# Deer 2 months in freezer before making jerky?



## manfred

I have read a couple of times that you should freeze venison for minimum of 2 months before dehydrating to kill all parasites .
Seems like a solid freeze would do the same as 2 months to kill the bugs.
What do you think? I'm ready to make deer jerky!


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## Barn Yarns

ive never heard of that. Im pretty sure ive never heard of parasites being in the meat either.

does it also say that you should freeze the meat for 2 months before eating it? 

I have made jerky from both fresh and frozen meat. 

this statement was probly made by someone who didnt care for the meat to get out of doing anything with it. 

so.. i say... jerk away! and enjoy! =)


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## suitcase_sally

I've never heard of that either. Seems like the drying process, especially if you brine it first, would make life as a parasite pretty much impossible.


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## bajiay

I work for a meat processor and he says this is not true. What flavor are you making?


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## manfred

I bought cure and seasoning from walmart Eastman outdoors jerky cure. FIERY TERIYAKI.
Says on first paragraph of instructions "when using wild game, freeze for at least 60 days before preparation as a precaution against parasites".


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## Barn Yarns

I would say that Eastman is covering their butts. if this were really true, how could stores advertize fresh meat? 

some day when im bored, im going to call eastman and ask what kind of parasites live in the muscles of the foods we eat  I know they live in the lungs, liver, small and large intestines, and heart (most of which many of us eat) but never in the muscles.


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## suitcase_sally

Barn Yarns said:


> some day when im bored, im going to call eastman and ask what kind of parasites live in the muscles of the foods we eat  I know they live in the lungs, liver, small and large intestines, and heart (most of which many of us eat) *but never in the muscles*.


Trichinosis


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## suitcase_sally

Trichinosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## oregon woodsmok

Freeze for 2 months minimum, longer is better, and it has to be in a deep freeze, not the fridge top freezer. I don't know about parasites, but that is rumored to kill bacteria.

I don't eat wild game raw. I will make jerky out of my home raised beef where I trust the sanitation of my butcher. No jerky out of raw wild game at my house.


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## Barn Yarns

suitcase_sally said:


> Trichinosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


You are correct Sally... I stand corrected. but, I will trust Merk over wikipedia. 

Deer are not listed.... "	Trichinosis is infection caused by the roundworm Trichinella spiralis. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, muscle pain, and fever.

People acquire the infection by eating undercooked contaminated meat.
At first, people have nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, then muscle pain, weakness, fever, headache, and sometimes inflammation of other organs.
Several weeks after the initial infection, a blood test to detect antibodies to the roundworm can confirm the diagnosis.
Thoroughly cooking or freezing meats can kill the roundworm.
Antiparasitic drugs such as albendazole

can eliminate the worms from the intestine, but bed rest and analgesics are needed to relieve muscle pain.
Trichinella larvae live in the muscle tissue of animals, typically pigs, wild bears, walruses, horses, and many carnivores. People develop trichinosis if they eat uncooked or poorly cooked meat from an animal that carries the parasite. In most people, infections result from eating pork, particularly in regions where pigs are fed uncooked meat scraps and garbage, or eating meat from wild boar, bear, or walrus. Trichinosis is now rare in the United States.

When a person eats meat containing live Trichinella cysts, the cyst wall is digested, releasing larvae that quickly mature to adulthood and mate in the intestine. After the male worms mate, they die and thus play no further role in infection. The females burrow into the intestinal wall and, by the seventh day, begin to produce larvae.

Production of larvae continues for about 4 to 6 weeks. Then, the female worm dies or is excreted from the body. The larvae are carried through the body through the lymphatic vessels and bloodstream. The larvae penetrate muscles, causing inflammation. In 1 to 2 months, they form cysts that can live for years in the body.

Certain muscles, such as those in the tongue, around the eyes, and between the ribs, are most often infected. Larvae that reach the heart muscle are often killed by the intense inflammatory reaction they provoke."

When I make jerky... its done. I know some people leave theirs a bit moist, but I prefer mine to be shelf stable.


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## manfred

I have it in my side-by-side ref. guess Ill move it to the deepfreeze tomorrow. Thanks for the info.


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## Lamar

Ive already cut & seasoned my jerky and was gonna start drying it tonight. I wonder if you can freeze it after drying?
Or should I wrap it and freeze it and dry after thawing?
This batch is about 5 pounds.


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## Jeepgirl86

Lamar...I freeze my venison jerky after drying. It's the only way I ever get any in this house! lol


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