- Dec 12, 2013
- 5
- 10
My grandfather used to make the absolute best venison jerky. I know he would use thick cuts of meat, put string though them using a big needle, dip them in boiling water and then....... I'm pretty sure it was just salt and course pepper that he rolled them in but I'm not sure if it was regular table salt, kosher salt or what. Our place is out in the sticks so I can’t see him getting his hands on any “cure”. He would then hang them in a real smokehouse, feed mesquite coals to it for days and it turned out almost black on the outside and dark red and soft on the inside. It was a big smokehouse so I don’t think it could have been hot smoked. I've read all the threads about botulism and other food borne diseases which has made me a little uneasy about trying his method but I survived the jerky for 15+ years. Any thoughts as to how safe this sounds? Thanks!