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Drying
Jerky
Jerky is a lightweight, dried meat product that is a handy food for backpackers, campers and outdoor sports enthusiasts. It requires no refrigeration. Jerky can be made from almost any lean meat, including beef, pork, venison or smoked turkey breast. (Raw poultry is generally not recommended for use in making jerky because of the texture and flavor of the finished product.)
Raw meats can be contaminated with microorganisms that cause disease. These harmful bacteria can easily multiply on moist, high protein foods like meat and poultry and can cause illness if the products are not handled correctly. If pork or wild game is used to make jerky, the meat should be treated to kill the trichinella parasite before it is sliced and marinated. This parasite causes the disease trichinosis. To treat the meat, freeze a portion that is 6 inches or less thick at 0ºF or below for at least 30 days. Freezing will not eliminate bacteria from the meat.
Follow these recommendations for safe handling of meat and poultry:
- Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meats.
- Use clean equipment and utensils.
- Keep meat and poultry refrigerated at 40ºF or below. Use ground beef and poultry within 2 days, red meats within 3 to 5 days or freeze for later use.
- Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter.
- Marinate meat in the refrigerator. Do not save and re-use marinade.
When preparing jerky from wild game, it is important to remember that the wound location and skill of the hunter can affect the safety of the meat. If the animal is wounded in such a way that the contents of its gut come in contact with the meat or the hunter’s hands while dressing the meat, fecal bacteria can contaminate the meat. It is best to avoid making jerky from this meat and use it only in ways that it will be thoroughly cooked. Deer carcasses should be rapidly chilled to avoid bacterial growth. The risk of foodborne illness from home-dried jerky can be decreased by allowing the internal temperature of the meat to reach 160ºF, but in such a way as to prevent case hardening. Two methods can be used: heating meat strips in marinade before drying or heating the dried jerky strips in an oven after the drying process is completed. Directions for both methods are below. When the strips are heated in a marinade before drying, drying times will be reduced. Color and texture will differ from traditional jerky.
Preparing the Meat
Partially freeze meat to make slicing easier. The thickness of the meat strips will make a difference in the safety of the methods recommended in this book. Slice meat no thicker than ¼ inch. Trim and discard all fat from meat because it becomes rancid quickly. If a chewy jerky is desired, slice with the grain. Slice across the grain if a more tender, brittle jerky is preferred. A tenderizer can be used according to package directions, if desired. The meat can be marinated for flavor and tenderness. Marinade recipes may include oil, salt, spices and acid ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, teriyaki, or soy sauce or wine.
Jerky Marinade
- 1 1/2 - 2 pounds of lean meat (beef, pork or venison)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon each of black pepper and garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon hickory smoke-flavored salt
Combine all ingredients. Place strips of meat in a shallow pan and cover with marinade. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight. Products marinated for several hours may be more salty than some people prefer. If you choose to heat the meat prior to drying to decrease the risk of foodborne illness, do so at the end of the marination time. To heat, bring strips and marinade to a boil and boil for 5 minutes before draining and drying. If strips are more than ¼ inch thick, the length of time may need to be increased. If possible, check the temperature of several strips with a metal stem-type thermometer to determine that 160ºF has been reached.
Drying the Meat
Remove meat strips from the marinade and drain on clean, absorbent towels. Arrange strips on dehydrator trays or cake racks placed on baking sheets for oven drying. Place the slices close together, but not touching or overlapping. Place the racks in a dehydrator or oven preheated to 140ºF. Dry until a test piece cracks but does not break when it is bent (10 to 24 hours for samples not heated in marinade). Samples heated in marinade will dry faster. Begin checking samples after 3 hours. Once drying is completed, pat off any beads of oil with clean, absorbent towels and cool. Remove strips from the racks. Cool. Package in glass jars or heavy plastic food storage bags. Vacuum packaging is also a good option.
If the strips were not heated in marinade prior to drying, they can be heated in an oven after drying as an added safety measure. Place strips on a baking sheet, close together, but not touching or overlapping. For strips originally cut 1/4 inch thick or less, heat 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 275ºF. (Thicker strips may require longer heating to reach 160ºF.)
