7
Meats and Poultry
Highest setting
Fish
130°F to 140°F
Fruits and Vegetables
130°F to 140°F
Herbs, Spices, Nuts, and Seeds
90°F to 100°F
Proper Dehydrating
Recommended Drying Temperatures
WILD GAME JERKY - DRY AT HIGHEST SETTING
Jerky is a favorite snack for anyone - at school, lunch, on the trail or just
about anywhere! It is made by seasoning lean, raw game meats in a
salt mixture (cure) and marinating, then drying it without cooking. The
finished jerky product is protein-rich and ever so delicious on its own or
used as a savory broth base for soups and stews.
When you are jerking game meats, freeze the meats for at least 60 days
at 0°F or colder before drying as a precaution against parasites that the
animal may have been carrying. Then partially thaw the meat, cut into
strips 1/4" to 3/8" thick and 6" long. It is easier to slice partially frozen
meat for jerky. Cut meat in uniform thickness so they all dry in the same
amount of time. It is best to cut strips across the grain to produce jerky
that is easier to break apart and chew.
Add delicious Eastman Outdoors
®
jerky cure and seasonings which
are available in a large variety of flavors or your own cure and recipe
marinade for a minimum of 4 to 8 hours in the refrigerator before drying.
The longer you marinate the meat, the more flavorful the jerky. If you
use your own recipe, be sure to use a cure and spice combination that
includes salt (Sodium Nitrite) to prevent bacterial growth during the
initial stages of drying.
You can make delicious jerky from ground game meat, using the
Eastman Outdoors
®
Jerky and Sausage Gun Kit and our large variety of
delicious seasoning packs.
When making jerky from wild game meats be sure to dry it at the
highest temperature setting. Pat jerky with clean paper towels several
times during the drying cycle to remove any oils that accumulate on
the top of the jerky. When removing jerky from dehydrator trays, wrap
slices in paper towels so excess fat can be absorbed which will help to
increase storage shelf life.
CAUTION:
Finally, after dehydrating, heat all of the meat slices in your
oven at a minimum temperature of 165°F for at least 30 minutes as a
precaution against the risk of parasites such as salmonella.
JERKY USING MEATS OR POULTRY - DRY AT HIGHEST SETTING
Jerky can also be made from a variety of other meats and poultry. When
