Dehydrate Meat
Dehydrating meat is an old fashioned way of preserving meat. It makes it convenient to take on long trips, backpacking or hiking since refrigeration is not required and it is much more lightweight than regular meat. Dehydrated meat can be eaten as is, typically referred to as jerky, or reheated with moisture to semi-rehydrate the meat to be added into main dishes. Commonly dehydrated meat includes beef, venison, buffalo, chicken and turkey.
Contents
Steps
Saucepan Method
- Cut the meat into � inch strips. Trim away all visible fat.
- Combine the meat with the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and garlic in a large bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap if the bowl does not come with a cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
- Place the meat and marinade into a saucepan, turn the stove burner on high and bring to a boil.
- Boil for 3 to 5 minutes to sanitize the meat before dehydrating.
- Remove the strips of meat with a pair of tongs and let them drain on paper towels.
Oven Method
- Turn the oven on to the lowest setting.
- Place the strips of meat directly onto the racks, leaving enough space between the strips for air flow.
- Crack open the oven door {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} to further encourage air flow.
- Dry the meat anywhere from 8 to 12 hours. The meat is dehydrated when it cracks but does not snap. There should be no moisture present, as this is where bacteria will grow.
Storage
- Let the dehydrated meat cool before storing. Place the strips of meat on cooling racks.
- Put the meat into airtight containers or zip lock bags.
- Store the dehydrated meat at room temperature for 1 to 2 months or freeze the dehydrated meat for a longer shelf life.
Tips
- Put the meat in the freezer for 30 minutes before slicing; this will make it easier to cut.
- Use lean pieces of meat for dehydrating; fat will go rancid and spoil the meat faster.
- Meat can be dehydrated using a food dehydrator; just follow the appliance directions.
Warnings
- Moisture will spoil the dehydrated meat so keep it stored in containers or bags with no air.
- Meat should be precooked before drying in order to safely eliminate any bacteria.
Things You'll Need
- 2 Lb. (.91 kg) Meat
- 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) Worcestershire Sauce
- � Cup (118 ml) Soy Sauce
- 2 Tsp. (10 ml) Minced Garlic
- � Tsp. (2.5 ml) Black Pepper
- 2 Tsp. (10 ml) Hickory Smoked Flavored Salt
- Knife
- Large Bowl
- Plastic Wrap
- Tongs
- Saucepan
- Paper Towels
- Airtight Container
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