How To Make Beef Jerky From Ground Meat Including Wild Game Food

GROUND BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Preheat the smoker. Preheat your smoker to 160-170 degrees F using your favorite hardwood. Strong woods like hickory or oak will give you a robust smoke flavor, mild woods like apple or maple will be more subtle.
• Make the ground beef mixture. Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and combine with hands to distribute the seasonings evenly through the meat.
• Form the jerky sticks. Fill a jerky cannon and extrude the jerky onto flat racks at your desired length. Be sure the jerky isn't overlapping or touching other pieces. If you don't have a cannon, place the seasoned beef between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the meat to an even 1/8th inch thickness using a rolling pin. Cut the flattened beef into strips using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Remove the top sheet of parchment, place your flat rack on top of the meat, and carefully flip the whole thing over. Remove the remaining sheet of parchment paper and gently separate the jerky strips on the rack.
• Dehydrate the ground beef jerky. Place the jerky topped flat racks on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke for 2.5-3 hours total. The jerky will have shrunk in size, picked up a dark red color, and bend without breaking when it is finished. If you have an instant read thermometer, you can check to make sure the strips have cooked above 165 degrees F.
• Cool, store, and enjoy! Allow your jerky strips to cool completely on the rack before transferring to a zip top bag. This jerky will last for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

GROUND BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Stir salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl; add ground beef and mix well.
• Pass beef mixture through a meat grinder set with the finest blade.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place wire-racks onto baking sheets.
• Place 1/2 ground beef mixture between two sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly roll beef mixture to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap, invert beef mixture onto prepared baking sheet, and remove the bottom layer of plastic wrap. Repeat for remaining beef mixture.
• Bake beef mixture in the preheated oven with the oven door slightly ajar for 2 1/2 hours. Rotate the baking sheet. Bake until jerky is cooked through, another 3 hours. Remove jerky from oven and cut into strips while warm.