Smoky venison jerky

A good supply of lean fallow venison provided the perfect opportunity to experiment with homemade jerky. A simple marinade became the starting point, with different spices and smoking woods trialled along the way. The result is an easy base recipe that can be kept peppery and smoky or given extra heat with cayenne pepper and paprika.

Serves: 6-8 as a snack
Duration: 12-24 hours marinating, plus 3-4 hours smoking

Chef’s note: Lean steak or roast cuts are ideal for jerky. Round and backstrap both work well, and partially freezing the meat makes it much easier to slice evenly. For texture, cut with the grain if you prefer a chewier jerky or across it for something softer. Smoking wood will also influence the final flavour, with ironbark giving a stronger smoke and apple producing a milder result.

Ingredients

• 1kg venison
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dark balsamic infused with rosemary
• Smoking wood of your choice
• Cayenne pepper and paprika, optional.

Method

1. Partly freeze the venison to firm it up, then slice into thin strips about 6mm x 12mm. Cut with the grain for chewier jerky or across the grain for a more tender result.

2. Combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, maple syrup, black pepper, apple cider vinegar and balsamic in a bowl and whisk well.
3. Place the venison in a large zip-lock bag, pour in the marinade and mix thoroughly to coat. Remove as much air as possible, seal and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning or massaging the bag occasionally.

4. Prepare your smoker, Kamado, Weber or similar barbecue for indirect cooking at 70-75C. Add a small amount of your preferred smoking wood.
5. Remove the venison from the marinade and pat away excess liquid with paper towel. For extra heat, lightly dust some strips with cayenne pepper and paprika.
6. Arrange the strips in a single layer on the racks, leaving a little space between each for airflow.
7. Smoke for about three hours, then begin checking for doneness. Remove thinner pieces as they become ready and continue cooking thicker strips as required. Total cooking time will generally be around 3-4 hours.

8. The jerky is ready when a strip bends and cracks rather than snapping cleanly in two, exposing pale fibres inside while retaining a slightly pliable texture.
9. Allow the jerky to cool completely before packaging.