Making Jerky and other dehydrated foods

[Knifemaker]

Am looking at making my own jerky. Do not know squat about this, other than you put marinated meat into a food dehydrator and out comes jerky.

So, any tips, suggestions, useful gadgets and recommendations on what model dehydrator to get will be useful. And any recipes once I get going.

So far, have found this unit mentioned a few times surfing the subject:

https://www.amazon.com/Nesco-Snackmaster-Food-Dehydrator-FD-75A/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=as_at/?imprToken=szOq.CGSBahKFr-uiLjilg&slotNum=13&ie=UTF8&qid=1475853277&sr=8-1&keywords=nesco+snackmaster+pro&linkCode=sl1&tag=dehydratorreviews04-20&linkId=517305340404c541b61b480c88d30f5d

Any features that I should look for? Anything to avoid?

TIA

 

[08FJR4ME]

I believe mine is a Nesco also but may not be as fancy at the one you linked too. It works fine but then again what do I know. I am no expert. I just like food to taste good. I usually by the cheapest cuts of meat.

London broil is one. Slice against the grain and marinate. Usually about 1/4 inch thick. It will reduce in size by about 50 %. The marinade is the Key to success. The meat will be somewhat chewy regardless.

Let us know how you make out. Maybe I will try it this weekend.

Good luck,

Dave

 

[FTL900]

I did it the old school way, in my oven. I cut the meat into strips (partially frozen makes it easier to cut) and then hung the strips from the top rack with a toothpick thru each one (drip pan underneath) and put the oven on the lowest setting. Leave the oven door cracked open. Seems like 10-12 minutes, but it's been a long time since I've done it. Google is your friend.

 

[Knifemaker]

Yep. I've read about doing in your oven. Alton Brown even shows how to make your own dehydrator using a box fan. My stove top is gas, but the oven is electric and has a convection feature, which I've been told is great to be used to make jerky in. Lowest setting however is 170F, which might be a bit high. You can buy a dehydrator for $35.00 at Walmart, so given the fact I want to do this on a continual basis, I think getting a dedicated dehydrator is where I want to go.

Luckily, where I live, beef prices are pretty good. Stores here have occasional specials on sirloin for around 4 bucks a pound, and my neighbor has no problem trading me deer meat for smoked ribs

So, I'm not entering this as an experiment...I want to go full tilt.

 

[n7myr]

I have a cheap dehydrator but it has served me well for years. mine takes 12-14 hours, I have a friend with a newer unit and it takes 6 hours with that one. here is the recipe I got from my family doc about 15 years ago and I just made some over the weekend.

mine is (HOT) it's the way I like it.

2 lb (96% lean) hamburger

1 tbls sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tbls liquid smoke

1 tsp garlic juice or 1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tbls Accent

2 tbls soy sauce

2 tbls Tabasco Habenro

2 tbls ghost pepper sauce (salsa)

1 heaping tbls chili powder

shake in some crushed red pepers

shake in some Course black pepper

mix all ingredients well with rubber gloves

using a heavy metal spatchula put a small mount of burger on a small piece of parchment paper and mash out thin. lay the thin burger on trays and lift off paper, make sure the meat does not over lap

rotate trays about half way through drying process

emm good stuff. I have been make this for years. hamburger???????? yep hamburger

 

[900gc]

My mom used a cheepy $30 dehydrator for years and made some of the best jerky I ever had. Worked fine and she'd make lbs. at a time. Don't know what the recipe was but it was good!

 

[Bill Lumberg]

Steak cut into strips, marinated for 24 hours in A1 sauce, and dried in the oven with the door cracked is pretty good. When I used to distance hike, I'd make a batch for the trail.

 

[gregory]

There are a ton of recipes on allrecipes.com

I use a soy/worcestershire sauce base and try different things in the marinade. Sometimes it works sometimes not so much.

I do use my Trager for smoking the meat. depending on the thickness, it can take an hour or so up to 3-4 hours.

I always eat my mistakes!

Good luck!

 

[dravnx]

I've been smoking meats for many years in my Bradley smoker. Started making jerky a few years ago. One day I did the math and figured out I can buy jerky from the local butcher for the same price as I can make it. His is a little on the soft side for my taste so I buy a few pounds and bake them in the over at 170 for a few hours or until it reaches the consistency I like.

 

[eflyguy]

Before I bought a dehydrator, I made it in the oven many time - but with it OFF, only the light on. That warmed it ever so slightly.

Later I bought a 2xC cell-powered desk fan, and put that in the oven as well. Huge improvement! Comes in handy to dry-age steak in the fridge, also...

 

[PhilJet09]

We do jerky from time to time. The most helpful thing we learned is that there's never any reason to slice up our own meat. Just talk to the butcher at one of our local groceries (ok, you have to go during normal hours) and tell them what you're doing. They make a cut selection and slice it up for you, easy. We just find a nice marinade recipe online and go to it. Piece of cake.

 

[Frushlorton]

Perfect timing, just picked the deer up at the processors last night. Researching marinades.......

 

[Knifemaker]

We do jerky from time to time. The most helpful thing we learned is that there's never any reason to slice up our own meat. Just talk to the butcher at one of our local groceries (ok, you have to go during normal hours) and tell them what you're doing. They make a cut selection and slice it up for you, easy..

But I just got a nice long sashimi knife.... .

I told my son this, as he said he had a little problem slicing up his meat. I also asked if he threw it in the freezer for a bit, which does help if you are cutting it up at home.

 

[dravnx]

I go to the Mexican market (lots of them around here) and buy Carne Asada meat. It's already sliced to about 1/4". All I have to do is slice it to width. That's when I used to make my own jerky.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Carne Asada.

Elk and deer make the best jerky around. Yum!!

 

[wingshot]

Another source for information, if you decide to do more than jerky, please check out the backpackingchef.com website. There insights into dehydrators and how to dehydrate foods of all kinds as well as how to put together meals.

 

[user 6393]

I havent bothered for years, but i used a cheap dehydrator and would freeze the roasts, take them back to the local butcher and he would cut it thin on his commercial slicer. I did a soy/ginger/garlic/demerera sugar marinade with a small drop of liquid smoke.

 

[Knifemaker]

Well looked around online and read more reviews...ended up ordering the model I linked to in my first post. ETA is this Friday...guess I'll be studying up on marinades till then....

 

[Ndv21]

following this thread. I've had jerky on my mind for a few months now....wait.....that doesn't sound good......

....dammit....