Dehydrating Jerky

[Mortenson]

First time dehydrator owner. I have strips of beef flank curing in the fridge since last night. The directions say to precook the meat to 160. Seemed odd to me, so I'm searching online a little and everything says the same. But they also say to follow all the other super important safety tips like never thawing meat on the counter and cleaning all bowls ahead of time with bleach, which makes me skeptical. All 6 of us order our steaks rare... I would never dream of cooking red meat cuts to 160.

Are you guys precooking meat to 160 before it goes in the dehydrator?

 

[Bluegill]

I’ve made quite a bit of deer jerky on the dehydrator before and have never precooked it or even heard of precooking it before. I usually have my strips cut about 1/4” thick. I just set the dehydrator to 165 and let it do its thing.

 

[35-acre]

I’ve made quite a bit of deer jerky on the dehydrator before and have never precooked it or even heard of precooking it before. I usually have my strips cut about 1/4” thick. I just set the dehydrator to 165 and let it do its thing.

Same. I've never cooked them first. I just watch them in the dehydrator and pull the ones that I think are done as they come. Store in a paper bag (definitely not plastic) in the fridge.

I've never heard of cooking them first. I guess you could try a couple and see what you get - just toss them on the grill, then throw them in the dehydrator and let us know.

 

[Mortenson]

Thanks guys. My dehydrator is a cheapo called Weston. It was a birthday gift. It only has an on/off switch, no adjusting anything. Maybe it can't reach a high enough temp?

 

[SwampCat]

A lot of dehydrators will not reach 160 - the recommended temp for jerky - so they recommend pre cook in oven. From what I have read, if your dehydrator will reach 160, you dont have to pre cook.

 

[Mortenson]

Thanks! I used my temp probe and put it inside the 4 vents and got a low of 162 and a high of nearly 170. Good 1st batch. It's all gone.

 

[buckdeer1]

Most reach 155 I just finished 12 lbs today.I don't preheat mine either even though thats what it says in the seasoning mix.I do mine at 155 for 5 hrs 40 min.I use backwoods mix as I like the liquid mix instead of high mountain which is a dry rub.I don't have enough room to spread out in frig and season

 

[b116757]

Equal parts soy sauce and worcestershire sauce.
Usually about 1/2 cup each

1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon season salt
1 teaspoons pink salt or tender quick

3 pounds of meat sliced thinly

Marinate overnight.

Enjoy

 

[TenPoint]

My dehydrator goes to 145. I’m not dead yet. Precook? Nope.

 

[Mtyhunter]

Been making deer jerky now for about 30 yrs, usually 2 whole deer a year. I gave it all out as Xmas gifts one year, and been stuck with everyone expecting it every year since. Used to run 4-5 of those cheap dehydrators at once to make the big batches, now have a very large unit that can do 30-40lbs of venison in 1 batch. Have never cooked the meat first, and as far as I know, the only time people have gotten sick from my jerky is when they binge eat a half of pound or more in one sitting.
Use that marinade from b116757 above. It's fairly close to what i've been doing for years. I'd recommend (for the 3 lbs) to use a little more of the liquid, and cut the spices in about half.
I'm starting this years batch tomorrow. If anyone needs advice, let me know, be happy to help.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Equal parts soy sauce and worcestershire sauce.
Usually about 1/2 cup each

1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon season salt
1 teaspoons pink salt or tender quick

3 pounds of meat sliced thinly

Marinate overnight.

Enjoy

I never precook. And I use this same recipe with 2 small additions...little brown sugar and a dash of liquid smoke.

 

[Mortenson]

I never precook. And I use this same recipe with 2 small additions...little brown sugar and a dash of liquid smoke.

Natty, that's about exactly the way I do it, all the years I've done it in the oven. This time I used the High Mountain dry rub mentioned above because it was part of my gift. It was nice changeup. Very mild to the point one of my kids said he wished it would've been seasoned, haha.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I've never precooked jerky and we haven't had any issues. My dehydrator doesn't have a temperature setting either.

I always thought the cure portion of the jerky mix would prevent possible issues related to food borne illnesses.

 

[AtomApple]

I just dehydrate mine in the oven with the door cracked (to let moisture escape).

 

[chummer]

My favorite recipe is 1 cup coke, 1 cup ketchup, 1 packet good seasons Italian dressing mix. Add heat to taste. Good for 2 pounds.

 

[Angus 1895]

I like lime juice and brown sugar maple syrup worstercher sauce garlic ginger hot sauce red pepper black pepper


doing cat fish tonight in a smoker.

 

[b116757]

I like lime juice and brown sugar maple syrup worstercher sauce garlic ginger hot sauce red pepper black pepper


doing cat fish tonight in a smoker.

That looks interesting never tried smoked catfish lots of lake trout but not catfish.

 

[Angus 1895]

For the bigger ones that been in the freezer…..makes it very tasty compared to trying to fry it.