Have you ever wanted to learn how to dehydrate meat? Maybe you’re sick of paying for expensive at the store, or just looking for new recipes to try.
Learning how to dehydrate your own meat is a game changer. You can save money, preserve food, and experience all sorts of new ways to consume some tasty morsels. Dehydrated food is excellent for long-term storage and backpacking, as it retains nutrients and flavor.
However you found this article, you’re in luck, because you’re about to learn how to dehydrate meat in the comfort of your own home. Using a food dehydrator, you can dry various types of food, including meat for making jerky. Here are 5 simple steps to dehydrating your own meat.
Dehydrating Meat 101
Dehydrating meat is removing water. This stops bacteria, yeasts, and molds from growing and causing food to go off.
The key to successful meat dehydration is temperature control. This ensures the meat dries evenly and safely. Also, use lean cuts of meat. Fat doesn’t dehydrate well and will make your meat go off faster.
Here’s the basic process:
- Choosing the right cuts of meat
- Preparing the meat for dehydration
- Applying marinades or seasonings (optional)
- Dehydrating the meat using your chosen method
- Testing the meat for doneness
- Cooling, packaging, and storing
Let’s get into each of these.
Choosing the Right Cuts of Meat
Choosing the right cuts of meat is key to successful dehydration. Lean cuts are best. They have less fat which will go off over time.
Beef is a popular choice for dehydration. Top round, bottom round, or flank steak are good options. If you prefer poultry, skinless chicken or turkey breasts work well. For game meats, lean cuts like venison or elk.
Remember the quality of your dehydrated meat is only as good as the raw meat. So choose fresh, high quality cuts.
1. Gather Ingredients
The first step to dehydrating your own meat is to gather all the ingredients you’ll need. Consider using canned chicken for dehydrating as it offers convenience and versatility.
Which types of protein will you dehydrate? Using fresh meat is crucial for making jerky as it is easier to cut and yields a firmer product. Ground meat is also a great option, especially lean ground meat, for achieving the correct thickness and texture for jerky strips. It is important to use lean meats because fats and oils can turn rancid over time due to oxidation, which can affect the quality and shelf life of your dehydrated meat.
If, for example, you are dehydrating ground beef, you’ll probably want to also gather particular spices that might not work well for something else.
2. Trim The Fat (And Anything Else)
If you want dehydrated steak or dehydrated turkey that tastes good, you’ll need to trim away all of the fat and use lean meat. Fat can turn rancid and ruin all your hard work. Use paper towels to blot off excess fat from the meat before dehydrating.
On some cuts of meat, you may also have to remove skin and bones. You’re basically looking to get your cut of meat down to the leanest version of it you can make. This will make the end result much tastier and easier to rehydrate if you are doing something like backpacking. When working with raw meat, it’s crucial to pre-treat and cook it before the dehydration process to ensure safety and proper rehydration.
Marinate for Dehydrating Meat
For exceptional flavors, you’ll want to pick a marinade that goes well with your protein choice. For example, dehydrated beef might not take more than just some good meat and a little bit of salt. Like a good steak, you don’t want to overpower the meat with too much flavor.
When dehydrating ground beef, it is crucial to use lean or extra-lean meat to minimize spoilage. Adding breadcrumbs can help the dehydrated ground beef rehydrate effectively.
On the other hand, ground turkey will benefit from flavors like lemon, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and garlic. You can combine these in a bowl before you dehydrate it to add flavors to your finished product.
4. Set The Temperature, Low And Slow
The temperature on your oven should be set between 140-160 degrees. Most dehydrated meat recipes recommend using dehydrator trays to spread and dry the meat for 6-8 hours for the dehydration process to take place fully.
At least once during the drying process, move your meat around and blot off oil droplets from the surface with a paper towel. This will help to remove oil so it dries properly.
Obviously, be aware that the meat needs to be fully dried in order for it to be safe to consume. The last thing you want is anyone to get sick!
Store Properly for Storing Dehydrated Food
When it comes to producing a good product, you’ll want to store your finished work in a cool, dark place using proper storage techniques to prevent oxidation and extend its shelf life. Consider using freezer bags, reusable storage bags, or vacuum-sealing with oxygen absorbers for storing dehydrated food, meat, and seafood.
Dried meats can actually be frozen for several years and not go bad. For bulk drying, consider this option so you don’t waste any of the finished product!
Most cooked meats should take between 6-12 hours of drying time, depending on the thickness/type of cut being dried. Pat them down if they appear oily due to release from drying processes. To make jerkies for snacking and camping trips, cut meat into thin uniform strips.
Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting
Dehydrating meat is a simple process but not without pitfalls. Knowing the common mistakes will help you avoid them and get a good result.
Here are the common issues:
- Spoilage due to improper storage.
- Uneven drying due to inconsistent meat thickness.
- Case hardening where the outside dries too fast and traps the moisture inside.
Let’s get into these and ho
Spoilage and Uneven Drying
Spoilage will occur if dehydrated meat is not stored properly. As we’ve discussed you need to cool the meat completely before packaging and store it in a cool, dark and dry place.
Uneven drying is another common issue. This happens when the meat slices are not of the same thickness. Using a meat slicer will help you get uniform slices which will dry at the same rate.
Case Hardening and How to Prevent It
Case hardening is when the outside of the meat dries too fast and forms a hard shell. This traps the moisture inside which can
To prevent case hardening you need to dehydrate at the right temperature. Too high a temperature will cause this. Also rotating the trays in your dehydrator will help with even drying.
Rehydrating and Using Dehydrated Meat
Dehydrated meat is versatile and can be used in many dishes. But it needs to be rehydrated before use.
Rehydrating will restore some of the meat’s original texture making it more edible. It will also allow the meat to absorb flavors from other ingredi
How to Rehydrate Meat for Consumption
Rehydrating meat is easy. Just soak the meat in water or broth until it regains its original texture.
The soaking time will depend on the thickness of the meat. It can take 30 minutes to a few hours. Check the meat periodically until it reaches your desired texture.
Recipe Ideas and Incorporating into Meals
Dehydrated meat can be used in a variety of dishes. It’s great in soups, stews, and casseroles, where it can absorb flavors from the other ingredients.
You can also use it in stir-fries, pasta dishes, or even as a pizza topping. The possibilities are endless, so feel free to get creative and experiment with different recipes.
Ready To Learn How To Dehydrate Meat?
The process of how to dehydrate meat is not that difficult. It only requires you to follow a few steps. With some practice, you can be drying your own food for backpacking trips or just for the enjoyment of trying something new. You can also use sliced roast beef as an alternative to ham for dehydrating, which, although more expensive, adds variety to your recipes.
Check out some of our eBooks for more kitchen secrets and dehydration tips.
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