Nature’s Feast: Natural goose or duck jerky

Natural goose or duck jerky

This jerky is a favorite snack when hiking or hunting. The iron-rich game meat provides stamina for a long excursion.

Duck and goose meat are excellent when jerked and this recipe uses only natural ingredients to preserve the meat, unlike commercially produced jerkies. And, it tastes great.

Ingredients:

Four dark-goose breast fillets, or a dozen or more duck breast fillets.

1/4 cup salt

4 cups water

One pan of mesquite smoker chips

Directions:

Slice breasts about 1/4 inch thick. This job can be made easier by freezing the breast meat first, and slicing it as it thaws, (about half-thawed works well.) Combine the salt and water. Soak the slices in the brine for about 2 hours. Remove and rinse. Spread slices over grills and place in a smoker.

If your smoker will hold heat well you can leave the jerky in the smoker to finish. However, do not use more than one pan of wood chips.

If the meat is drying too slowly remove from the smoker and put in a dehydrator or an oven at its lowest possible setting. About 170 degrees works well.

Once the meat is completely dry remove it and let it rest in the open for at least an hour, more if possible. If you want it to last a long time vacuum pack the jerky. You can also simply put the jerky in plastic storage bags and it will keep well for a number of weeks.