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throughout the drying process.
•
Drying fish into jerky requires a lot of attention. It must be cleaned and de-boned
properly and
rinsed thoroughly to ensure that all the blood is washed away. Steam or
bake the fish at 200˚F (93°C) until flaky before dehydrating.
•
Soak cut fruit in either lemon or pineapple juice for a few minutes before placing out
on the dehydrating racks.
•
Use an ascorbic acid mix which can be purchased in most health food stores or
pharmacies. It may come in either powder or tablet form. Dissolve approximately 2-3
tablespoons into 1 quart of water. Soak the fruit slices into the solution for 2-3 minutes,
then place on the dehydrating racks.
•
Fruits with a wax coating (figs, peaches, grapes, blueberries, prunes, etc.) should be
dipped in boiling water to remove the wax. This allows moisture to escape easily when
dehydrating.
•
Blanching can pre-treat food for dehydrating. Blanching does not destroy helpful
enzymes and helps retain nutrients. There are two ways to blanch food:
•
WATER BLANCHING: Use a large pan; fill it half way with water. Bring water to a boil.
Place food directly into boiling water and cover. Remove after three minutes. Arrange
food on the dehydrating
racks.
•
STEAM BLANCHING: Using steamer pot bring 2-3" (5-7 cm) of water to a boil in bottom
section. Place food in steamer basket and steam for 3-5 minutes. Remove steamed
food and arrange on dehydrating racks.
Making and Storing Jerky
WARNING
•
If jerky will not be refrigerated after drying it is highly recommended to cook the meat to 160º F
prior to dehydrating to ensure product safety. This step assures that any bacteria present will
be destroyed by wet heat.
•
After heating to 160º F maintaining a constant dehydrator temperature of 130-140º F during
the drying process is important because the process must be fast enough to dry food before it
spoils; and it must remove enough water so the microorganisms are unable to grow.
•
If jerky will be refrigerated it is not necessary to precook the meat.
•
If you are using a marinade, shake off excess liquid before placing the meat in evenly spaced
single layers approximately ¼” apart on the racks.
•
Dry meat at 145-150º F for 4-7 hours. You may need to blot fat droplets from the surface of
the meat occasionally, using a paper towel. Drying times may vary based on many
circumstances including but not limited to: the relative humidity of the room, the temperature
of the meat at the beginning of the drying process, the amount of meat in the dehydrator,
leanness of meat, etc.
1. Meat being used for jerky should be as lean as possible.
Using lean meat will help the
meat dry faster and aid in cleanup by decreasing fat drippings.
2. Using lean meat will help the meat dry faster. Ground meat should be 79%-90% lean.
Ground turkey, venison, buffalo and elk are other excellent choices for jerky.
3. Jerky seasonings are available for all tastes
or you can get creative and make your
own
.
4. Whenever jerky is being made, cure (sodium nitrite) should be used. Cure is used to help
prevent botulism during drying at low temperatures. Follow the manufactures directions
on the cure packet.
