Most edible birds make good jerky, but the meat on the smaller birds doesn’t lend itself to long strips. Usually the breast is your best bet for most bird jerky—but this isn’t always the case. Some of the very large birds, such as the ostrich, have better meat in the thigh. In any case, these large birds are the easiest to use. For variety and flavor, however, the hunter has the best choices, partly because a wild turkey is better than a domesticated bird. The next best choice is enjoyed by the farmer or those who raise their own chickens and turkeys and other birds for the table. The worst choice comes from the modern poultry “farm” and the supermarket, owing partly to salmonella problems associated with mass production, mass distribution, and mass marketing.
Big Flightless Birds
Several species of large flightless birds have evolved down through the ages. The ones that have survived modern hunters are swift runners, and even these are no match for the modern long-range rifle rigged with telescopic sights. Among the survivors are the ostrich of Africa, the emu of Australia, and the rhea of South America—all of which were once hunted for food and sport, and are now being raised commercially on farms in North America and other parts of the world. At present, the meat is more expensive than beef or pork, at least in this country, but the price may come down as it becomes more widely available. The meat is currently sold in specialty meat markets, by mail order, and in a few upscale supermarkets.
In any case, these are large flightless birds with lean, dark cherry-red meat. In taste, the meat compares readily to beef, but it is sweeter. The meat has much less fat and cholesterol than beef, and it is lower in calories than chicken or turkey. The birds do have fat, but it is not marbled in the grain of the meat.
The ostrich is the largest ratite, weighing as much as 400 pounds. The emu is much smaller, about 140 pounds, and the rhea weighs in at less than 100 pounds. The best meat on all of these birds is on the thigh, not the breast, which is rather flat. Market forms include steaks (usually thigh meat), fillets, roasts, ground meat, and so on. Some firms that specialize in these birds may have whole birds or halves for sale, or perhaps leg and thigh quarters.
The emu still grows wild in Australia, where it was once hunted with boomerangs, but it is also raised commercially in the United States and Canada. Be sure to try it.
3 pounds emu thigh meat
1 cup pineapple juice
¾ cup soy sauce
¼ cup salt
¼ cup brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cut the emu meat into strips about ⅜ inch thick. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a nonmetallic container, stirring well. Add the meat strips, toss about to coat all sides, and marinate for 8 hours. Drain the meat and pat it dry with paper towels or a cloth. Arrange the strips on dehydrator trays (or oven racks) and dry it at 145°F for 2 hours. Reduce the heat to 130°F for about 6 hours, or until the jerky is as dry as you want it.
Note: This recipe can also be used with ostrich, rhea, and other good red meats.
Ostrich meat was highly esteemed by the ancient Roman epicures, and wild ostrich was once hunted extensively in Africa. Since they have very keen eyesight and can run 40 miles per hour, they were worthy game for the bushman armed with primitive weapons. Now farmed commercially in Africa, North America, France, and other parts of the world, the ostrich makes a very good jerky. Most of the recipes for red meat can be used for ostrich, but here’s the real biltong, made with rather thick strips of meat. Don’t try this one unless you have a cool, dry climate.
ostrich thigh meat
salt
vinegar
Cut the meat into strips about 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt, rubbing it in well. Put the meat into a nonmetallic container and refrigerate overnight. Then dip a clean rag in vinegar, wring it out, and wipe off the strips of meat. Hang the strips in a cool, dry, airy place until dry.
Variation: Use a dehydrator on the lowest heat setting, in which case drying may take 2 days or longer. If you are in a hurry, use thinner strips and dry it in a dehydrator at 140°F for 6 to 8 hours, or until dry to your liking.
Once hunted with the bola, these birds still roam the grassy plains of Argentina. They are also farmed commercially in North America and abroad. As compared to most peoples of South America, the Argentines don’t spice their food highly. The strips of meat are best cut from “round” steaks taken from the thigh.
sea salt
2 pounds rhea thigh meat, cut into thin strips
Salt the strips of meat heavily on both sides. Put the strips into a nonmetallic container, cover, and refrigerate overnight, turning a time or two if convenient. Rinse the strips, pat dry, and arrange on dehydrator or oven trays. Dry at 140°F for 6 to 8 hours, or until it is done to your liking. This jerky can be eaten as is, or it can be used in cooking, as is the custom in much of South America.
See also charqui, page 94.
Turkey, Chicken, and Guinea Fowl
Turkey breast is usually your best bet for jerky, simply because there’s lots of it. When partially frozen, the meat can be cut lengthwise into strips or across the grain for medallions. It’s best, of course, to bone the meat before jerking.
Chicken is much smaller, but the principle is the same. One possibility is to use frozen “chicken tender” pieces, those choice strips of meat found in the innermost part of the breast. These are available in 10-pound bags from wholesale outfits that sell food in fairly large lots.
Guinea fowl, also called guinea hens and African pheasants, are game birds in West Africa and are raised commercially in some parts of the world. In the American South, they are a popular barnyard bird. The meat is lean and quite tasty.
Geese and Ducks
Both geese and domestic ducks have lots of fat, but most of it is under the skin. The meat itself is lean and tasty. Wild ducks and wild geese may or may not have lots of fat, depending on what they have been eating. The diet also determines the taste. In general, fish-eating ducks have a strong flavor and are not recommended for jerky, unless, perchance, you have a taste for Thai fish sauce.
In both ducks and geese, the easiest and best jerky comes from the breast, which is simply filleted on both sides, leaving a slab of meat. The whole slab can be dried, or it can be cut into strips for regular jerky. In either case, the fine-grained lean meat makes an excellent chew. If you want to use the whole bird, trim away the fat and cut it into chunks for jerky nuggets or grind it for ground-meat jerky. Personally, I prefer to jerk the breast and use the rest of the bird for duck soup.
Make this jerky with whole duck breast fillets, skinned and trimmed—but not sliced. Use either wild ducks, large or small, or domestic birds, but adjust the drying times as necessary. The recommendations below are for mallard-size birds.
hickory-smoked salt
brown sugar
salt and pepper
duck breasts, boned and skinned
Mix the hickory-smoked salt, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle it liberally on both sides of the duck breast fillets and layer in a nonmetallic container. Cover and chill for 2 days, turning several times. Pat the fillets dry with absorbent paper and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet or dehydrator tray. Sprinkle again with the seasoning mix. Dry at 140°F for 6 to 8 hours, or until dry but still bendable without breaking. Cool and slice either across the grain or with the grain, depending on whether you want to chew the jerky as is or use it in recipes.
Upland Game Birds
Most game birds, such as quail and dove, are too small to be practical for making jerky. The pheasant has lean, white meat and can be used to advantage. The real prize, at least in North America, is the wild turkey. It can be used like domestic turkey—and really is better meat. Some other birds, such as sandhill crane, can be hunted on a limited basis in some areas.
Almost any good jerky recipe can be used for pheasant breast, but I think a teriyaki marinade works just right. Do not use a no-salt mixture, however, unless you add some salt to the marinade.
pheasant breasts, cut into strips
about ⅜ inch thick
commercial teriyaki sauce
sake, sherry, or dry vermouth
Put the pheasant strips into a nonmetallic container. Add a little teriyaki sauce and sake. Toss about to coat all sides. Marinate in the refrigerator for several hours. Arrange the strips on dehydrator trays and dry at 140°F for 6 hours, or until done to your liking.