Yoohoo Belle

[mommato3boys]

I remember you saying something about dehydrating beef now I can't find the post. Could you please give me the directions again. I remember something about salt.

[Jewlzm]

I found this for you.... I pulled it from Dehydrating 101 post

 

DEHYDRATING MEATS

 

Somewhere back in time, man learned that laying strips of meat in the sun dried it well enough to preserve it for use during the winter. Later, someone (I like to think it was a smart woman!!) found that hanging the strips in smoke (probably to keep bugs off of it!!) not only improved the flavor but also better kept it from spoiling. Salting meat and fish before drying was also found to retard spoiling and improve flavor.

 

Today we know that the chemicals in smoke inhibit bacterial growth, and the nitrates in salt do the same. We call it “curing” meats. Though you must use care while curing meat, it is still one of the most effective ways to keep meat and fish without refrigeration.

 

The two basic types of dehydrated meats are dehydrated cooked meat and jerky. Both are dried in the same ways.

 

Lean meats and low-fat fish keep well when dried, but fatty ones spoil quickly. Never dehydrate pork; use only lean parts of *cooked* ham. (Pork must be cooked to be sure it’s safe.) Higher-fat fish may be dried, but must be refrigerated and used as soon as possible. So only choose fresh lean meats and low fat fish for dehydrating.

 

Drying cooked meats is a good way to use up leftovers. It keeps meat tender and ready for use in sandwiches, soups, and casseroles.

 

Cooked meat should be lean and thoroughly cooked. If it’s been cooked in broth, drain it and chill it before dehydrating. The chilling allows you to easily remove any fat. Trim fat from the meat and cut into 1/2” inch cubes.

 

Work with small batches and use careful sanitation. Start your dehydrator at 145 degrees F (if you turn it back to 125 degrees toward the end of the drying process, your cooked meat may be more tender). Evenly spread meat on trays, then dry the cubes from 6 to 12 hours, occasionally stirring. Be sure your dehydrator runs continuously until the meat is dry. Cubes will be tough to hard when done (a cooled cube will be difficult to cut if dried). Blot off any oil before storing. To use, soak in broth or water for 30-60 minutes, then simmer until done.

 

BEEF or VENISON: Best dried as cubes for use in stews and soups.

 

HAM: may be sliced into thin slices or cubes. Be sure it is a fully cooked ham and use lean pieces, spreading only one layer deep on drying trays. Use in bean or cabbage soups, casseroles, or flavoring in meat dishes.

 

POULTRY: Never dry duck or goose because the meat is too fatty. Use chicken or turkey cubes in casseroles or soups.

 

 

MAKING JERKY

 

Jerky is one of the most interesting products you can make with your dehydrator. Jerky cures usually center around salt, but you can make up whatever recipe you choose according to your own tastes. Besides salt, you can use soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato or barbecue sauce, onion, garlic or curry powder, liquid “smoke” flavoring, seasoned salt, black or red pepper… whatever sounds good!

 

Pick a lean cut of raw meat with as little fat as possible. Or use leftover cooked meat. A meat slicer will make quick and even slices, but you can partially freeze raw meat to get nice, even slices while it’s firm. If you slice with the grain, it will be chewy; across the grain will be more tender but also more brittle. Cut meat into strips about 1” wide, about 1/4” thick, and as long as you want. Trim off any obvious fat.

 

“Dry cures” are salt and seasoning mixtures rubbed into the meat surfaces. Spread the strips in a single layer on a cutting board or other flat surface. Sprinkle the curing mixture evenly on both sides of the meat strips, then layer the strips on top of each other in a glass or plastic container and seal tightly. Refrigerate overnight.

 

“Brine cures” or marinades combine liquid with the salt and spices. Meat is soaked until the salt is absorbed, usually overnight. Use any kind of salt except rock salt, which may contain impurities. Pour the marinade over the strips, cover tightly, and place the container into the refrigerator. Stir or turn several times to ensure thorough coating.

 

Preheat your dehydrator to 145 degrees F. Shake off any excess cure and spread strips on trays in a single layer. Dry until finished, about 4-12 hours. When cooled, jerky should be like a “green stick”… pliable enough to bend but not break (although across the meat grain *might* break!).

 

BEEF: Flank, round and sirloin are the better cuts of meat to use for jerky. Lower cost cuts will make more waste & cause more work trimming the fat.

 

HAM: Use pre-cooked and processed ham for safety.

 

WILD GAME: Deer, elk, moose and bear cam all be made into jerky. Venison (deer) makes very good jerky because it is so lean. The best cuts are flank and round cuts. Before drying, wild game should be frozen for 60 days at 0 degrees F to kill any disease-carrying bacteria that may be present.

