I will be making jerky ( goat and venison ) and wanted to hear of your favorite recipes. Especially ones without nitrates and nitrites and other "yukkies".

-- Vickie Liguori (meadobrk@cfw.com), December 31, 1999

Answers

Hi,Vickie I like making Teriyaki jerky. Sause is 1/2c. Soy Sause, 1/4c.Brn Sugar,1/2c.sherry or white wine, 2 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. garlic powder. Good for Beef, deer meat. Cut your meat in thin strips and put in a gallon jar. Pour sause over meat and wait for 4 to 8 hours. Don't rinse off with water but pepper it real good and put in your smoker. Smoke it till you think its done. About one and half days. "enjoy"

-- Linda Hess (hesscat@cot.net), December 31, 1999.

We raise dairy goats in Texas and have made jerky for some years. We use 2/3rds cup soy sauce to 1/3rd cup liquid smoke. Soak for 5 or 10 minutes depending on taste, and dry. We use a dehydrator and have done goat, pig, beef and just this week emu. Good luck.

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 01, 2000.

I looked up the key words soking meat and found tons of sites with recipes, way to many to list .No need to add nitrates,i've been making it for years and never measures or use the same ingredients. Give the web a try

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), January 05, 2000.

oops thats smoking meat

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), January 05, 2000.

3/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup worchester sauce 1 tbs garlic powder 1 tbs onion powder 1/2 tbs cayenne powder 1 tbls black pepper 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 tbls liquid smoke 1/4 cup wiskey ( opptional) heat all till just about to boil let cool, put in container add meat put in refrigerator for 24 hours. make sure all meat is covered or stir ever so often. also a great marinate for steaks

-- wittey (wittey@aol.com), January 07, 2000.

We've made a very good and easy jerky now using only soy sauce and lemon pepper. Works on beef, deer, chicken and turkey, can't see why it wouldn't work on goat. Lay thin slices on meat in a glass bowl or baking dish, drizzle with soy sauce, and as much lemon-pepper as you wish,( it isn't strong so be liberal) repeat layers, hold overnight in fridge, and dry in a low oven or smokehouse. Nothing to measure, no other preservatives, so store in the refridgerator.

-- Joe Schachte (jrs@westol.com), November 06, 2000.

There are some great tools, including the 'jerky master', that allow you to make jerky very easily. The jerky master, available mail order or at your local stores, allows you to use ground meat for jerky. It is like a cookie press or cake decorator to press out jerky shapes. Many commercial mixes (available for about $6 for 15 pounds of meat) recommend that you freeze or refrigerate your completed product. Smoking may take up to 8 hours, depending on your smoker size, location and weather. Without preservatives, or 'other yuckies', you will have to freeze or refrigerate the product.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 07, 2000.

I is confused! Do you always have to refridgerate or freeze jerky if preservatives such as nitrates are NOT used???

-- Michael Nikora (michaelnikora@hotmail.cm), February 08, 2001.

For Michael and everbody else too! No you do not need to freeze or refrigerate jerky, it must be dry, VERY VERY DRY, thin should be crispy thick should be hard,[if you like it a little bit soft/leathery eat it soon or keep it cold because it is not dry]keep it sealed in jars or bags, if it gets a little bit of mold etc, it is not dry, it can still be eaten wash big pieces with a DAMP clean rag, small pieces can be dropped into boiling water,stir, drain,rinse add to soup. enjoy!

-- Thumper (slrldr@aol.com), February 09, 2001.

3 cup pinapple juice, 3 cup soy sauce, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, .5 cup sherry or wine, .5 cup sugar, 1 large wooden spoon full of fresh honey, 1 dash lemon juice, just a hair of liquid smoke. Heat until almost boiling, stirring vigorously. When no more resistance from the honey is in the solution begin cooling it. Bottle some for later use, EXCELLENT on popcorn(seriously, try it!). Put thinly sliced meat into a short, wide/long container. Pour in solution until the meat is just covered..Add 6 or so Icecubes/lb. Wrap tightly with Plastic wrap or whatever and let sit in fridge for at least 24 hours. Smoke or dehydrate to your prefered texture.

One thing, you are going to get trace amounts of nitrates in the jerky if you use a smoker. I personally prefer the dehydrater.

-- Lurker (Someone@somewhere.com), June 07, 2001.