Making Jerky from Ground Meat
Jerky can be made from ground meat using special presses to form or shape the product. Disease-causing microorganisms are more difficult to eliminate in ground meat than in whole meat strips. (If ground meat is used, follow the general tips for safe handling of meat and poultry, above.) Be sure to follow the dehydrator manufacturer’s directions when heating the product at the end of drying time. Again, an internal temperature of 160ºF is necessary to eliminate disease-causing bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7, if present.
Storing the Jerky
Properly dried jerky will keep at room temperature two weeks in a sealed container. For best results, to increase shelf life and maintain best flavor and quality, refrigerate or freeze jerky.
This document was extracted from "So Easy to Preserve", 6th ed. 2014. Bulletin 989, Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia, Athens. Revised by Elizabeth L. Andress. Ph.D. and Judy A. Harrison, Ph.D., Extension Foods Specialists.
Recent Content
Can Splenda® (sucralose) be used in preserving food?
Granular Splenda® does not provide preservative properties like sugar.
Canning Fruits: Whereas we do not have published research work with using sucralose in the canning of fruits at home available to us, it is possible to use it for sweetening the water used to cover fruits when canning. The texture and color preserving aspects of a sugar syrup will not be provided. The result would be like canning in water except for the additional sweetness contributed by the Splenda®. The USDA fruit canning directions do allow for canning in water (i.e., without a sugar syrup), as there is adequate preservation for safety from the heat of proper canning. Some people do notice an aftertaste in other products and canned fruits, and it is possible some little changes in natural flavors may occur over storage time, since sugar can mask some of these. For people used to sucralose sweetening and flavors, the aftertaste may not be an issue. Based on some of our experiences in canning peaches and pickled foods, we suggest you start seeing what you like by trying less than a full substitution for the sugar in canning syrups. For example, if you use a medium sugar syrup that is 5-/14 cups water to 2-1/4 cups sugar, try 1 to 1-1/4 cups Splenda® the first time. You can always sweeten more when you serve the finished product if it is not quite sweet enough; then you can increase the canning liquid amount the next time you can.
Preserves and Pickled Fruits: In other cases, where sugar is important, like some preserves or pickled fruits, it is not recommended that substitution of Splenda® be used for sugar if the product is to be canned for shelf stability. Splenda® cannot be used in several traditional Southern preserves we have on this website or in the University of Georgia Extension publications. These are whole or uniform pieces of fruit in a very thick sugar syrup, usually made with figs, peaches or pears. (These preserves are not jam or pectin gel products.) Sugar is required for the preservation of these syrupy fruit preserves as published, with very short boiling water canner processes. Without that heavy amount of sugar, these products become fruit pieces canned in water or lighter sugar syrups, and the usual (and longer) fruit canning process times and preparation directions would need to be used.
Jams and Jellies, or Fruit Spreads: You could use Splenda® as the optional sweetener in a jam or jelly made with a no-sugar needed pectin, such as Mrs. Wages™ Lite Home Jell® Fruit Pectin, Ball® No-Sugar Needed Pectin or Sure-Jell® for Less or No-Sugar-Needed Recipes. With these low-methoxyl pectins, no sugar is required at all. Sugar substitutes can be added as desired simply for flavor. The package inserts with these pectins give instructions on when to add the sugar substitutes (usually after all the cooking, right before filling the jars). Do not try to substitute Splenda® for the required sugar in recipes calling for “regular” liquid and powdered pectins.
And do not try to substitute Splenda® in long-boil or no-pectin-added jams and jellies intended for room temperature storage as a canned product. You might get some thickened fruit spreads with just fruit and Splenda®, but they may not have enough water control for processing like a gelled, high sugar-containing jam or jelly. They might require longer processing to avoid spoilage at room temperature. If you want to experiment with making these kind of fruit spreads we recommend freezing or refrigeration for storage.
