What You’ll Need
Lean Ground Beef
For best results, we suggest 90% lean beef jerky. However, ground venison, turkey, pork, elk, duck, and other meats can also be used.
Jerky Seasoning
Whip up your favorite recipe or purchase a jerky seasoning packet. If you’re creating your own seasoning, be sure to keep liquid ingredients to a minimum.
Curing Salt
Using cure is an important part of every safe jerky making adventure to inhibit the growth of dangerous bacteria. If you have purchased a seasoning packet, check to see if it includes cure or make sure to buy some.
1. Combine Ingredients
Thoroughly mix together lean ground beef, jerky seasoning, and curing salt.
Carefully check the curing salt and seasoning package for the correct amounts to add to your volume of ground beef. If you are using pre-packaged seasoning, it may already contain curing salt.
2. Stuff Tube
Unscrew the black cap from the top of the barrel, then hold down the the lever at the back of the gun to pull the plunger back.
Create balls of meat smaller than the width of the tube. Insert balled meat mixture until the tube is full, leaving about 1 inch of room at the top.
Select a nozzle for your favorite type of jerky. Place it at the top of the barrel and screw on the black cap.
Now you’re ready for the fun part!
3. Shoot Onto Trays
Using the jerky gun, shoot strips of meat onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet.
It can be helpful to use a knife to cut the end of each strip once you’ve reached the end of the pan.
4. Dehydrate in Oven
Heat the oven to 200*F. Slide the cookie sheets with completed jerky strips into the oven. Leave the oven door ajar about 4 inches.
Dry the strips for about 75 minutes, then turn the strips over and return to oven for 60 minutes.
Taste the jerky to test dryness. The jerky should bend without breaking. If it isn’t dry enough, return them to the oven for 5 minutes, and repeat until done.
Once done, pat down the jerky with a paper town to remove excess moisture and let cool.
Enjoy Your Jerky!
Once the jerky is completely cool, place it in a sealed container and refrigerate.*
Just like that, you’re done! Jerky making is a fast, fun process and creates a tasty snack everyone can enjoy. Ground jerky has a totally different texture and is much easier to chew than jerky made from dried cuts of meat.
Happy jerky making adventures!
*Product life may vary depending on dehydration, heating, curing salt, and storage. When in doubt – throw it out!
Temperatures and times in instructions are averages. Be sure to test jerky to ensure that it is correctly dried. Since the drying process creates the right conditions for botulism, always use cure when making jerky. Refer to the instructions on the purchased cure to determine the correct amount to add to the meat.