This smoked elk jerky recipe is a delicious way to preserve elk meat with a bold, smoky flavor. Made with lean strips of elk, a savory marinade, and slow-smoked to perfection, it’s the ultimate high-protein snack. Whether you're using a pellet smoker, electric, or traditional setup, this jerky is simple to make and full of rich flavor.
Recipe Highlights
Bold, Smoky Flavor: Slow smoking infuses the meat with a rich, irresistible flavor. For more smoky wild flavor, try this smoked trout recipe.
Packed with Protein: Elk jerky is a nutritious, high-protein snack that keeps you fueled on the go. For another homemade jerky recipe, try this teriyaki venison jerky.
Easy to Make: Minimal hands-on time and straightforward steps. For another easy jerky recipe, try this watermelon jerky!
Ingredients
- Elk Roast: I like to use top or bottom round roasts for making jerky because they have very little connective tissue running through the meat. Other roasts can be used, but be sure to trim off any connective tissue before making jerky to ensure a better texture. If you have dogs, save the scraps and make venison dog treats! Also, any big game meat will work for this recipe.
- Marinade: This recipe starts with a simple marinade made from just a few ingredients, giving you a solid base to build on. Feel free to tweak it to suit your taste—add extra heat, more sweetness, or your favorite spices. It’s a versatile foundation that works well for all kinds of jerky variations.
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
- Pellet Smoker (or other smoker): This recipe is designed for a pellet smoker, but it works just as well with an electric or traditional smoker. A dehydrator works well too, and if you want to add smoky flavor, add a bit of liquid smoke to the marinade.
- Meat Slicer (optional): A meat slicer makes it easy to get uniform slices, which helps the meat dehydrate more evenly. That said, it’s totally optional—you can still get great results using a sharp knife.
How to Make Smoked Elk Jerky
With just a few steps and a simple marinade, you'll be enjoying homemade jerky in no time!
- Step 1: Allow meat to thaw slightly (but not fully) before slicing. Leaving it slightly frozen will make slicing it into even slices easier. Slice meat into ¼" slices against the grain. A meat slicer is very helpful for this step, but not necessary.
- Step 2: Combine all marinade ingredients (soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper) in a shallow glass dish.
- Step 3: Add slices of meat to the marinade and use your hands to fully coat the meat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate.
- Step 4: Check on the meat after a few hours. Once the meat is fully thawed, toss the meat in the marinade again to make sure it's fully coated. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 12 hours total.
- Step 5: Preheat smoker to 180°F. Place the strips of meat on a baking rack over a sheet pan to catch drips.
- Step 6: If the meat has a lot of moisture on it, you can gently pat it dry with paper towels.
- Step 7: Place the baking rack(s) in the preheated smoker. Smoke for 1 hour, or until the tops of the jerky pieces are dry.
- Step 8: Flip all pieces of jerky to ensure they don't stick to the baking rack(s).
- Step 9: Smoke for another 3–4 hours, or until the meat is mostly dried and shows white fibers in the center when bent. You want to keep a little moisture, but most should be gone! Properly dried jerky should weigh about half of its original weight.
- Step 10: Enjoy! See below for storage instructions.
Pro Tip
Keep a close eye on the jerky as it smokes, and remove pieces as they finish to prevent them from drying out too much or becoming too crispy.
How to Store Elk Jerky
This elk jerky recipe doesn't use preservatives, so I like to keep it in the freezer (instead of room temperature) for longer storage. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks or in a vacuum-sealed bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Serving Suggestions
Elk jerky is a classic go-to for trail hikes and road trips, but it’s also a great addition to a charcuterie board or game day snack spread. Try serving it alongside smoked cheese and spicy pickled asparagus for a bold, flavorful combo, or pack it in lunchboxes for an easy protein boost. However you enjoy it, this jerky is one snack you’ll want to keep stocked at all times!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Elk is an excellent choice for jerky because it’s lean, flavorful, and packed with protein. Its rich taste makes for a delicious, hearty snack.
The best cuts are lean and tender, such as the top round, bottom round, or eye of round. These cuts have minimal connective tissue, which helps the jerky dry evenly and have a better finished product.
The key is slicing the meat a little thicker than you might expect and evenly (thin slices will become too crispy), using a flavorful marinade, and drying it low and slow to preserve tenderness while achieving that perfect chewy texture. Also, trimming all excess connective tissue prevents spoilage and improves the final product.
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Thank you!
Annie
📖 Recipe
Smoked Elk Jerky
Ingredients
- 2 lb elk roast (top round, bottom round, etc.)
- ⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Allow meat to thaw slightly (but not fully) before slicing. Leaving it slightly frozen will make slicing it into even slices easier.
- Slice meat into ¼" slices. A meat slicer is very helpful for this step, but not necessary.
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a shallow glass dish.
- Add slices of meat to the marinade and use your hands to fully coat the meat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate.
- Check on the meat after a few hours. Once the meat is fully thawed, toss the meat in the marinade again to make sure it's fully coated. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 12 hours total.
- Preheat smoker to 180°F. Place the strips of meat on a baking rack over a sheet pan to catch drips.
- If the meat has a lot of moisture on it, you can gently pat it dry with paper towels.
- Place the baking rack(s) in the preheated smoker. Smoke for 1 hour, or until the tops of the jerky pieces are dry. Flip all pieces of jerky to ensure they don't stick to the baking rack(s).
- Smoke for another 3–4 hours, or until the meat is mostly dried and shows white fibers in the center when bent. You want to keep a little moisture, but most should be gone! Properly dried jerky should weigh about half of its original weight.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks or in a vacuum-sealed bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- I like to use top or bottom round roasts for making jerky because they have very little connective tissue running through the meat. Other roasts can be used, but be sure to trim off any connective tissue before making jerky to ensure a better texture. Any big game meat will work for this recipe.
- This recipe starts with a simple marinade made from just a few ingredients, giving you a solid base to build on. Feel free to tweak it to suit your taste—add extra heat, more sweetness, or your favorite spices. It’s a versatile foundation that works well for all kinds of jerky variations.
- This recipe is designed for a pellet smoker, but it works just as well with an electric or traditional smoker. A dehydrator works well too, and if you want to add smoky flavor, add a bit of liquid smoke to the marinade.
- A meat slicer makes it easy to get uniform slices, which helps the meat dehydrate more evenly. That said, it’s totally optional—you can still get great results using a sharp knife.
- Keep a close eye on the jerky as it smokes, and remove pieces as they finish to prevent them from drying out too much or becoming too crispy.
Annie Weisz says
This elk jerky is so easy to make and I love having it on hand for an easy, go-to snack!