Using professional butchering techniques from The Bearded Butchers
Transforming an entire deer into jerky might sound ambitious—but with the right process, it’s absolutely possible. In fact, with thoughtful trimming, proper seasoning, and smart utilization of all muscle groups, you can turn nearly every edible part of a whitetail into delicious whole-muscle jerky or tender chopped-and-formed strips.
In this guide, we walk through the complete method demonstrated by The Bearded Butchers as they break down a 97-lb doe and process every ounce into jerky. Whether you're looking to maximize your harvest, stock up for hunting camp, or share homemade snacks with family and friends, this tutorial will show you how to do it safely, efficiently, and with exceptional results.
Watch the process in action in our YouTube video: Making an Entire Deer Into Jerky!
What You’ll Need:
- A fully processed, skinned deer (hanging weight similar to the example: 97 lbs)
- Sharp boning knife (a 6-inch knife works perfectly)
- Cutting table or clean work surface
- Jerky seasoning kits with natural cure (The Bearded Butchers Bold, Hot, or Hickory BBQ)
- Trays or meat lugs for sorting meat
- Scale for weighing meat portions
- Meat grinder (for chopped-and-formed jerky)
- Jerky gun or extruder
- Smoker capable of steady low-temperature cooking
- Refrigeration space for marinating whole-muscle jerky
- Optional: pork fat trimmings for added moisture in ground jerky
PART 1: Breaking Down the Deer
The goal of this process is to separate the deer into two categories:
- Whole muscle jerky – long, lean, trimmed strips from prime cuts.
- Chopped and formed jerky – made from trimmings and lower-quality cuts.
- Harvesting the Inner Loins
1. Harvesting the Inner Loins
Start by removing the inner loins (tenderloins) from inside the cavity. Some hunters hesitate to turn tenderloins into jerky, but they make incredibly tender strips and nothing goes to waste.
2. Removing the Rounds (Hindquarters)
The rounds—also called the hams—are the backbone of quality whole-muscle jerky.
- Locate the H-bone and ball joint.
- Apply downward pressure and separate each round cleanly from the pelvis.
- These cuts will later be seamed into individual muscles: top round, bottom round, eye of round, sirloin tip, and tri-tip.
3. Detaching the Shoulders
The front shoulders are connected only by muscle and tissue.
- Pull and cut downward along the shoulder blade.
- Shoulders yield fewer prime whole strips and more trimmings for ground jerky.
- Don’t forget to remove the lymph gland located at the front of the shoulder.
4. Removing the Backstraps
Backstraps are premium jerky material:
- Trim the rib meat away.
- Follow the vertebrae closely with your knife.
- Peel each backstrap out in one long piece.
- Expect some scar tissue if the deer was previously wounded—as seen in the example.
5. Cleaning the Rib Cage and Neck
Remove any leftover meat along the rib cage, brisket, and neck area. These go into the trim pile for grinding.
By the end of this step, you’ll have:
- Inner loins
- Backstraps
- Rounds
- Shoulders
- Rib/neck trimmings
PART 2: Preparing Whole-Muscle Jerky
1. Trimming
Whole-muscle jerky depends on clean, lean strips.
Remove:
- Silver skin
- Fat
- Sinew
- Scar tissue
- Glands (especially in the rounds)
2. Breaking Down the Rounds
The rounds contain the single best muscles for jerky, especially the top round.
You’ll seam out:
- Top round (premium for jerky)
- Bottom round
- Eye of round
- Sirloin tip
- Tri-tip
- Heel
Trim each muscle until it is smooth, lean, and uniform.
3. Slicing Into Jerky Strips
Cut each muscle against the grain for tenderness.
Recommended thickness: 1/8" – 1/4" depending on preference
Tip: Cut the backstrap into the desired final strip length before slicing it.
PART 3: Preparing Chopped-and-Formed Jerky
All trimmings, shoulder pieces, and odd cuts go into this category.
1. Add Pork Fat Trimmings (Optional)
Venison is extremely lean. Adding pork fat:
- Improves texture
- Helps binding
- Prevents dryness
2. Seasoning
Mix your meat portions according to the weight. Using The Bearded Butchers’ jerky kits makes this simple since the natural cure is pre-included.
3. Pre-Grind Mix
Blend seasoning into the raw meat before grinding to evenly distribute flavors.
4. Grinding
Run the mixture through a grinder. A single coarse grind works well, but some prefer a double grind for smoother texture.
5. Protein Extraction
Using a mechanical mixer (or hand mixing), mix the ground meat until it becomes tacky and binds together. This improves the integrity of your finished strips.
PART 4: Seasoning & Marinating
Whole-Muscle Jerky
- Place sliced strips into lugs.
- Add measured seasoning based on weight.
- Toss thoroughly to coat.
- Let marinate overnight in the refrigerator so flavors penetrate.
Ground Jerky
- Since it's ground, no marinating is required.
- Once mixed, it can go straight to the jerky gun.
PART 5: Extruding the Ground Jerky
Using a jerky gun:
- Load the barrel with ground mixture.
- Extrude long strips onto non-stick-sprayed racks.
- Keep strips uniform in thickness for even drying.
(Some tools—like a homemade double-barrel extruder—make this even faster!)
PART 6: Smoking the Jerky
Everything goes into a large-capacity smoker—in the Bearded Butchers’ case, the Mammoth Gorilla smoker.
Smoking Schedule
A proven temperature schedule:
- 180°F for 2 hours – Apply smoke and set initial structure
- 200°F for 2 hours – Begin drying and firming
- 220°F until done – Finish drying to desired texture
How to Tell It's Done
Jerky should:
- Bend and crack but not snap
- Feel dry but still flexible
- Lose roughly 50% of its weight during dehydration
Whole-muscle jerky gains a bright cherry-red color when finished.
PART 7: Final Yields
From a 97-lb (dressed weight) doe, the final yield was:
55.5 lbs boneless meat:
- 20.72 lbs whole-muscle jerky (about 37%)
- 34.78 lbs ground for extruded jerky (about 63%)
After smoking, each batch reduces weight by roughly half.
This is an excellent yield considering dry aging loss and careful hand trimming.
Final Thoughts
Turning an entire deer into jerky is not only possible—it produces an impressive variety of snacks. Using a disciplined breakdown process, maximizing every muscle group, and seasoning with clean-label kits makes the job efficient and delicious.
Whether you're feeding a family, stocking up for hunting camp, or gifting jerky to friends, this method ensures you get the most out of your harvest with exceptional flavor and texture.
If you want to try this yourself, The Bearded Butchers offer complete DIY jerky kits with natural cures, seasonings, and instructions—everything but the meat. With the right tools and this guide in hand, you can turn your next deer into the best jerky you’ve ever made.
