Venison Bacon

Fire Jack Venison Bacon

Jalapeño Cheddar Style Venison Bacon

Fire Jack Venison Bacon is a venison bacon built on a 50% lean meat / 50% pork blend, using lean wild game. Smoke at 160-180°F (71-82°C) and finish at an internal 152°F (67°C), grind at 1/4". Exact amounts scale to any batch weight in the DeepWoodz Smokehouse app for iPhone and Android.

Jalapeño and high-temp cheese pressed through a slab that gets sliced like bacon, which means every slice carries cheese and pepper instead of the odd bite. Use high-temp cheese — ordinary cheese renders out in the pan and sticks. Fries up messy and worth it.

• Spicy
• Cheesy
• Smoky

Internal temp

152°F (67°C)

Smoker temp

160-180°F (71-82°C)

Casing

No casing — pressed into a 9x13 aluminum pan lined with Saran Wrap

Bloom

24-48 hours (cure rest)

What goes in it

• Kosher Salt
• Cure #1
• Coarse Black Pepper
• Jalapeño Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Brown Sugar
• Diced Jalapeños
• High-Temp Pepper Jack or Cheddar
• Ice Cold Water
• Smoked Paprika

Amounts are calculated for your batch weight in the app — including the cure, which is held at a fixed, food-safe rate.

The meat

Lean Wild Game · Pork Butt · Pork Shoulder

Bear or wild hog: take it to 160°F and hold 3 minutes. Freezing, smoking and curing do not kill trichinella — only heat does.

How it's made

1. Grind chilled venison and pork fat (32°F) through a 1/4" plate.
2. Add all dry seasonings and ice water. Mix until tacky with good protein extraction.
3. Fold in diced jalapeños and high temp cheddar cheese by hand. Mix gently until evenly distributed — do not overmix or the cheese will smear.
4. Press firmly into a 9x13 aluminum pan lined with Saran Wrap. Pack tightly. The Saran Wrap makes it easy to pull the slab out when it's time for the smoker.
5. Place in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
6. Smoke at 160-180°F until internal temperature reaches 152°F. Important: Do not let your smoker exceed 180°F. Even if your smoker is set at or below 180°F, the actual temperature can spike higher — monitor closely.
7. Refrigerate overnight, then slice to your desired thickness.

Wood

Hickory · Cherry · Apple

Before you start

• How much Cure #1 per pound
• Venison to pork fat ratio