Thanks to everybody for weighing in. I desire to eat raw flesh as much (or sometimes more) than the next guy, and I always prefer my meat cooked as little as safely possible. I had always planned to make my jerkey right off the deer the same day I killed it, but then I read that package and it had the "freeze your meat" warning on it. But if so many of you guys are making your jerkey from fresh meat, then I guess I will too.
Another question, when you guys "smoke" your meat, how hot do you let it get, how long in the smoke, etc. I've never done it before but I'd like to try it.
Autumnbear, thanks for the recipe. I'll try it.
CP