Use and Care Manual

17
16
Preparing Jerky from Ground Meat
Mix one packet of Presto
™
jerky spice* and one packet of Presto
™
jerky cure* with 1
pound of 93% lean ground meat (refer to the warning information on page 14). Place the
ground meat mixture in a Presto
™
jerky gun* or a cookie press and extrude meat directly
onto dehydrator trays, making sure that the meat does not touch or overlap. The average
drying time will be 4 to 8 hours. See “Determining Dryness” information below.
Bake the meat after dehydrating, following the instructions on page 15.
Determining Dryness
Begin checking jerky after about 4 hours and every 30 minutes thereafter. Drying time
will depend on a variety of factors. These factors include the type of meat/poultry , the
amount of fat, and whether or not it was precooked before dehydrating. In addition, times
will vary depending on size/thickness of the pieces and how full the trays are. Jerky that is
acceptably dry will crack when bent but will not break.
Packaging and Storage
After cooling, pat jerky with paper toweling to remove any fat droplets which may have
formed on the jerky. Follow “Packaging and Storing Dried Food” information on page
17. Jerky can be stored 1 to 2 months at room temperature. However, to maintain the best
avor and quality, store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Packaging and Storing Dried Food
• Dried foods need to be properly packaged to prevent reabsorption of moisture and
microbial deterioration. Pack food in clean, dry, airtight containers. Glass jars or
freezer containers with tight-fitting lids are good for storage. Resealable plastic freezer
bags are also acceptable.
• Store packaged dried food in a dry, cool location away from light. Higher temperatures
and exposure to light will shorten the storage time and result in loss of quality and
nutrients. Most dried fruit, when properly packaged and stored, will be good for 1
year at 60°F or 6 months at 80°F. Fruit rolls should keep for up to 1 month at room
temperature. Vegetables have about half the storage life as fruit. If food is to be kept
longer, then store it in a freezer.
• Package vegetables and fruits in separate storage containers to avoid flavor transfer.
Care, Cleaning, and Storage
1. Remove the plug from the wall outlet before cleaning.
2. Wash the dehydrator trays and cover in warm water and a mild detergent or wash in a
dishwasher (top rack only).
3. The fruit roll trays and the mesh screens should be washed in warm, soapy water. Do
not wash these parts in the dishwasher. If necessary, a soft brush may be used to loosen
dried on food particles. Do not use steel wool scouring pads or abrasive cleaners on
any of the dehydrator parts.
4. After each use, wipe away any food, liquid, and grease residue from the base platform
and center hub using a damp cloth. Do not immerse the dehydrator base in water or
other liquid.
5. Before stacking the trays onto the base for storage, turn the base upside down and wrap
the cord around the center of the unit, securing the cord under the clips.
6. For compact storage, stack the trays onto the base so all of the trays with handles have
raised ribs facing up and all of the trays without handles have raised ribs facing down.
Once all of the trays are stacked onto the base, turn the cover upside down and place
on top of the trays.
*Presto
®
Jerky Seasoning (spice and cure) and Presto
™
Jerky Gun sold separately (see page 18).