quick question about making jerky

[Emerald]

My uncle just soaks the meat in a marinade made from red wine, black pepper and salt. I think it soaks over night and then he dries it in his jerky drying box, which is a wood frame with fine mesh screen stapled to it, and it's set in the sun until the meat is dried.

It's good stuff.

It sounds so yummy!

But just a small word of advice--not all areas of the USA can just put meat out in the sun to dry on just a screen*-too humid and sometimes not enuf sun.. but if you enclose the screen with the meat on it with glass and a few air holes you will get a better jerky.
*but some areas are great for it.. especially the southwest--can you say Carne Seca!

Also for first time jerky makers at home--it is not gonna be like store bought jerky.. When you make it at home and you use good ingredients in your marinade it will dry really hard and stringy--good for eating for sure but not that "soft" stuff like in the store--I got some complaints from a few of my family on the jerky not being soft, but after showing them all the chemicals that were not in mine and that were in the store bought stuff to keep it "soft" they stopped complaining.
The only jerky that stayed soft for me was one that had lots of sugar and hot peppers as the sugar keeps the meat more pliable. It was a sweet/hot teriyaki and it went like hotcakes!

 

[Neko-chan]

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[Farmfresh]

Neko-chan!

A dehydrator is worth it's weight in gold in my opinion. I use mine all of the time! I found it years ago at a garage sale for only $10.00.

 

[Neko-chan]

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[Farmfresh]

I love to do mushrooms and onions on mine. Herbs are great as well. I have made my own raisins as well.

I originally bought mine with jerky in mind, but that is the thing I use it for the very least.

 

[Neko-chan]

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[Farmfresh]

He might be hard to convince $200 worth, but easier to convince $20 or $30 worth. Start looking for a dehydrator at thrift stores, garage sales and other second hand shops or maybe even online like eBay! If the price is right then hubby can possibly be won over.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Hubby refuses to be convinced of the use of a dehydrator. XP For herbs he says the drying cupboard will work fine, but I balk at that thought, because he hangs his work clothes in there. Not an environment I want my herbs to be drying in. XD Perhaps I'll just make my own drying frame and use the very natural sun.

What is the climate like there? (sorry too lazy at this moment to look at the map ) is it hot and dry? Humid? If humid, it won't work.

We are waiting to make jerky. My rule is--meat must be frozen for at least two weeks before it gets any treatment like smoking or dehydrating--to get rid of any cooties that might be in the meat.

EB, lst us know how the jerky turned out.

 

[Neko-chan]

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[AnnaRaven]

I got a used dehydrator for Y2K. Then life happened and I haven't used it in years. Just pulled it out and already did 5 pounds of potatoes and 2 pounds apples since yesterday. LOVE dehydrated apples. And I also like not having potatoes go bad on me.

Never tried jerky. May try some wit the leftover turkey in the freezer. If nothing else, it'll be a nice treat for the dog.