don't buy Jerky at the Store

Why in the world would you buy commercial made or so called home made jerky at a store when you can make it your self for 1/4 the cost?

Number one reason to make your own jerky is safety! You know exactly what's in it. I know , you feel safe and protected because USDA regulates and sets safety guidelines for food processing plants and company's to protect the public.

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Here is a file about Smoking Meat and Poultry

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The Description of Jerky

Possibly the oldest method of preserving food, jerky is the meat of animals that has been prepared for long term storage by driving almost all of th moisture from it.

Due to this method of preservation, the normal processes that would render meat inedible (bacterial growth, fungal contamination, and auto lytic enzymatic reactions) are held at bay, serving to keep the food safe for consumption for an extended period of time.

The drying techniques can be applied to almost anything, including meat (even fish), fruit, and some have even applied them to vegetable matter to create 'vegetable jerky' .

While earlier cultures simply hung meat out to dry for storage, today we are able to apply many kinds of cures or flavorings to the meat before preservation, creating a range of jerky with different flavors and textures.

There are also many variations on the theme and foods such as sausages and smoked meats were influenced by the techniques developed in the evolution of jerky production.

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Where did jerky come from?

The History of Jerky

Drying meat and fruit is one of the oldest methods of preservation known to humankind. What was probably an accidental discovery allowed humans to both store food for long periods of time, as well as having an easily carried nutritionally dense source of nutrition to take with them on journeys. Jerky is both flavorful and compact and almost any meat (and many other foods) can be made into jerky.

The Beginning:

No one knows the true origins of dried meat (jerky) however it is assumed that early humans found that dried meat lasted a great deal longer than fresh meat, and was not subject to the decay and insect infestation that plagued the storage of fresh meat.

While the dawn of jerky is mysterious we have evidence that it was being produced en masse thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt and notably in the mid part of the last millennia. The word 'jerky' comes from the Native (South) American Quechua term "ch'arki" (which means "dried meat"), and was well received in Europe by the Spanish in the 1500's when it was introduced during the early conquest of the Americas.

Pemmican, a food made of dried meat, berries, and fat, is a variation of jerky made by Native (North) Americans as well, and was also greatly valued by explorers of the New World. Jerky's popularity was rekindled during the expansion into North America where it was prized as a valuable source of nutrition by traders and explorers as they traveled areas without ready access to fresh supplies. Its light weight and longevity made it a superior food source as the world was tamed and settled.

Today:

Jerky making is now done in carefully controlled environments with strict attention to the process due to modern sanitary requirements. Jerky is both mass produced and crafted by artisans who create jerky products that exploit the creative process.

It is no longer hanging a slab of meat on a line. High quality jerky products are readily available to consumers, as well as the simple ingredients required to make jerky at home. Making jerky is a surprisingly simple process, however more sophisticated procedures will produce more dramatic results, as well as highlighting the inherent complexities of the source meat, the flavorings (the marinade), and the curing process.

Drying

Oven-drying:

Conventionally, ovens ware the best for drying all types of jerky at home (and even commercially). However it is important that you maintain the proper heat level at all times. Many ovens actually cycle heat up and down to average the temperature setting on the dial. If you have an oven that has a steady temperature, use it. If not, it won't ruin your jerky, but just keep an eye on it. Do not put too much in the oven at once, which can restrict proper air flow. In general, optimum drying temperature is 140 to 160 degrees F.

Sun-drying:

The way of the ancients. While sun-drying has been around for a long time, it is not a good methodology for jerky today, except for lean beef, young lamb, or venison. Fish should also not be sun-dried unless it is heavily salted, although without proper experience, this can still be a risky venture. Never sun-dry any kind of poultry.

To successfully sun-dry meats, you should live in an arid, hot, sunny and windy area, optimal conditions that are not easy to find. The potential for food poisoning is not worth risking using this method unless you are an experienced jerky maker and truly understand what is required. Basically, don't try this at home, kids.

Microwave:

This is not recommended. While there are recipes out there for microwaved jerky, it generally won't come out thee way you want it to. Microwaves do not create a dry, convective environment so don't expect jerky from this method.

Dehydrating:

Dehydrators often have multiple layers of stacking trays. They can operate at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, but remember that the lower trays will get more exposure to heat than the top ones. Therefore, you may need to keep an eye on your jerky and rotate the trays from top to bottom periodically, at hourly or half-hourly intervals, depending on what you are making into jerky.

Towards the end, you may may want to reduce the heat to prevent over-drying, depending on the dehydrator.The meat should be arranged a single layer deep on each tray without any pieces overlapping or touching.

Smoking

Smoking: Smoking is a form of drying that offers additional flavor to the final product without the extreme dehydration that is found in some jerky. Whilea smoker can create a softer, more pliant jerky if that is your goal, the true benefit of smoking meat is the depth of flavor one can achieve as one varies the environment.

Drier environments can also be achieved using a smoker, so they can offer great flexibility in terms of the final product. If you decide to use a smoker do not use any soft woods such as pine, fir or conifer due to the potentially dangerous compounds present in these types of wood. Alder chips or apple wood are excellent choices for wild game as the flavors compliment each other nicely.

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Here is a website that might be of interest to you. Its all about Smoking Meat - The ultimate smoking meat "how-to" website with tips and tutorials on smoking ribs, chicken, brisket, pork shoulder, turkey and more. Also sign up for our free monthly smoking meat newsletter.

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Here is a website that carries all of the equipment you might need to get the job done Meat Processing & Sausage Making
Processing your own meat and game or making sausage with the right equipment is a lot easier and more fun than you thought.