10 Beef and Venison Jerky Recipes So Good, Grandaddy Would Be Proud

[dropap]So you have some hunting meat that you want to turn into jerky, but only have one or two beef or venison jerky recipes in your book that enable you to do so. First off, it's the 21st century, and the internet has your back on the whole recipe thing. Secondly, we love jerky and want nothing more than to give you everything you could possibly need to spice up your jerky game, or even mellow it out for the pickiest of eaters in your life.

Maybe you have a handful of recipes, but they're just not doing you as good as they used to out of age, meaning this one recipe has been around for years, you make it all of the time, and you just want something different for a change. Sometimes even the best recipes need to be replaced with something new, and you can always come back to your tried-and-true with a few others to switch it out with during hunting season.

The easiest way to make jerky is to use a cut of meat rather than something like ground venison or ground beef. You can do it with ground meat, however, you'll need to place meat in an extractor to make it into the characteristic jerky shape.

These recipes have enough creativity and variation to spice up the jerky experience of even the most seasoned hunters! You may think you've tried everything, but have you had Kentucky bourbon jerky? What about smoked habanero? There's a recipe for everyone in this list, whether you're going sweet, smoky, tangy, or extra spicy. Make extra and have jerky for months to come that will continue to surprise and delight you. To shake up your jerky recipes, here are 10 delicious recipes.

10 Beef and Venison Jerky Recipes

1. Electric Smoker Jerky

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Charbroil

The benefits of using an electric smoker are that you know exactly what temperature your jerky is cooking at, making it easier for you to tell when it's time to call it a day and indulge.

Marinate and refrigerate the jerky marinade mixture and meat overnight for the best flavor. You can either do this in a plastic bag or a bowl.

To add that smoked, hickory flavor, throw in some wood chips. Get the recipe here from Charbroil.

2. Black Pepper Jerky

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Food and Wine

The combination of cracked peppercorns in both the marinade and topping of this jerky gives it a spice, unlike your typical jerky recipes. Plus it's hard to go wrong with Worcestershire sauce.

You can use ground black pepper, but we really love freshly cracked peppercorns. Get the deer jerky recipe here from Food and Wine.

3. Very Teriyaki Jerky

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Cooking with Janica

This jerky is just like the teriyaki jerky you'd see in your local grocery store, except only better in every single way because you made it fresh yourself. We like a strong dash of garlic powder to amplify the umami taste of the teriyaki sauce.

When you taste test, there's no competition. Get the recipe here from Cooking With Janica.

4. Kentucky Bourbon Beef Jerky

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Jerkyholic

Change things up a bit and use whiskey in your marinade for beef jerky. Heck, there's even a recipe for whiskey-fied venison jerky, too. We recommend trying both because, well, neither will let you down (and we want to know your favorite!)

Wild game never tasted so rich! A dash of brown sugar goes a long way, too. Get the beef recipe here from Jerkyholic.

5. Dehydrator Beef Jerky

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The Square Plate

Now's the perfect time to dust off that food dehydrator you got for Christmas that you haven't quite gotten the usage out of so far.

With this simple recipe, dehydrating meat will be your weekly go-to for creating well-proportioned snacks. Get the homemade beef jerky recipe here from The Square Plate.

6.Sweet and Spicy Venison Jerky

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A Fun Foodie

Though this is a long drying process, it will be more than worth it when your loved ones get a hand of this tangy recipe with a kick. This is a great recipe for introducing newbies to the flavorful taste of deer meat without cooking an entire venison roast.

Get the recipe for homemade venison jerky here from A Fun Foodie.

7. Cracked Black Pepper Jerky

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Ann McCue via Just a Pinch

This garlic concoction of the beloved Worcestershire sauce blended with cracked black pepper is the perfect solution to clearing out your meat fridge and putting that venison to good use.

Get the recipe here from Just a Pinch.

8. Spicy Teriyaki Deer Jerky

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Traeger Grills

The only item on this list of ingredients you might not already have in your kitchen is mirin, but outside of that, you're 15 minutes of preparation away from four sweet, sweet hours of jerky-making goodness.

Venison meat just pairs so well with Asian-inspired flavors. Get the recipe here from Traeger Grills.

9. Chipotle Venison Jerky

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Honest-Food

This is the perfect jerky to pair with a cheese plate or that of crackers and fruit, as you may need something more subdued to wash down the spice of this recipe with. Trust us, it's well worth the heat.

Get the recipe here from Honest-Food.

10. Smoked Habanero Jerky

Few things are more addicting and snackable than jerky with a kick. This one is made with habaneros and red pepper flakes and is smoky, sweet and spicy.

Find the recipes here from Game and Fish.

This post was originally published on October 18, 2018. 

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