Ask Arlene about DEHYDRATING
JERKY©
By Arlene
Wright-Correll
When purchasing meats for jerky, choose
lean meats with minimal marbling (fat), as fat tends to get rancid during
storage. A lean cut of flank steak or round steak makes excellent jerky. Most
lean meats will yield about 1 pound of jerky for 3 pounds of meat. Jerky may be
made from a variety of meats including wild game meats, fish and poultry. Use
filets of fish and breast of chicken.
You can make delicious jerky from ground meat, using Home Farm Herbery
Jerky seasoning. It's best to use
ground round or lean (or extra lean) meat. Season
with Home Farm Herbery Jerky seasoning.
When making jerky from pork, chicken, or turkey, that
is precooked or processed meat. Be sure to dry it at the highest
temperature setting. After drying, heat it in your oven at a minimum
temperature of 160°F (60°C) for at least 30 minutes as a precaution against
risk of salmonella. When using raw pork, chicken, or turkey heat
it in oven at minimum temperature of 160°F (60°C) for at least 30
minutes before dehydrating as a precaution against risk of
salmonella. Be sure to dry it at the highest temperature setting.
When you are jerking game meats, freeze meats for at least 60 days at
0°F (-18°C) before drying as a precaution against any diseases the
animal might be carrying. Then thaw meat, add seasoning and press into strips
or sticks, and place on trays to dry.
Depending on how thick meat is cut, how heavily dryer is loaded, and the
humidity, jerky takes from 4 to 15
hours to dry. Marinate your meat for 6-8 hrs or
overnight. Before dehydrating game meat, heat oven at minimum
temperature of 160°F (60°C) for at least 30 minutes as a precaution against
risk of salmonella. Be sure to dry it at highest temperature setting.
Pat jerky with clean paper towels several times as it dries, to remove oil that
accumulates on top of jerky. When removing jerky from dehydrator trays wrap it
in paper towels and let it stand for a couple hours prior to packaging. Excess
fat will be absorbed in the paper towels and shelf life will be extended.
Preparation
With a sharp knife, remove all fat, gristle, membranes and connecting tissue.
Cut into strips 1/4" to 3/8" thick and 5" to 6" long. It is
easier to slice partially frozen meat for jerky. Cut meat in uniform thickness
so it will dry in same amount of time. Cut strips across grain to produce jerky
that is easier to break apart and chew.
Marinate cut meats in either store-bought marinade or your own recipe. Marinate
4 to 8 hours or overnight in refrigerator before drying. Home Farm Herbery
Jerky seasoning can also be used to marinate by mixing one package of cure, one
package of spice/seasoning and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water per pound of meat.
Marinating adds flavor as well as tenderizes.
The longer meat marinates, the more flavorful the jerky. If
you use your own recipe, be sure to use a curing spice combination that
includes Salt, Sodium Nitrite to prevent bacterial growth during the initial
stages of drying.
To make jerky from ground meat, choose 85% to 90% lean meat. Beef, venison,
buffalo and turkey are the most popular choices. Ground meat jerky is easier to
make, dries faster, and is less expensive and easier to chew than jerky slices.
Add one package of jerky seasoning mix and cure per pound of ground meat. Mix
well and form into strips by using a jerky press or a cookie press. Place on
trays and dry.
Storage
Beef jerky that is stored un-refrigerated will start to go rancid at room
temperature after 2 to 4 weeks. Refrigerate or freeze to keep fresh longer
until ready to use. If any ice crystals have formed inside bag, re-package in a
dry container. If jerky is dried thoroughly, it will last for several weeks in
the outdoors or while traveling. All types of jerky must be dried sufficiently
to avoid mold. If mold is found inside of storage bag of jerky, the whole
container must be thrown away.
Jerky Made from Ground Meat:
Jerky is a great snack!
Step 1. Blend one seasoning and
one cure packet of Home Farm Herbery Jerky seasoning with one pound of
extra lean ground beef.
Step 2. To load gun with jerky
meat mixture, hold silver tab down and pull red knob all the way back.
Step 3. Unscrew red ring from
end of tube. Place meat mixture into tube. Insert desired tip attachment.
Step 4. Push red knob until it
presses against meat. Hold jerky gun over dehydrator tray and squeeze silver
trigger repeatedly to release mixture onto tray. Dry jerky at highest
temperature (160 degrees F) until jerky is "leathery." It will take 4
to 15 hours to dry.
Jerky Made from Sliced Meats:
Mix Jerky Spice seasoning with water.
Place Jerky marinade and meat in a storage bag, seal and shake to mix
completely. Refrigerate meat and Jerky marinade 8 to 24 hours. Place meat on
dehydrator trays and dry at highest temperature setting 5 to 10 hours, or until
done. Enjoy great tasting Jerky!
This Homemade Jerky Recipe also is great for making venison jerky and turkey
jerky.
“Tread the Earth Lightly” and
in the meantime… may your day be filled with….Peace, light and love,
Arlene Wright-Correll
Remember 100%
of our profits go to St Jude's Research Hospital.
Labels: Arlene Wright-Correll, Ask Arlene about DEHYDRATING JERKY©, herbs, Home Farm Herbery, jerky seasoning, seasoning, seeds, spices
