Pemmican-style Ground Meat Jerky
User Reviews
4.9
-
Prep Time
20 mins
-
Cook Time
4 hrs
-
Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
-
Servings
6
-
Calories
325 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
American
Pemmican-style Ground Meat Jerky
Description
The Pemmican-style Ground Meat Jerky recipe starts by grinding venison, bacon, and dried cranberries finely. Combined with salt, curing salt (Instacure No. 1), black pepper, mace or nutmeg, onion powder, smoked paprika, sugar, and water, the mix is kneaded until sticky. The curing step in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours allows the flavors to meld and the curing salts to preserve the meat.
After curing, the meat is formed into strips using a jerky gun and dehydrated at 150°F until the texture becomes mostly dry but retains chewiness. Alternative drying methods include smoking or warm oven drying, though the method must maintain a safe temperature for drying meat. The cranberries introduce a fruity note contrasting with the rich venison and bacon.
This jerky serves as a high-protein, portable snack reminiscent of traditional pemmican, combining salty, smoky, and slightly sweet flavors with aromatic spices. It’s practical for long storage or outdoor use once fully dried and can be enjoyed in small portions.
Note that the total preparation time excludes the curing duration. The meat mixture should be handled with clean hands and stored properly during curing to ensure safety. Vacuum sealing can assist in curing. Dehydrating times may vary depending on equipment and thickness of strips.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ pounds venison
- ¼ pound Bacon
- 1 cup dried cranberry or other berries
- 18 grams salt about 1 tablespoon
- 3 grams Instacure No. 1 about ½ teaspoon
- 2 teaspoons black pepper ground
- ½ teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika smoked if possible
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Grind the venison, bacon and dried cranberries through the fine die of your grinder. If you are using pre-ground venison, chop the dried cranberries well and add them to the ground meat. Put the meat and cranberries in a large bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well with your (very clean) hands until everything comes together and starts to stick to itself.
- If you have a vacuum sealer, seal the mixture and set in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours. If you don’t, pack the meat mixture into a lidded container and press some plastic wrap directly onto the surface and let it sit that way.
- The next day, separate the mixture into two or three chunks, depending on how big your jerky gun is. Pack it in and squeeze out lengths of jerky onto your dehydrator trays. Make sure they are separated from each other. Dehydrate at 150°F until the meat is mostly dry, but still chewy. If you don't have a dehydrator, you can smoke-dry it in your smoker, or in an oven set to "warm," with the door slightly ajar. In both of these cases, you want to keep the temperature as close to 150°F as you can.
- This sort of jerky doesn’t keep as long as traditional jerky because of the fat content. But it will keep for several weeks in the fridge, and it freezes well.
Notes
- Curing time of 24 to 48 hours is required before dehydrating the meat mixture.
- Use a fine grinder plate for venison, bacon, and dried cranberries to achieve the proper texture.
- Vacuum sealing the mixture during curing helps evenly distribute flavors and improves preservation.
- Dehydrate at 150°F until the jerky is mostly dry but still chewy to maintain desirable texture.
- If no dehydrator is available, use a smoker or oven set to "warm" to dry the jerky safely.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 325 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 325kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 23g | 8% |
| Protein | 33g | 66% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 125mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 1358mg | 57% |
| Potassium | 513mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
| Vitamin A | 575IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 19mg | 2% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
You'll Also Love
