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Meats-fish-poultry dehydration tips
Dried meats are best when made for upcoming camping and backpacking trips. When reconstitu-
ted they yield a tasty meat, somewhat like fresh cooked.
Use only very lean meats and cut away as much fat as possible. Meat should be marinated before
drying to add flavour and also to tenderize it. The marinade should contain salt, which helps extract
water from the meat and also helps preserve it, but it should not have any oil. Most marinades
contain some sort of acid (like tomato sauce or vinegar) because the acid breaks down the fibers
making the meat more tender.
Slicing meat while partially frozen will be easier, especially if you want very thin slices. A food pro-
cessor or a specialized meat slicer can do a great job. You can also tell your butcher that you are
making dried meat or jerky and they will be glad to thin slice it for you.
When drying meat or game for stews, soups, etc., remember that these types of meats must
be cooked prior to drying. Cook, cut into small cubes and place in the dehydrator. Dry until al
moisture has been removed, approximately 2 to 8 hours.
When ready to use in your favourite stew simply rehydrate by soaking in water or broth for at least
1 1/2 hours, or until tender and about the size they were before dehydrating.
Beef
Choose lean cuts. Beef flank steak, round or rump are better than chuck or rib.
Poultry
All poultry must be cooked before drying. Steaming or roasting are the best methods. Chicken
breasts are leaner than dark meat.
Fish
A good idea is to steam the fish before dehydrating or, if you chose to bake it, preheat your con-
ventional oven to 200°F and bake for 20 minutes or until fish is flaky. When drying fish, sole and
flounder are good choices.
Jerky
Dehydrating meat without prior cooking will produce the rigid chewy style of meat known as jerky.
It is one of the oldest known forms of meat preservation. Because jerked meat is made without
cooking the meat first, it is important to start with quality meat, and to have a clean and sanitary
work area. Also, be sure to thoroughly cleanse the work surfaces when done. Remember that jerky
is the only meat to be placed uncooked in the dehydrator.
Making beef jerky
As with nearly all foods, it is important to start with a quality cut of meat. Select a lean flank
or round steak about 1 to 1 ½ inches thick. Trim off all fat and connective tissue. Fat hampers
the ability of the meat to dry, and the connective tissue will make for a tough jerky to chew.
For easier cutting, place meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes to partially freeze. Then turn
it over and freeze for an additional 15 minutes. Cut across the grain into strips about 1/8 inch thick.
Marinate the strips for at least 3 hours, or even overnight. This gives the meat a unique flavour and
at the same time tenderizes the meat. Increase the marinating time for a stronger flavoured jerky.
Important note:
except for jerky, cookIng of all meats and fIsh
before dryIng Is requIred to ensure safety. do not store drIed meat,
fIsh or poultry longer than two months.