air drying

[wabbiter]

how do you go about air drying jerky without using a heat source, and how long would it take , i am in england and the weather is'nt that hot even in summer ...mack

[rockymtngirl]

Hi Wabbiter - I have made jerky in a VERY slow oven. Do you have an outdoor grill you could use as a smoker? Or you might consider investing in a home dehydrator - I purchased mine at a thrift store for $5 - it has adjustable heat and a fan, so it does jerky in pretty short order.

[CanNerd]

I would not recommend the very slow oven since there is too much of a chance for mold to grow before it is properly dried due to the lack of air circulation of the heat.

Because of your location a dehydrator would be the safe and proper way to go, one with a fan, heater, and temperature control.

[hillbillygal]

I don't know how safe it is so I'm not recommending it but on the show Good Eats Alton Brown makes jerky using some type of filters attached by bungees to a large fan. The filters had grooves in it where he laid the jerky. I'm tempted to try it but I like my heated dehydrator.

[CanNerd]

You can make a homemade dehydrator using furnace filters and a fan hooked together. It's done outside so the heat comes from the sun.

[wabbiter]

thanx for your input guys...mack

[leera]

You can do jerky in an oven.

I've got the instructions around here somewhere.....

OK,found it....You just need an oven that will go low enough for these temps is all.

You need an oven temp of 140-160 degrees for the first 8-10 hours,then you can reduce the temp to 130 degrees until it's finished drying.

You need to place the meat strips on drying racks(not touching) so the meat can drip and not rest in it's own juices,just use foil or another pan to catch the drippings,once in a while you need to blot the meat with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.

Could take anywhere from 12-24 hours to dry depending on how thick you cut the meat,what seasoning you used,etc,etc.........

I have not tested this recipe,but it's from a book I have called How To Dry Foods.

I would suggest using an oven thermometer to test your oven's temp before trying this though.

I just use my dehydrator........

[CanNerd]

Using an oven, just like an ol' RONCO dehydrator, without a fan to move the heat around, will often not dry out the food fast enough before mold or bacteria has a chance to get a foothold.

But I guess some people like taking risks, so make your own decisions.

[leera]

I was not reccomending using the oven,I simply posted the instructions from the book......

I make mine in my dehydrator(Excalibur in case you're interested) and have never had a problem with it.

I have used the old Ronco ones,again without any problems,as long as the meat is properly cured,the slower drying time is ok.

When there is little air flow you do need to rotate the food you are drying so that the less dry food is closer to the heat source.It takes only a few minutes to move the tray around.When I was using the Ronco type one,I would rotate the trays every few hours until everything was as dry as I wanted it.

Not to start any type of debate here,just posting my own experiences. :D

[Anon001]

I usually agree with CanNerd when it comes to most cooking, preserving issues. But, I have made deer jerky many times in the warm oven with no problem. I also dehydrate my Roma tomatoes that way with no problem and no mold and we also have hot humid summers here. Maybe it depends on what type of meat is being used for jerky? Or could it have something to do with deer being leaner? Just curious.

Paul

[CatherineID]

The food safety rule is "No more than 2 hours - cumulative! - above 40 or below 140 degrees F."

So, if it takes you 30 minutes to butcher and prepare the jerky strips, you have less than 1 1/2 hours to get that meat up to 140 degrees F - and keep it there until it is dry. Oven drying is fine IF you use a hotter oven (over 140 degrees F with the assumption that the meat will be cooler and the oven will cool slightly before kicking on again.) A fan isn't necessary. One aids the removal of moisture. In oven drying it is important to not leave the oven door open for fear of temperature fluctuations.

Homemade jerky should be dried to leather. The spices and marinade you use may aid in binding the moisture (teriyake marinade being popular because the sugar helps bind the moisture and keeps the jerky softer) but don't rely on that to prevent food borne pathogens.