4
Preparing Jerky from Meat/Poultry Strips
Select lean meats such as beef and venison sirloin, rump, and round cuts; pork loin and ham cuts; and poultry breast, thigh, and leg. Trim
meat of visible fat, connective tissue, and gristle. Remove skin and fat from poultry. Freeze meat/poultry until firm, but not solid, to make
slicing easier. Slice into strips that are ¼ inch thick, 1 inch wide, and 5 to 6 inches long. Slice across the grain for a more tender jerky or with
the grain for a chewier jerky.
Flavor the meat/poultry strips by marinating in your own favorite marinade, a commercial marinade, or use the marinade recipe below. If
desired, Presto
®
Jerky Seasoning* can also be used to marinate the strips. To use the Presto
®
Jerky Seasoning, mix one packet of spice and
one packet of cure with ¼ cup of water. Place marinade and strips in a resealable plastic storage bag. Seal bag and shake to thoroughly coat
the strips. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Turn bag often to evenly coat the strips.
Refer to the CAUTION note on page 3 about cooking the meat/poultry before or baking after dehydrating. For a more desirable texture, bake
after dehydration. Meat/poultry that is precooked prior to dehydrating will have shorter drying times; however, the end product will have a
dry, crumbly texture. If cooking the meat before dehydrating is preferred, follow the instructions below:
Cooking before dehydrating:
After marinating, place strips and liquid marinade into a shallow pan. If no liquid remains, add enough
water to cover strips. Bring liquid to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.
Remove strips from marinade and place in a colander to drain. Pat strips dry. Then position them on dehydrator trays. Arrange strips close
together but not overlapping. The average drying time will be 4 to 8 hours. See “Determining Dryness” information below.
If you did not cook the meat/poultry prior to dehydrating, bake it after, following the instructions below.
Baking after dehydrating:
Preheat oven to 275°F. For an accurate temperature reading, check with an oven thermometer. Remove jerky
strips from dehydrator trays and place on a baking sheet close together, but not touching. Heat jerky in preheated oven for 10 minutes;
jerky strips should be sizzling when removed from the oven. Remove jerky from baking sheet and cool to room temperature.
Preparing Jerky from Ground Meat
Mix one packet of Presto
™
jerky spice* and one packet of Presto
™
jerky cure* with 1 pound of lean ground meat; refer to the warning infor-
mation on page 3. Place the ground meat mixture in a Presto
™
jerky gun* or a cookie press and extrude meat directly onto dehydrator trays,
making sure that the meat does not touch or overlap. The average drying time will be 4 to 8 hours. See “Determining Dryness” information
below. Bake the meat after dehydrating, following the instructions above.
Determining Dryness
Begin checking jerky after about 4 hours and every 30 minutes thereafter. Drying time will depend on a variety of factors. These factors include
the type of meat/poultry, the amount of fat, and whether or not it was precooked before dehydrating. In addition, times will vary depending
on size/thickness of the pieces and how full the trays are. Jerky that is acceptably dry will crack when bent but will not break.
Packaging and Storage
After cooling, pat jerky with paper toweling to remove any fat droplets which may have formed on the jerky. Follow “Packaging and Storing
Dried Food” information on page 8. Jerky can be stored 1 to 2 months at room temperature. However, to maintain the best flavor and quality,
store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Jerky Marinade
†
1½–2 pounds of lean meat/poultry
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hickory smoke flavored salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and follow “Preparing Jerky from Meat/Poultry Strips” instructions above.
Drying Fruit and Fruit Rolls
Dried fruits and fruit rolls (or leathers) are nutritious and portable snacks. Drying fruit intensifies the natural sweetness of the fruit because
the moisture is removed.
Selection and Preparation
Select fruits that are at the peak of ripeness. Wash fruits to remove dirt and debris. There are many options when it comes to drying fruit
and personal preference should be your guide. Fruits can be sliced, halved, or left whole (if small); peeled or unpeeled; pretreated or left
untreated. Fruits that are sliced thin and peeled will dry the fastest. Fruits left whole will require the most drying time. Slice fruit uniformly
and in pieces about ¼ inch thick. Fruits that are left whole, such as blueberries, cranberries, and grapes, should be dipped in boiling water for
30 to 60 seconds and then plunged in ice water to crack the skin. This procedure will reduce the drying time.
* Presto
®
Jerky Seasoning, spice, cure, and gun are sold separately (see page 10).
†
Jerky Marinade recipe provided by “So Easy To Preserve”, 5th ed., 2006 Bulletin 989, Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia, Athens. Revised by
Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D. and Judy A. Harrison, Ph.D., Extension Foods Specialists.
