SMOKING & DEHYDRATING GAME MEAT

Smoking and dehydrating game meat is one of the oldest ways to preserve food.  For thousands of years, people have used wind and solar techniques to dry their meat in order to preserve it.

Nowadays, modern conveniences like charcoal smokers help us use smoking and dehydrating machines for a more controlled cure.

Although dehydrating and smoking wild game meat isn't complicated, there are a few things you need to know.  These tips will help you get started making your own delicious dried meats.

PREPPING YOUR GAME MEAT FOR JERKY

Venison from deer, elk, and moose and other game meats are very lean and ideal for smoking and dehydrating, and perfect for making pemmican as well as jerky.

Meats that are high in fat will go rancid faster due to the fat content. If you use a fatty cut of meat, do your best to trim it off as much as possible. Once you’ve trimmed the fat, cut the meat into slices just over ⅛ of an inch thick, against the grain.

DEHYDRATING YOUR JERKY

A popular technique for smoking and dehydrating game meat is to start it off in a smoker, and then finish the process with a dehydrator.  By doing this, the meat gains a desired smoky flavor before being fully dehydrated.

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