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Illnesses due to Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 from homemade jerky raise questions about
the safety of traditional drying methods for making beef and venison jerky. The USDA Meat
and Poultry current recommendation for making jerky safely is to
heat meat to 160 °F before
the dehydrating process
. This step assures that any bacteria present will be destroyed by wet
heat.
After heating to 160 °F, maintaining a constant dehydrator temperature of 130 to 140 °F
during the drying process is important because:
•
the process must be fast enough to dry food before it spoils
•
It must remove enough water that micro-‐organisms are unable to grow
WHY TEMPERATURE IS IMPORTANT WHEN MAKING JERKY
Lean fish can be used for jerky. You can also dry fat fish, but it will not keep at room
temperature more than a week. Fish jerky should contain about 15% moisture when it is
completely dry. It will be pliable and firm. If there is any doubt about the dryness, store in
refrigerator or freezer to avoid the risk of spoilage.
Cooked fish may also be dried, although it has different taste than fish jerky. It still
makes a nice snack. Re-‐hydrating cooked fish is not recommended because the
resulting product isn’t very good.
Choose fresh fish to dry. If you catch the fish, clean it promptly and keep on ice
until you are ready to dehydrate. If you are purchasing fish, make sure it is fresh
and not previously frozen. Frozen fish can still be made into jerky, but be aware that
the quality is inferior to fresh.
Cut fish into 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick strips. Marinate in your own favorite marinade.
When using your own recipe, be sure to include at least 1-‐1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
per pound of fresh fish. Salt slows the growth of surface bacteria during the initial
stages of drying. Marinate for at least 4 to 8 hours in refrigerator so fish will absorb
salt and seasonings.
Dry fish jerky at 130˚F to 140˚F (55˚C to 60˚C) until they feel firm and dry, but don’t
crumble. There should be no moist spots.
DRYING FISH
SELECTION
PREPARATION
DRYING SAUSAGE
•
Preheat the dehydrator to the highest setting. Verify the dehydrator is holding the
temperature, proceed to the next step.
•
Lay the sausage on a cutting board. Slice to desired thickness, we recommend 1/4-‐3/8''
inch strips. Sausage that is too thick can greatly increase drying time.
•
Put the sausage on the dehydrator trays with at least 3/4” space between pieces.
•
Dehydrate the sausage for 4 to 10 hours, checking on it regularly. When the sausage is
pliable but not brittle, it is ready.
•
Put the sausage in a plastic bag or a glass jar and leave it open. Let it continue to dry for
24 hours before sealing.