300gramsfresh serviceberriesor 2 cups (if you substitute dried berries, use 1 cup)
¼cupmaple syrupomit if you use dried berries
1teaspoonfresh ground black pepperleft a bit coarse
2teaspoonsground ramp leaves or bulbsor onion powder
Instructions
The night before you want to make the jerky, grind the venison (or use pre-ground) then combine with the salt, pepper, pink salt and ramp leaves.
Meanwhile, cook the serviceberries with the maple syrup on medium heat, until the pan is nearly dry, breaking up the berries a bit with a spoon to help them cook down.
When the pan is nearly dry, about 10 minutes, remove the serviceberries and cool completely. Combine the venison mixture with the serviceberries, I like to do this in a stand mixer, you want to make sure it's really worked together.
Allow the mixture to sit overnight, then pack into a jerky gun and spread out on dehydrator trays lined with parchment. Dehydrate on the meat setting, or roughly 145-150F. Use your intuition here as far as doneness, the jerky should still be a bit chewy, but should be noticeably dried, for me it was taking about 5 hours.
The venison jerky will keep for a few weeks in the fridge, kept in a tightly sealed bag, or better yet, vacuum sealed. It can also be frozen.
Notes
How long do you dehydrate?
I found I liked mine after about 5-6 hours, depending on the thickness, and if I was using a jerky gun (I prefer one). Remember you can always dry it more, and you can over-dry ground jerky.This jerky isn't meant to keep as long as others, with the fat, serviceberries and maple syrup in it. The "bend test" is also useful, meaning that if you can bend the meat without it breaking it's good to go. In all reality though, if it tastes like jerky to you, and looks like jerky to you, you're good.