Have you ever been so closed-minded to an idea you can’t even entertain it’s possible value?

Time has a funny way of changing things like that.

My husband and I have been married for 18 years now, and were best friends another five before that. Every year, like clockwork, fall would roll around and he would start getting an itch to be in the woods planning another deer hunting season. You see, my husband grew up hunting with his grandfather, brother, and cousins. From a young age, that fellowship and camaraderie cemented in him a love for the outdoors. The crisp autumn air (with a hint of gun-powder floating on the breeze!) brings those exciting times and fond memories flooding back to him. 

On the other hand, I was raised in a vegan household and did not share the same appreciation for the sport. I used to despise hunting season; in the early days of our marriage, I really resented it. The fact I was vegetarian probably didn’t help…but in all honesty, I felt hunting took up more of my husband’s heart and time than I was willing to share.

Four children later, I’m happy to say we’re now on the same page. I have a completely different attitude and can see the beautiful bond of fellowship my husband and children have developed as they join him on his adventures.

I now look forward to deer hunting season each fall; perhaps the long hours of quiet while they’re away add to my appreciation a tad, but I truly love the excitement in their eyes as they pop out of bed hours before dawn, rushing to get decked out in camouflage and orange. I admire the patience and skill they are learning. I’m comforted knowing they’ll be capable of providing sustenance for their families if needed. The pride in their accomplishment after a successful hunt is priceless, as well. And, hey—as a homeschooling mom, I have to appreciate the opportunity to study any organ we might need for anatomy or biology!

I do admit that I’m still amazed they can sit in a stand for hours, in complete silence! It has occurred to me more than once that maybe we should put one in the back yard, for them to do schoolwork in.

So I’ve embraced the life style…now, what to do with the meat? For years my husband gave it to his buddies at work. One day, I decided being a help-meet might just include his passion for hunting. I began to research venison recipes and was impressed with how lean it was: a three-ounce steak has barely 150 calories and only 3 grams of fat!

Soon I decided to try my hand with a jerky gun. Once I got past the horrors of defiling my dehydrator with flesh, I jumped right in. Talk about a 180° turn: I’ve gone from vegan, to vegetarian, to omnivore. I love deer jerky! I can make several pounds and it disappears virtually overnight. Our whole family adores it. Even my sworn-vegetarian daughter (who ordinarily hates ALL kinds of meat, including chicken) loves it.

We have our meat processed and ground into handy freezable one pound packages. A couple of deer will stock us up for a year. Once you’ve been fortunate enough to secure the meat, the hard part is done.

We use jerky cure and seasoning mix from a company called Hi Mountain. My favorite flavor is Hunters Blend; we also enjoy the pepper blend, but there are many other flavors to suit just about any palate. You can find the mixes at outdoor/sporting goods stores like Academy Sports or Cabela’s, or buy them online directly from Hi Mountain or on Amazon.com.

Every seasoning kit comes with directions for mixing the seasoning into your meat. To achieve a fuller flavor, I prefer to let the mixture marinate overnight in the refrigerator before making it into jerky.

Don’t be shy about getting the kiddos involved; my girls love helping me!

We use our nine-tray Excalibur dehydrator to actually make the jerky. After we fill up the trays, we dehydrate it on high at 155° F for 4–5 hours (but every dehydrator is different, so please follow the directions for the model you own—some may take quite a bit longer).

When the dehydrating time is finished, just to be on the safe side, I transfer the jerky to my oven for another 20 minutes on 275°. As an extra precaution, I like to store anything not eaten immediately in my refrigerator or freezer for future use.

Fresh, warm jerky is absolutely mouthwatering! 

Making your own jerky is rewarding, educational, downright fun, and tasty to boot. And, because not everyone has ready access to venison, it also makes a lovely Christmas present.

I have yet to shoot a bow or rifle at a deer, but I now shoot the jerky gun with expert precision each and every season!