Small Batch Smoked Homemade Deer Jerky

This is the best small batch smoked homemade deer jerky recipe, and it's easy to make if you have a small deer roast and a smoker.

Homemade Deer Jerky

There’s nothing quite like biting into a soft, chewy slice of jerky you made yourself at home. Not only do you get to control how done you like your jerky, but you also have complete control of the flavor profile. I’m going to walk you through everything thing you need to know, from slicing to storing, to turn out a great deer jerky recipe every time.

Best Part Of Deer For Jerky

I usually butcher a lot of deer each year. With every animal I harvest, I am faced with the dilemma of how to use every cut to bring smiles to the faces of my wife and our 9-year-old daughter when I cook for them. When it comes to making jerky, almost every part of a deer will work, but most folks will use one of the cuts from the hind quarter. This makes sense because the big cuts mean larger pieces of jerky that are easier to work with. I would recommend using the top round, bottom round, or even the eye of round. For this very reason, I usually set aside one of the handful of deer I harvest each year just for jerky and meat sticks.

Small Batch Jerky

If you are a busy parent like me, sometimes you don't want to commit an entire weekend to making homemade deer jerky. This small batch jerky recipe is my answer to when you want to be able to quickly slice up two pounds of meat and toss it in a marinade overnight. Then if it's a weeknight, you can get home from work, smoke the jerky while you hang out with the family, and still get to bed at a decent time.

Smoked Jerky Recipe

The best jerky is both chewy and pliable and should never leave you with a sore jaw after enjoying apiece. For this reason, I prefer to use the smoker instead of a dehydrator. Any wood chips will do, but my wife’s favorite is mesquite, so I used that for this deer jerky recipe. I loaded the venison strips into my Masterbuilt electric smoker and kept it at 180 degrees F for 3 hours until my girls begged me to bring it inside for them to devour. If your family doesn’t eat it all right away, the jerky will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, or in the freezer so you have a snack for your next hunting trip this fall.

How To Make Deer Jerky

1. In a large mixing bowl, make the deer jerky marinade by whisking together the liquid aminos, Worcestershire, onion powder, and black pepper.

2. On a cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut the deer roast against the grain into ¼-inch slices.

3. Add slices of deer roast to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. Preheat smoker to 180 degrees F.

5. Place meat slices on a mesh cooling rack.

6. Smoke the deer jerky for about 3 hours or until meat is dry but still pliable. Start checking on the jerky after 2 hours, then every 20 minutes after that. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple of weeks or freeze for longer storage until ready to eat.

Does Jerky Go Bad?

Let’s answer the question on "does jerky go bad?" We all know jerky is essentially meat’s way of achieving immortality, right? It’s been dried, seasoned, and turned into the snack equivalent of a time capsule. But here’s the deal: just because it’s been transformed into something tougher than its previous life, doesn’t mean it’s invincible.

Can jerky go bad? The short answer: yeah, it can. Think of it like your great-uncle who’s been around forever but now smells a little weird and always sits in the corner by himself. Jerky, if left unattended, can still throw in the towel eventually.

If it's a homemade deer jerky recipe like this one and you store it properly in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, then you're looking at a solid 3 weeks of perfection. For God's sake, don't store it in the middle console of your pickup truck if it's 80 degrees F in Alabama! Although, the glovebox in a vehicle can be the perfect cool, dry place to store a bag of deer jerky if you live here in North Dakota and it's a cool November!

Store-bought stuff usually has preservatives and can last a bit longer, but not forever. Mold, off smells, or sliminess? That’s your jerky waving the white flag. Toss it!

The moral of the story: Eat it before it gets weird! Jerky is a glorious snack, but even snacks have their limits. Enjoy homemade jerky responsibly.

More Great Venison Roast Recipes

If you are looking for more great ideas on how to use that venison roast in your freezer, be sure and check out these family favorite recipes.

Come Deer Hunting in North Dakota

If you are headed our way for North Dakota deer season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.

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