 

POULTRY: This is a great way to use up cooked leftovers! Use the same cures as you use for beef. Because poultry is more fibrous, expect it to be more brittle.

 

HAMBURGER: Start with very lean ground beef, or select a chuck roast and have it ground for you. Rather than curing, just mix the flavorings into a meatloaf-type mixture. For example: to 1 pound ground meat, add 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 tsp dried chopped onion.

 

Cover the dehydrator trays with parchment paper or plastic wrap, and roll out the hamburger mixture into a 1/8” layer. Dry for 4 to 6 hours at 145 degrees F. Take out the trays, blot any oil off of the meat, remove paper or plastic wrap, and return meat to trays upside-down. Dry for another 4-6 hours, until hard and leathery. Cut into strips and store.

[Momo]

I wonder if it is safe to make uncooked beef jerky? I used to make it alot and then I got scared to do it. I tried making it with cooked beef but it was too dried out and tough to eat it like a snack. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Cat]

Quote:

Pick a lean cut of raw meat with as little fat as possible.

Momo, I've never made *cooked* beef jerky. I've never tried chicken or turkey, but I'm not nervous about beef.

As long as you've followed the directions and are careful to refrigerate when marinating or "dry rub"-ing, the dehdrator does its magic.

[zzelle]

you should be fine

[quiltys41]

I make mine without cooking it first...just marinate well and the dehydrator will work on it. I've made beef and deer this way and never had a problem yet. Just make sure it is dry, not like the soft stuff you get in the store packaged up.

 

Q

[PoGo]

I've never used cooked meat for jerky either. Course I haven't made any in quite awhile.

[Amishway Homesteaders]

well did ya try to make any?

 

we want to hear how thigs went.

[Snowmom]

We use raw ground beef and a package of seasoning and then use the dehdrator to dry it. It has always turned out fine. Well, I don't eat it, but Old Pine loves it.

 

[westbrook]

beef is sliced thinly then the heat of the sun or oven or dehydrator slowly removes any moisture from the meat and it dries. perfectly safe to eat.. if not.. they need to pull all the jerkey off the shelves.

[PoGo]

Hmmm, never tried it using ground beef.

[WormGuy]

I tried a recipe using ground beef last year. It took a long time to dry, I used a lot of paper towels bloting the grease off, and I did not like the taste. No more for me.

 

John

[mommato3boys]

I know Belle cooked hers first then rinsed it or stored it in water in the refrig over night, then rinsed it again before drying it. I just can't remember what else she did.

[Belle]

I'm a little late to the party, but it was my hamburger grease that I covered with water and refrigerated. It cleans the grease, making it as usable as lard. IMO, if the SHTF, grease will be nearly as crucial to survival as meat, so I save as much as I can.

 

The dehydrated hamburger is called 'Hamburger Rocks'. Here is the thread that discusses both the rocks and the grease~

 

http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18361

[mommato3boys]

Originally Posted By: Belle

I'm a little late to the party, but it was my hamburger grease that I covered with water and refrigerated. It cleans the grease, making it as usable as lard. IMO, if the SHTF, grease will be nearly as crucial to survival as meat, so I save as much as I can.

 

The dehydrated hamburger is called 'Hamburger Rocks'. Here is the thread that discusses both the rocks and the grease~

 

http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18361

 

 

 

Thanks Belle, oh and welcome back been missing you!

[Belle]

Thank you for the welcome, mommato3boys. It's nice to be back. Even though I'm a member of a couple of dozen forums, I'm only gone back to 3, counting this one (I'm a moderator on one of the others, so I kind of had to go back there). I like this forum. It feels like home.

 

About those hamburger rocks - they keep very well, contrary to my fears when I first made them. Last week, I made spaghetti sauce out of some that I dried over a year ago. The meat rehydrated well and tasted like fresh. I have been quite pleased with them and am still watching for sales on hamburger. They're getting scarce around here, as are sales on most necessities, although sales on junk food are plentiful.

[Leah]

I made some rocks the other day... How did you store yours, Belle?

[Belle]

I just plopped mine into glass jars and slapped a lid on them (not sealed). A quart jar holds the rocks from 5 pounds of hamburger.

 

I keep them on a shelf with a curtain over it, blocking the light. The shelf is in one of the kids' rooms, where the temperature is fairly constant.

 

[Leah]

Thank you so much! I've been getting such good buys on hamburger, but not wanting to put it all in the freezer. I'm so glad you told us about the storage life. A year on the shelf is WONDERFUL!!!

 

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!