We have developed three recipes using Splenda® and they are on our website, www.homefoodpreservation.com. They are quick pickled sweet cucumber slices, pickled beets and pickled cantaloupe. They are under the How do I....Pickle category, as well as National Center factsheets, http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/nchfp/factsheets.html.
There is also a Peach-Pineapple Reduced Sugar Fruit Spread from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning that does not require added sugar. Some other fruit substitutions are provided in the text. The suggested sugar for sweetening can be left out, or you can add some Splenda® as desired for sweetness. The process time is longer than regular jams and jellies, and is like that for a fruit puree. http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_07/peach_pineapple_spread.html
How can I become a Master Food Preserver?
“Master” volunteer programs that are connected to the Cooperative Extension System, such as Master Food Preservers and Master Gardeners, are currently state- or county-managed programs affiliated with the land grant universities and the Cooperative Extension Service in the state. In exchange for extensive education, the master volunteer returns contributions to the local Extension office, such as answering phone calls, developing and hosting exhibits, judging at competitions, etc. There are liabilities involved in someone conducting even volunteer work in the name of a state university; therefore, the guidelines and management procedures will vary among states. At this time, the National Center is not in a position to help individuals meet state guidelines for credentials and the title of Master Food Preserver.
If you would like to find out if your state offers this opportunity to become a Master Food Preserver, contact your local Extension Office (usually listed in local government pages of the phone book under Cooperative Extension Service, Ag Extension Office and/or 4-H Office). You could also contact someone at the state university to either ask your questions or let them know of your interest. These contacts can be found on a website managed by USDA:
https://nifa.usda.gov/nutrition-and-food-safety-directory
Most states do not sell their Master Food Preserver curricula or notebooks to the general public. If someone wants information on preserving, they have other publications available with the actual recommendations and procedures. This website from the National Center is full of “How To” information for various types of food preservation. We will eventually have tutorials and a correspondence type course on line for self-study.
Is it necessary to thaw meat or fish before cooking?
No, meat and fish can be cooked from the frozen state if extra cooking time is allowed. The amount of time will depend on the size and shape of the cut. Large frozen roasts can take as much as 11/2 times as long to cook as unfrozen cuts of the same weight and shape. Small roasts and thin cuts such as steaks and chops require less time.
Can meat and poultry be thawed in the conventional oven?
No, meat and poultry should never be thawed in the conventional oven or at room temperature. There is greater danger of bacterial growth and food spoilage for food thawed at room temperature. Thaw meat and poultry in the refrigerator in the original wrappings. To speed thawing, loosen the wrapping. To keep other foods safe, put the thawing meat and poultry in a pan on the bottom shelf. For a quicker method, immerse meat or poultry in a watertight bag into cold water. Thaw until it is pliable. Meat and poultry can also be thawed quickly and safely in the microwave oven, followed by immediate cooking, either in the microwave oven or by some other method. Because microwave ovens vary, check your manufacturer's instructions for information on how to safely thaw in your microwave oven. Frozen meat and poultry can also be cooked without thawing.
What is blanching?
Heating or scalding the vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short period of time.
Is it recommended to blanch vegetables before freezing?
Yes. Blanching slows or stops the action of enzymes which cause loss of flavor, color and texture. Blanching cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, brightens the color and helps retard loss of vitamins. Blanching also wilts or softens vegetables and makes them easier to pack.
Is it safe to freeze fruits without sugar?
Yes; sugar is not used as a preservative but only to maintain flavor, color and texture.
Can artificial sweeteners be used in place of sugar for freezing fruits?
Sugar substitutes can be used in place of sugar. Labels on the products give the equivalents to a standard amount of sugar. Follow the directions to determine the amount of sweetener needed. Artificial sweeteners give a sweet flavor but do not furnish beneficial effects of sugar, like thickness of syrup and color protection.
SO EASY TO PRESERVE
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension has now published a 6th edition of its popular book, So Easy To Preserve. The book was reviewed and updated in 2020. Chapters in the 388-page book include Preserving Food, Canning, Pickled Products, Sweet Spreads and Syrups, Freezing and Drying.