Beaver 🦫 Jerky!!!

I finally made some jerky of out beaver backs straps. I cut all the silver off and marinated for a day and a half in virgin olive oil and meat tenderizer. My original plan was just to cook it into streak up so I was going to let it sit and marinate. I decided I was going to make jerky out of it instead and didn't know how it was going to turn out because I had virgin olive oil on it and I knew it was going to be greasy. Pulled it out this morning and sprinkled on mesquite jerky seasoning and let it sit all morning and then put it in the smoker. I left it in for 9 hours and transferred it to the oven for 12 minutes at 350 degrees just to make sure it was cooked completely. I ate about five or six super small pieces on the way to the conventional oven and knew it was cooked but just to be on the safe side I wanted to heat it a littler more for the bigger pieces. I was super paranoid about trying it because I accidentally got gland oil on a 10 pound batch of burger last summer and wrecked it all. I gave the stuff to sniff test before I even started with it so I knew I didn't have any gland smell on it. I have to say this is the best tasting jerky I've ever had. Even better than turkey jerky! It's not dry and hard and chewy it's actually still tender and pliable but completely cooked. It tastes like prime rib or a super high quality T-Bone with seasoning! Guess I know what I'll be doing with the rest of my Beaver back straps that I have from last year!!! I have it on the counter letting it cool down. Once it's cold I'll put it in the refrigerator and a ziplock bag and cut it up into small pieces tomorrow.

Out of the smoker after a little over 9 hours . The bare spots were the pieces I ate on the way inside to the conventional oven...

https://i.imgur.com/RGS4iAL.jpg

And after 12 minutes in the over at 350 degrees...

https://i.imgur.com/kIkSIAI.jpg

It still looks oily. That's from the virgin olive oil I had it marinated in for a day and a half. I tried to pat it off with paper towel but it's soaked in really good.

Nice!

Awesome, thanks for sharing. It looks good, I'd love to try some. Never ate beaver before.

You could try layering it in some paper towels and seeing if some of the oil absorbs out.

Will keep a week in the fridge, couple months in the freezer! The oil will go rancid after time, especially olive oil.

Yeah, I figured much so as good as it taste I don’t think it’s gonna last a day or two, but I’ll keep it in the refrigerator the whole time. I’m sure if I left it in the smoker it would’ve got tough and chewy eventually. The texture kind of reminds me of the “soft” tender bites. The little pieces of Jimmy Dean jerky bites that you buy in the store that almost melts in your mouth. Almost seems more like soft tender steak sticks.

Next batch, I won’t use virgin olive oil, because I wasn’t planning on making jerky out of it to begin with so they got soaked in virgin olive oil for frying.

https://i.imgur.com/OtrydOl.jpg


I think virgin olive oil is the key for soft, moist, and tender meat! When I go to the Butcher and by commercially made jerky it's always oily like this I got a feeling that's what they do as well. Either that or they use some type of super wet brine that never dries but it feels kind of the same way this virgin olive oil does and never seems to dry out. It's definitely the best jerky I've ever had I'll take it over deer, turkey, or elk... or anything else

Beaver back strap is better than a beef ribeye cut 2" thick and grilled to med rare! I have served it to people and they asked where I bought my beef it tasted so good!

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Originally Posted by MaryB

Beaver back strap is better than a beef ribeye cut 2" thick and grilled to med rare! I have served it to people and they asked where I bought my beef it tasted so good!

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I’m with you…it tastes ridiculous! It tastes like the best quality beef I’ve ever had.

I gave some to my buddy today. I’ve been giving him jerky for about the last 30 years or more. He said it was the best jerky he’s ever had. Just about spazzed when I told him it was Beaver lol.

Just ate the last of it. I'll have to thaw out another set of beaver backstraps.

Perhaps you find some fresh beaver… [smilie=p:

There are two that have nibbled on the tree in the back yard again. Even have the trees wrapped with wire mesh and fencing and they are still nibbling through the little opening holes in the fencing. Stay tuned...lol

I have been bagging up beaver meat for jerky this year. My wife really likes ground meat jerky, so I plan to make some for her. I'll do a real light smoke on it too, should be good.
I'll probably do mine late spring. I might trap an few more beaver yet.

Never had beaver. A few months ago, a neighbor was trapping them out of his creek, and I told him I wanted to try it. Never heard anything until this week when he told me he brought them by but I wasn’t home;(

That sure sounds and looks good, just might have to try it!

Just make sure you have a couple sets of rubber gloves on hand when you’re cleaning them. I use a set when I’m skinning and then I toss them just in case I get any gland leakage on the gloves. Then, with a fresh pair of gloves, I cut the back straps out. I had success with saving the quarters on one of them and grounding up into hamburger. I made the mistake of combining a bunch of the quarters up together and getting them ground up into hamburger and unfortunately there was some gland leakage on it. You definitely don’t want to eat the meat if there’s any gland juice that got on it. No gland leakage and that meat is gold.

The male glands smell like motor oil and the female glands smell like stinky fish. Neither taste good in the meat!

Take the glands out whole and sell them! Trappers use them to make bait!

I saved them and have all of them froze. Ive used it myself to catch beaver. Was holding onto them for bobcat bait when I get drawn again. I would sell them but don’t know where to pawn them off.

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Originally Posted by Tripplebeards

I saved them and have all of them froze. Ive used it myself to catch beaver. Was holding onto them for bobcat bait when I get drawn again. I would sell them but don’t know where to pawn them off.

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Trapper J Lures maybe... Trapperjb80@gmail.com he had a good beaver season but may need more for his lure making business.

I just grabbed three more sets of back straps from the freezer from last spring. Figured id thaw them out and make some more jerky.

I just put up a vac sealed pack under PIF along with a pocket knife if anyone is interested in trying it. It’s about half of what’s left from the 3 back straps I smoked a few weeks ago. It’s about 6.5 oz pack. Smoked it a little longer this time.