Dehydrating food
Dehydrating meat
- Select a good, lean piece of meat.
- Make sure you trim all fat from the meat.
- Dry meat at a minimum temperature of 65C (145F). An article from the Department of Nutrition at the University of Nevada says that beef products have to reach a minimum internal temperature of 70C (155F); poultry 75C (165F); and pork 66C (150F). To make pork jerky use only precooked, processed ham.
Jerky Marinade
I use the following recipe for my beef jerky marindate. You can very the amounts according to your spice tollerance:
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Marinate overnight and then dry for 8 to 10 hours at at least 65C (145F).
Dehydrating chicken
Be extremely cautious about chicken, dehydration will not kill Salmonella. If you insist on dehydrating chicken make sure you strictly adhere to the following guidelines:
- Before starting preparation wash your hands thoroughly with a mild solution of detergent, bleach and water.
- Clean all utensils and containers with the same solution.
- Make sure all counter surfaces and bread boards are thoroughly cleaned using the same solution.
- Once you have finished dehydrating store the chicken in tightly sealed containers in the fridge. This will help retard bacterial growth. (I store all my dehydrated food in the freezer and I NEVER dehydrate chicken).
- Once you have opened the container use the food as soon as possible. (ie: Store food in meal sizes).