Deer Jerky Question for you pros

[thirtydaZe]

Guy i work with just got his deer back, and brought some jerky to work to share.  The first piece i had, i had eaten about 1/2 of it but than a very bitter taste started to take over the flavor.

The package says "deer ground jerky".

Looks like a lot of the pieces have a white film starting to develop on the surface.  we figure this to be the cause of the bitter taste.

Is this mold, over cured?  any suggestions, and most importantly, is it safe?

[OU812]

My bets are they didnt remove the blue skin or the fat before grinding the deer along with he probably got a hodge podge of meat from many deer in his mix.

Most places wait till there done trimming for the day then dump all the trimmings in the grinder and divvy it up after the grind to the approx weight of the deer you brought in.

Thats why I started processing my own deer yeeeeeeeeeears ago.

[Sailor]

What OU812 said.  White stuff on meat ain't good unless it is gravy.  :o

[SmokingShark]

The jerky I got back after thawing had little white specs, and didn't change the taste of mine at all.. ??

[Piker]

Looks exactly the same as some I had stored in the frig in a plastic bag. It looked and tasted like mold so out it went. Piker

[ghost9mm]

My bets are they didnt remove the blue skin or the fat before grinding the deer along with he probably got a hodge podge of meat from many deer in his mix.

Most places wait till there done trimming for the day then dump all the trimmings in the grinder and divvy it up after the grind to the approx weight of the deer you brought in.

Thats why I started processing my own deer yeeeeeeeeeears ago.

X 2 and enjoy doing the processing our selves...I know what is in my venison.

[thirtydaZe]

thanks for all the info guys.  no expert here but something was definitely wrong.

my buddy is currently swimming in pissed off, but at least we didn't sit there and choke all that down.

thanks again!

[Indy Smoker]

I have to join the other members on this one.  I process myself and use cut strips vs. grinds.  I use the Reveo marivac tumbler to marinate and then smoke/dehydrate.

[nasels]

It may have had too much fat and it went rancid. Silver skin in my experience does not cause a bitter taste but is not very palatable. Silver skin or meat membrane is stringy and chewy.

Shark your white specks were most likely beef fat added by the processor which is very common unless you ask it not to be added. The beef fat makes the lean venison stick together a little when making burgers etc.

Again, from what I can tell from the above pic --- too much fat gone rancid.

[viper125]

could just be dried salt or fat too.Some people use 80/20 mix and for jerky you want no fat or as little possible. I never had ground jerky go bad unless in refrigerator too long. Kept it over a year frozen. No difference between ground and muscle I can see.

[nasels]

Some people use 80/20 mix and for jerky you want no fat or as little possible. I never had ground jerky go bad unless in refrigerator too long.

Ditto -- no fat in my venison GB jerky

[viper125]

Yes Fat is the number one thing that turns rancid in jerky. Thats why people who first start making it has problems mostly. Grinding your own lean meat is the best way. But if not buy lean and defat it.

[Flyboyandre]

Yes Fat is the number one thing that turns rancid in jerky. Thats why people who first start making it has problems mostly. Grinding your own lean meat is the best way. But if not buy lean and defat it.

X2