Operating instructions

19
Many recipes are available, but it’s fun to make up your own concoction. You can use virtually any combination of the following
ingredients: soy, Worcestershire, tomato or barbecue sauce; garlic, onion or curry powder, seasoned salt or pepper.
Pick a lean cut of raw meat as free from fat as possible; the higher the fat content, the shorter the storage life of the jerky. The best
way to get uniform pieces is with a meat slicer, but a sharp knife will do. When using a knife, partially freezing raw meat will make
slicing easier. Slice the meat either with or across the grain. Jerky cut with the grain will be chewy; cut across the grain will be very
tender but more brittle. Cut into strips 1’ wide, 3/18” thick and as long as you want. Once sliced, cut off all visible fat.
To better preserve your jerky, apply either dry or brine cure prior to dehydrating. Dry cures are salt and seasoning mixtures rubbed
into the meat surfaces. Brine cures or marinades combine water with the salt and seasoning. Meat is soaked in the brine until the
salt is absorbed.
The Process
To dry cure, spread the meat strips in a single layer on a cutting board or some other flat surface. Sprinkle the curing mixture on
both sides of the strips. Coat the strips evenly. Layer the strips one on top of another in a glass, plastic, or stoneware container that
is sealed tightly.
Meat for brine curing should be layered with the cure pored over it to cover the top layers. Place the container in the refrigerator
and marinate for 6-12 hours (or preferably overnight.) Turn the strips over several times to ensure thorough coating.
Dehydrating
Shake off any excess cure and spread the meat strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Dry at 155 ºF/68ºC for approximately
4-6 hours, occasionally blotting off any fat droplets that appear on the surface. While drying, the temperature will go up and down
around the set point - this is important to dry correctly. Your meat will hit 160º if you use the 155º - set point on the dial.
Always test jerky using a cooled piece. Properly dried jerky, when bent, should crack but not break.
Storage
Package cooled jerky in air-tight containers such as zip-top or vacuum sealed bags. For best flavor retention, package the jerky into
individual serving sizes and store in a cool, dark, dry place. If beads of moisture form on the inside of the storage container, the jerky
is not dry enough and could mold - dry longer.
JERKY
Fish/Shellfish % Fat
Catfish* 5.2
Cod 0.53
Croaker 2.5
Flounder 1.4
Greenland Turbot 3.5
Grouper 1.0
Haddock 0.5
Halibut 4.3
Lake Trout* 11.1
Mackeral* 9.9
Monkfish 1.5
Mullet* 6.0
Ocean Perch 1.4
Pollock 1.3
Rainbow Trout* 6.8
Rockfish 0.2
Salmon* 9.3
Sea Bass 1.6
Sea Herring 2.8
Sea Trout 3.8
Shark* 5.2
Shrimp 1.6
Smelt 2.0
Snapper 1.1
Sole 1.4
Tuna* 5.1
Whitefish* 7.2
Whiting 1.3
Yellow Perch 1.1
PB
Beef Jerky
Flank, round and sirloin tip cuts are the best to use when making beef jerky. Rich in protein,
beef is also high in phosphorus, iron, and riboflavin. See page 19, whole meal prep.
Game Jerky
Deer, bear and elk meat can all be made into jerky. Venison makes excellent jerky
because it has no marbled fat. Flank or round cuts are best for this purpose. Before drying,
game meat should be frozen for 60 days at 0ºF/-18ºC. This should kill any disease causing
bacteria that may be present. To prepare, follow instructions for beef jerky.
Poultry Jerky
For something uniquely different, try cooked chicken or turkey jerky. For this kind of jerky,
you can use the same cures as you would for meat. Since poultry is very fibrous, expect
your jerky to be somewhat more brittle than its beef counterpart. Dry at 155ºF/68ºC until
dehydrated throughout (about 4 hours.)
Fish Jerky
Dehydrating fish is not a process to treat lightly. Fish for jerky must be extremely fresh to
prevent spoilage before it can be dried. Be on the lookout for the oil content of the fish.
Fatty or oily fish, like tuna, spoil rapidly and, unlike meat, there is no way to simply cut off
the fat. Dehydrating these types of fish is inadvisable (see chart below.)
Curing: Make up a cold brine consisting of 3/4 cup salt to 1 1/2 quarts water and place
the fish in it to marinate for about 1/2 hour. Rinse the fish thoroughly to remove traces of
salt; then arrange the pieces on a cutting board. Coat the fish with a dry cure which
may be made up of any combination of salt and seasonings. Layer the coated fish in an
airtight glass or plastic container. Refrigerate for 6-10 hours.
Remove the fish from the refrigerator and shake off any excess cure. Lay the strips on
the dehydrator trays so none are touching, and dry for approximately 12-14 hours at
155ºF/68ºC.
Testing: When you squeeze the fleshy part of a cooled piece of fish between your thumb
and forefinger, it should never be crumbly or crunchy. Finish by smelling and tasting the
fish. The jerky should have a mildly fishy flavor and aroma. Fish jerky should contain 15%
to 20% water and there should be no visible surface moisture.
Storage: Store according to beef jerky storing instructions.