food dehydrator for jerky?
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Chawbaccer
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I use the kitchen oven for mine on warm, door slightly open, run skewers thru it and hang it on some wood blocks, takes maybe 3-4 hours,just depends.
I don't really use a recipe, but just mix up some Jack Daniels, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid smoke and so forth. let is set for 24 hours or so.
You can find lots of recipes on line, experiment.
I don't really use a recipe, but just mix up some Jack Daniels, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid smoke and so forth. let is set for 24 hours or so.
You can find lots of recipes on line, experiment.
Bob F.
Member
I took an old fridge, cut out the divider between main body and freezer, cut round hole in top for stack, cut hole on bottom side for door (plywood slide) and made shelve out of 1/4" hardware cloth. Put electric hot plate in bottom w/ dimmer control. Get temp adjusted to about 110 F.
Can't find the jerky receipe right off hand (just moved). But I like to butcher my own deer; bone it out, and seperate into muscles stripping off the white sheath. Freeze (or thaw) until not quite solid and slice thin with sharp knife. Marinade overnight and arrange on the racks and dry until, well...dry, but not powdery. I've had cohorts make jerky that was still so wet that I was afraid to eat it. My recepie is from "The Guide to Sausage Making" I think.
Try: 1 cup soy sauce
1 cup worchestershire
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp red pepper (cayenne)
2 tbsp canning salt
Pour over meat and seal, place in refrigerator, stirring 3 3or 4 times in 18-24 hours. Store dried jerky in zip lock bags in refrigerator since it has no nitrate preservatives. With all the salt it'll keep a while at room temp but I don't push my luck. Mine never last long enough to spoil. Ill post receipe and source as soon as I find it.
Stay safe.
Bob
Can't find the jerky receipe right off hand (just moved). But I like to butcher my own deer; bone it out, and seperate into muscles stripping off the white sheath. Freeze (or thaw) until not quite solid and slice thin with sharp knife. Marinade overnight and arrange on the racks and dry until, well...dry, but not powdery. I've had cohorts make jerky that was still so wet that I was afraid to eat it. My recepie is from "The Guide to Sausage Making" I think.
Try: 1 cup soy sauce
1 cup worchestershire
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp red pepper (cayenne)
2 tbsp canning salt
Pour over meat and seal, place in refrigerator, stirring 3 3or 4 times in 18-24 hours. Store dried jerky in zip lock bags in refrigerator since it has no nitrate preservatives. With all the salt it'll keep a while at room temp but I don't push my luck. Mine never last long enough to spoil. Ill post receipe and source as soon as I find it.
Stay safe.
Bob
Cindog
Member
Check your local want ads for a Popeil dehydrator. It seems like this is one of those products that tons of people bought but end up selling after the novelty wears off. I liberated mine from my mom and it works perfectly despite being about 15 years old.
NRA4LIFE
Member
I just turned 13 lbs of venison into jerky over the weekend. I have an American Harvest dehydrator (the round one) with 10 racks. I can do about 6-7 lbs worth of meat. My recipe is similar to the ones posted above but I add a 1/2 tsp of cure (prague powder #1, or insta-cure) to every 4 lbs of meat or so since I keep it unrefridgerated when I hunt. I like a little bit of hot pepper flakes in it as well. I also have a homemade smoker out of an old metal refridgerator that I tried for the first time and it worked great. I installed a small computer fan in the draft at the bottom to increase air flow and that worked awesome. I also set it at about 110 degrees, monitoring the temp inside with a digital remote thermometer. Another really simple recipe that I really like is just to add a 20 oz bottle of teriyaki suace with some cure and a little hot pepper flakes to 5 pounds of meat, adding water to cover and marinating overnight.
NoahFN
Member
I make jerky in a food dehydrator occasionally. It's a cheaper generic version I think, but it works well. The last seasoning I used I picked up when visiting the Cabelas store in Michigan and just used the directions on the package. It was good stuff.
birddog
Member
Bob F's recipe sounds almost like mine.
For simplicity, you can get away with 1/2 Worchestershire & 1/2 Soy Sauce, marinate overnight and sprinkle with black pepper and garlic salt as you place it on the racks.
For spicy jerky, I've marinaded overnight in Frank's Hot Sauce with some jalapeno peppers (leave in the seeds) sliced into the marinade....Good stuff!
Almost any $30 dehydrator will do a decent job for you. The key is to monitor the jerky's progress. You'll find that some pieces will be "just right" before others. You should remove them as they reach the consistency you like, so the early finishers don't get overly dried.
For simplicity, you can get away with 1/2 Worchestershire & 1/2 Soy Sauce, marinate overnight and sprinkle with black pepper and garlic salt as you place it on the racks.
For spicy jerky, I've marinaded overnight in Frank's Hot Sauce with some jalapeno peppers (leave in the seeds) sliced into the marinade....Good stuff!
Almost any $30 dehydrator will do a decent job for you. The key is to monitor the jerky's progress. You'll find that some pieces will be "just right" before others. You should remove them as they reach the consistency you like, so the early finishers don't get overly dried.
orangeninja
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- 3,117
Well I've got a computer science textbook that is so dry, if you place it on top of a T-Bone steak overnight....when you wake up in the morning...viola' jerky. 
NoahFN
Member
I've got a few of those text books laying around. Maybe I can sell my dehydrator.
unixguy
Member
Never done it, but looked successful on TV!
