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There’s something satisfying about turning a successful deer season into homemade snacks the entire family can enjoy. Venison jerky is one of my favorite ways to use the meat we harvest, and with five kids in the house, having protein-packed snacks on hand is always a plus.

While I grew up learning to make jerky the old-fashioned way with my grandpa, I’ve come to appreciate the convenience of a food dehydrator. It’s an easy way to prepare several trays at once, experiment with different seasonings, and put more of our wild game to good use.

Making Ground Venison Jerky With a Jerky Gun

While traditional sliced jerky is always a favorite, using ground venison is another great way to turn your harvest into homemade snacks. It’s especially convenient when you have packages of ground venison in the freezer and want something different from burgers or chili.

A jerky gun works much like a caulking gun, pushing seasoned ground meat through interchangeable attachments to create flat jerky strips or round snack sticks. I especially like this method for making smaller, easy-to-eat snacks for my kids.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground venison
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Season the venison. Combine the ground venison and seasonings in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the meat.
2. Chill the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
3. Prepare the jerky gun. Select your preferred attachment. Use the flat tip for traditional jerky strips or the round attachment for snack-style sticks.
4. Load the jerky gun. Form the seasoned ground venison into portions that fit inside the jerky gun’s barrel. Secure the attachment and tighten the lid.
5. Form the strips. Squeeze the jerky gun to create evenly sized strips directly onto your dehydrator trays, leaving a little space between each piece.
6. Dehydrate and heat safely. Follow a tested ground-meat jerky procedure that includes bringing the meat to an internal temperature of 160°F. Use a temperature-controlled dehydrator and verify the internal temperature with a food thermometer. Drying time varies by equipment and strip thickness.
7. Cool and store. Once the jerky is fully dried, allow it to cool completely before packaging. Refrigerate for short-term storage or freeze for longer storage.

Why I Like Using a Jerky Gun

One of the biggest advantages of using a jerky gun is consistency. Each strip comes out a similar thickness, helping the meat dry more evenly. It’s also a practical way to use ground venison without needing to thaw and slice an entire roast. For families who process their own deer, a jerky gun is a handy addition to your wild-game kitchen.

Homemade Sliced Venison Jerky Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus marinating
Marinating Time: 2–4 hours
Dehydrating Time: Approximately 4–6 hours, depending on thickness and equipment
Servings: Approximately 4 ounces of finished jerky

Ingredients

• 1 lb. venison roast, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

1. Prepare the venison. Trim away excess fat and slice the roast into strips approximately ¼ inch thick. I prefer slicing meat while it’s partially frozen because it makes getting thin, even strips much easier.
2. Make the marinade. Combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and seasonings in a bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Marinate the meat. Add the venison strips to the marinade, making sure each piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2–4 hours.
4. Heat the venison. Transfer the strips and marinade to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, checking several strips with a food thermometer to ensure they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Thicker strips may require additional time.
5. Arrange the trays. Drain the meat and arrange the strips in a single layer on your dehydrator trays. Keep the pieces from touching or overlapping.
6. Dehydrate. Set the dehydrator to maintain 130–140°F and dry until the jerky is firm and dry throughout. Begin checking after approximately 4 hours, recognizing that drying time varies with the dehydrator, thickness, and moisture content.
7. Check and cool. Properly dried jerky should bend and crack without breaking completely. Check for any remaining moist spots, then allow the jerky to cool completely before packaging.

Tips for Making Better Venison Jerky

Choose lean cuts. Venison is naturally lean, making it an excellent choice for jerky. Remove any visible fat before slicing to help improve storage quality. Even for the ground you don’t want added fat to the meat. Less fat helps the meat dry faster.

Keep your slices consistent. Evenly sliced meat dries more uniformly. Partially freezing the roast before cutting is one of my favorite tricks.

Experiment with flavors. Add extra red pepper flakes for heat, a little more honey for sweetness, or your favorite jerky seasoning blend.

Store it properly. Once completely cooled, package your jerky in airtight containers. I prefer refrigerating homemade jerky for everyday snacking and freezing larger batches for later use.

My Favorite Tools for Making Homemade Jerky

You don’t need an elaborate setup to make homemade jerky, but a few tools make the process easier.

• Food dehydrator: An adjustable-temperature dehydrator with multiple trays is ideal for preparing larger batches. https://amzn.to/4yypYOB
• Sharp fillet knife: A flexible, sharp blade makes slicing partially frozen venison much easier. https://amzn.to/4zrdRmX
• Digital meat thermometer: Essential for verifying that the meat reaches the proper temperature before drying. https://amzn.to/4rV8fio
• Vacuum sealer: Helpful for packaging larger batches for freezer storage. https://amzn.to/4rV8fio
• Jerky Gun: https://amzn.to/3VEz8LA

From the Field to the Family Table

One of my favorite things is making healthy snacks for my kids. Homemade jerky is practical, versatile, and something my kids genuinely enjoy. Whether we’re packing snacks for a road trip, heading into the woods, or simply looking for something to grab between meals, venison jerky is one more way our harvest continues to provide long after hunting season ends.