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Lay food pieces evenly on trays. Don’t overlap food pieces, as this will create
uneven drying conditions. As each tray is loaded, place it in the dehydrator to
begin drying.
Meat should be frozen or refrigerated until it’s ready to be used.
Do
not allow raw meat to come in contact with the finished product.
If marinating
meat for jerky, always marinade in
the refrigerator.
Drying Time
Drying times may vary, depending on the type and amount of food, thickness
and evenness of the slices, percentages of water in the food, humidity, and
temperature of air.
Storage
Dried food should be stored in airtight, moisture-proof containers or vacuum
sealed bags in a cool, dry place. Dehydrated food will naturally have less
moisture in it than the air around it and will absorb moisture if left out for an
extended period of time.
Refrigeration or freezing will extend shelf life as long as
food remains properly packaged.
Jerky
1. While there are many jerky recipes, we recommend using a prepackaged
jerky seasoning and cure kit. NESCO oers a wide variety of flavors
and quantities for a fast and easy way to make jerky. Simply follow the
instuctions with the kit.
Jerky can be made from slicing strips of meat from a larger piece of meat
or can be made from ground meat.
If slicing strips from a whole meat, make sure to place the meat in the
freezer until it is slightly hard to the touch but not frozen. This will help it
slice more evenly. For best results, slice into 1/4" thick slices. Marinade the
meat with seasoning of your choice and refrigerate.
If using ground meat, mix in seasoning and cure. Insert mix into a jerky
gun, choose strips or sticks attachment, form strips or sticks to your
desired length on the dehydrator tray.
2. Make sure strips or sticks are not overlapping or touching each other. Jerky
typically takes 4-8 hours to dry based on thickness, moisture content, and
amount of jerky being dehydrated.
3. When done drying, remove jerky from trays and let rest for approximately
30 minutes. Use paper towels to blot excess oil or fat from the jerky.
4. Store finished jerky in an airtight, moisture-proof container or vacuum
sealed bag in a cool, dry place. To store jerky for more than a month, store
in refrigerator or freezer.
Dehydrating Tips
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