The interesting thing that was in this episode is Alton said that the problem with most dehydrators is that they end up cooking the food, which he said makes bad jerky.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31151,00.html
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Special Equipment: 1 box fan, 4 paper air-conditioning filters, and 2 bungee cords
Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.
Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.
Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.
Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.
Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.
The interesting thing that was in this episode is Alton said that the problem with most dehydrators is that they end up cooking the food, which he said makes bad jerky.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31151,00.html
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Special Equipment: 1 box fan, 4 paper air-conditioning filters, and 2 bungee cords
Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.
Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.
Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.
Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.
Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.
NavajoNPaleFace
Member
I originally bought a "Ron Popeil"(sp?) dehydrater and quickly found out the air flow on 'em suck.
I then bought an American Harvester and soon found out I found the ideal dehydrater.
The price tag is higher on the American Harvester but you get what you pay for.
I can knock out dried food at less than half the time it took the Popeil.
I then bought an American Harvester and soon found out I found the ideal dehydrater.
The price tag is higher on the American Harvester but you get what you pay for.
I can knock out dried food at less than half the time it took the Popeil.
rellascout
member
unixguy,
I recognize a Good eats recipe when I see one. Alton Brown is the man. And if you are wondering it does work great.
The problem with most dehydrators is that they do not create enough air flow and to make up for it they use heat. This will make the jerky too chewy.
Jerky should not be cooked by heating. It is chemical cooking via smoking.
I recognize a Good eats recipe when I see one. Alton Brown is the man. And if you are wondering it does work great.
The problem with most dehydrators is that they do not create enough air flow and to make up for it they use heat. This will make the jerky too chewy.
Jerky should not be cooked by heating. It is chemical cooking via smoking.
NRA4LIFE
Member
My American Harvest dehydrator can be cranked all the way down to about 85 degrees I think, with plenty of air flow. I have tried many different temperatures for drying and I have settled on about 105-110 as optimum. I have not noticed any difference in the final product if the temp is kept at those temps. or lower. Usually, a batch will take about 8-10 hours at 105. At 85-90 degrees it just takes too long.
There are alot of recipes out there that are pretty tasty....you just have to experiment a little. The best advice I could give is just get a BIG dehydrator or use the oven. I made the mistake of using a small one my first time and I was so sick of moving jerky trays, I just about swore it off. LOL I was even coming home on my lunch break to swap the suckers out! :banghead:
Do yourself a favor and try this cure/seasoning:
http://www.himtnjerky.com/
I dry it on racks in the oven, sliced thin usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours at most.
ElKabong
http://www.himtnjerky.com/
I dry it on racks in the oven, sliced thin usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours at most.
ElKabong
NateG
Member
Excuse my ignorance
Is "Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months" the final step in the process or the jerky's shelf life? In other words, once dry, can the jerky be eaten, or must it age in the airtight container?
/stupid question
Is "Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months" the final step in the process or the jerky's shelf life? In other words, once dry, can the jerky be eaten, or must it age in the airtight container?
/stupid question
Chawbaccer
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- Feb 3, 2005
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- 1,865
NateG said:
Nate, my experience is that in a couple weeks its gone. Go ahead and eat it after it's dry.
NateG
Member
I'd assume it's the brine you soaked it in curing it. Sorta like smoking (after soaking in brine), but without the added heat. (Which isn't all that much, I don't think. --I'm trying to remember it from Meat Science class back in school... what a great class.)
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
guess i missed something. but...
wheres the brine
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
guess i missed something. but...
wheres the brine
Safe for eating ? BEWARE I remember a group of hunters who ate jerky from bear - they all came down with a bad case of trichinosis !!! That could happen with wild pig tother microorganisms would be similar.The brine soaking removes some of the moisture and the salt acts as a preservative.The drying itself acts as a preservative . If you eat a lot of jerky at once [ as one hunter I know did] you will get very thirsty from the dried salted meat .The water will greatly expand the meat and you will be very uncomfortale for hours !!
ther microorganisms would be similar.The brine soaking removes some of the moisture and the salt acts as a preservative.The drying itself acts as a preservative . If you eat a lot of jerky at once [ as one hunter I know did] you will get very thirsty from the dried salted meat .The water will greatly expand the meat and you will be very uncomfortale for hours !!NateG
Member
The brine is the Worcestershire and soy sauce. (brine being just a salt solution, and the sauces are rather salty)
The salt acts to delay the process of the meat's spoiling until after the meat cures.
It is the salt that makes the meat safe, not (just) the drying. By creating a dry, salty food, it's not very bacteria frendly.
pauli
Member
now i'm pondering cutting up the busted fridge in the garage... hmm...
then again, do i really want to make jerky in the garage?
then again, do i really want to make jerky in the garage?
a point worth mentioning. meat from carnivorous and omnivorous animals must be cooked, not smoked, dried, salted, cured, dehydrated, microwaved, freezedried, beaten, stabbed, shot, or looked at funny. similarly, harsh language is insufficient.mete said:
About 50 years ago the Iowa Conservation newsletter printed a recipe for jerky. IIRC strips of marinated beef were cut into strips, strung on wire, and dipped into boiling brine water for about 1 minute. They were then taken outside and stretched out in the sun on a hot day. I made some at the time for boy scout camping and it turned out good to me. We used to drop small pieces into a small amount of boiling water with some flour to make beef and gravy. I seem to recall it really swelled up again. Never made it again, and lost the recipe.
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