Dehydrator tips

[REELMAN]

Received a dehydrator for Christmas and am looking for any tips you fellows might have. I have been just using the standard bag premix that came with the machine. I have also just been using hamburger which I like. I am looking for how long a guy should leave it in, and any other tips. thanks

[W'eyes Guy]

I just finished a batch of jerky this afternoon. I prefer to use sliced meat over the ground (easier to work with I think). The method that works well for me is to marinade my strips of meat(about an 1/8 inch thick, cut across the grain for easy tearing when eating)over night. The next night I dry the meat w/ paper towel and place in dehydrater. The next morning, before I go to work, I rotate the trays, putting the top ones at the bottom for even dryness. I then usually have pretty good jerky by the time I get home after work. Take the pieces you want as you are removing them from the dehydrater, because they're not going to last long. Hope this helps you out some, good luck.

#610

[Backwater Eddy]

Apple slices,banana chips, most any fruits are a great snack in the boat. Dried fruits are a good healthy snack that can be stored for a long time and quick energy food when you need it.

A dehydrator is a great way to store that bumper crop of apples when you run across one. Tomatoes and peppers are good dried stock for camp soups too, just add some water boil them up and you set. Then there is fish jerky, that is a acquired taste for many.

A great snack to have on hand when you take kids out fishing, if you don't eat them all first.

Good stuff Eh!

><,SUMO,>

Backwater Eddy.....><,,>

[Pa_Mountin_Man]

I just got one for x-mas also.I just got done making kielbasa,Iput a ring in the freezer for a couple hours until it got stiff enough to cut into 1/8" strips. Then put them in for about 16 hours, turned out really good!

[CI_Guy]

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne has a sight about dehydrating food. It covers meat, fruit, herbs and vegies. I use thier jerky recipe and add things like cayanne pepper, teryachy sauce, or any other spice that looks good at the time. Most grocery stores will slice a roast for jerky at no charge in thier meat dept. if you ask.
http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~vista/html_pubs/DRYING/dryfood.html#meats
Pat K

[steve]

If you like A-1 sauce try using about 1/2 the regular amount of the dry mix like hickory smoke then covering the meat w/A-1 and letting it sit overnight. There is a fine line to get jerky right. You will have to experiment with yours. Keep checking it after about 7 or 8 hours. Just when you think it has about 1/2 an hour to go pull the jerky out otherwise it will turn out too dry after it cools down. Good luck!

[Jerry]

Good tip - if you use ground meat, don't over dry it or it will be ruined. You'll have to experiment with your dehydrator. I have an American Harvest unit which runs at 145 degrees. I use the American Harvest jerky works gun to make strips out of ground deer meat. I dry it for 6.5 hours. Another good tip is to buy an automatic timer to run the dehydrator overnight. That way, you don't have to watch it and it's done and cooled down in the morning. American Harvest also makes a line of pretty good premixed spices which you can add to to suite your tastes. The other poster was right - take what you want upfront - because it doesn't last long.