Jerky time again

The first 15 pounds of jerky are in drying right now and the next batch will go in tomorrow or Friday. While the next batch dries I’ll be stuffing my 25 pound of Chicago Wieners. They’ll hang a day then see some smoke before finishing in hot water.
Somewhere in there I will find time to continue hunting. I have a management tag and certainly wouldn’t be unhappy about duplicating the current endeavor.

Hi Tom,

Would you mind sharing either or both of your recipes? Really curious on the Chicago weiners.

Thanks,
Dave

Hi Dave….

For the ground jerky I use Hi Mountain jerky kits that do 15 pounds and have been very satisfied with the results. Follow those directions.

For cut muscle jerky I use 1 cup of Morton Tenderquick and 2 cups of brown sugar and blend in 1/8 cup of ground pepper. I put maybe 20 pounds of cut meat in a large glass or plastic bowl or tub and dump the seasoning over it and then hand mix for about 5 minutes or until I see that all of the meat has been coated. This gets packed down a little and then set in the refer for a full day of day and a half. I rinse the meat pieces under running cold water, then pat dry on an old [clean] terry cloth towel and then load the smoker racks as desired. Everyone has their own preferred degree of doneness in a smoker so its ready when you are.

The Chicago Wieners are nothing more than a standard wienerseasoning mixed with 17 pounds of clean, lean vennie trim and 8 pounds of pork shoulder, fat included. To the meat chunks add the seasoning and hand mix. Grind thru a coarse plate then re-grind thru your fine head. Pack down in a non-metal container and put in the refer for 24 hours, then stuff into smaller hog casings….the size under what you’d use for Brats. Spin your links to preferred size and hang in the smoker for maybe 4 hours, more for flavor than color. When you think the wieners are ready to come out of the smoker put a canner half full of water on to boil. Fill a sink section with cold water and add a couple trays of ice. Put the wieners in the boiling water just until they float, then dunk them in the cold water. When they’re all chilled hang and allow to dry but wipe off lightly any visible beaded water with a towel. They can hang for a couple days, then package as preferred.

The wiener seasoning I use comes from Ye Olde Butcher Shop on 7th Street here in Rochester. They’ll batch the seasonings and cure and all other goodies in 10, 25 or 100 pound batches for you. What I described as far as meat weights go will use the 25 pound bag. They have the casings too.

Batch number two of jerky is done now and cooling. Both batches were 15 pounds and both are superb. This might get me thru Christmas.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

Batch number two of jerky is done now and cooling. Both batches were 15 pounds and both are superb. This might get me thru Christmas.

Good luck with keeping it around until Christmas! the 60 pounds I made at the beginning of September is down to the last 6 ,8 ounce, vacuum packs!

LOL. I bagged it up for the fridge until this weekend and then I’ll be vacuum bagging. I put about 1/4 pound to a package to seal and try hard to keep a couple for deep winter. I have a daughter that loves venison of any kind….steaks, chops, burger, roast, JERKY. OR the sticks. She’s got a nose like a bloodhound when it comes to venison and her sense of intuition is uncanny since she seems to call about the time I’m hanging an animal and not having called her with the news.

I’m going out in the morning until noon unless we put the two remaining animals down earlier. I’d settle for a smaller animal for some more jerky and stick meat to play with later in the winter. If I don’t tag another that’s fine too. The woods were beautiful yesterday morning and it was wonderful just to sit and watch nature wake up. The buck that walked under the stand got my blood moving well, but no tag made it a watching thing. Nice animal, decent rack. He was roughed up some so he apparently has some competition out there yet. Tomorrow the buck tag is in the woods so…..

Sounds good I will have to try making it some time.

Tom,

Thanks for sharing the recipe and all the details. I just hope we can bag a deer or two do I can try these hot dogs.

Dave

The dogs I got stuffed and smoked them today. Ma suggested trying a couple for dinner so I cut three off the string and we pan browned them. I honestly think that this is the best sausage I have ever made. I have another deer to process and will likely make another batch of the dogs, they’re that good.

If you need help contacting the butcher shop I used let me know and I can get the details for you, Dave.