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19
Many recipes are available, but it’s fun to make up your own concoction . You can use virtually any combination of the following
ingredients: soy, Worcestershire, tomato or barbecue sauce; garlic, onion or curry powder, seasoned salt or pepper .
Pick a lean cut of raw meat as free from fat as possible; the higher the fat content, the shorter the storage life of the jerky . The best
way to get uniform pieces is with a meat slicer, but a sharp knife will do . When using a knife, partially freezing raw meat will make
slicing easier . Slice the meat either with or across the grain . Jerky cut with the grain will be chewy; cut across the grain will be very
tender but more brittle . Cut into strips 1’ wide, 3/18” thick and as long as you want . once sliced, cut off all visible fat .
To better preserve your jerky, apply either dry or brine cure prior to dehydrating . Dry cures are salt and seasoning mixtures rubbed
into the meat surfaces . Brine cures or marinades combine water with the salt and seasoning . Meat is soaked in the brine until the
salt is absorbed .
The Process
To dry cure, spread the meat strips in a single layer on a cutting board or some other flat surface . Sprinkle the curing mixture on
both sides of the strips . Coat the strips evenly . Layer the strips one on top of another in a glass, plastic, or stoneware container that
is sealed tightly .
Meat for brine curing should be layered with the cure pored over it to cover the top layers . Place the container in the refrigerator
and marinate for 6-12 hours (or preferably overnight .) Turn the strips over several times to ensure thorough coating .
Dehydrating
Shake off any excess cure and spread the meat strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays . Dry at 155 ºF/68ºC for approximately
4-6 hours, occasionally blotting off any fat droplets that appear on the surface . While drying, the temperature will go up and down
around the set point - this is important to dry correctly . Your meat will hit 160º if you use the 155º - set point on the dial .
Always test jerky using a cooled piece . Properly dried jerky, when bent, should crack but not break .
Storage
Package cooled jerky in air-tight containers such as zip-top or vacuum sealed bags . For best flavor retention, package the jerky into
individual serving sizes and store in a cool, dark, dry place . If beads of moisture form on the inside of the storage container, the jerky
is not dry enough and could mold - dry longer .
JERKY
Fish/Shellfish % Fat
Catfish* 5 .2
Cod 0 .53
Croaker 2 .5
Flounder 1 .4
Greenland Turbot
3 .5
Grouper 1 .0
Haddock 0 .5
Halibut 4 .3
Lake Trout*
11 .1
Mackeral* 9 .9
Monkfish 1 .5
Mullet* 6 .0
ocean Perch
1 .4
Pollock 1 .3
Rainbow Trout*
6 .8
Rockfish 0 .2
Salmon* 9 .3
Sea Bass
1 .6
Sea Herring 2 .8
Sea Trout 3 .8
Shark* 5 .2
Shrimp 1 .6
Smelt 2 .0
Snapper 1 .1
Sole 1 .4
Tuna* 5 .1
Whitefish* 7 .2
Whiting 1 .3
Yellow Perch
1 .1
PB
Beef Jerky
Flank, round and sirloin tip cuts are the best to use when making beef jerky . Rich in protein,
beef is also high in phosphorus, iron, and riboflavin . See page 19, whole meal prep .
game Jerky
Deer, bear and elk meat can all be made into jerky . Venison makes excellent jerky
because it has no marbled fat . Flank or round cuts are best for this purpose . Before drying,
game meat should be frozen for 60 days at 0ºF/-18ºC . This should kill any disease causing
bacteria that may be present . To prepare, follow instructions for beef jerky .
Poultry Jerky
For something uniquely different, try cooked chicken or turkey jerky . For this kind of jerky,
you can use the same cures as you would for meat . Since poultry is very fibrous, expect
your jerky to be somewhat more brittle than its beef counterpart . Dry at 155ºF/68ºC until
dehydrated throughout (about 4 hours .)
Fish Jerky
Dehydrating fish is not a process to treat lightly . Fish for jerky must be extremely fresh to
prevent spoilage before it can be dried . Be on the lookout for the oil content of the fish .
Fatty or oily fish, like tuna, spoil rapidly and, unlike meat, there is no way to simply cut off
the fat . Dehydrating these types of fish is inadvisable (see chart below .)
Curing: Make up a cold brine consisting of 3/4 cup salt to 1 1/2 quarts water and place
the fish in it to marinate for about 1/2 hour . Rinse the fish thoroughly to remove traces of
salt; then arrange the pieces on a cutting board . Coat the fish with a dry cure which
may be made up of any combination of salt and seasonings . Layer the coated fish in an
airtight glass or plastic container . Refrigerate for 6-10 hours .
Remove the fish from the refrigerator and shake off any excess cure . Lay the strips on
the dehydrator trays so none are touching, and dry for approximately 12-14 hours at
155ºF/68ºC .
Testing: When you squeeze the fleshy part of a cooled piece of fish between your thumb
and forefinger, it should never be crumbly or crunchy . Finish by smelling and tasting the
fish . The jerky should have a mildly fishy flavor and aroma . Fish jerky should contain 15%
to 20% water and there should be no visible surface moisture .
Storage:
Store according to beef jerky storing instructions .