Operating Instructions - Magic Chef MCL10PFDRT User Manual

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Prior to using for the first time, be sure to clean the inside of the cabinet and the trays. Wipe the interior and
exterior of the cabinet with a damp sponge or soft cloth. Be careful not to get the heating element wet (located
behind the screening on the back of the cabinet) during cleaning. Water can damage the heating element and
increases the risk of electric shock. DO NOT immerse the dehydrator in water. Clean the dehydrator trays with
warm, soapy water. Rinse trays thoroughly with clean water and dry immediately. Remove the Teflon® drip sheet
and wipe clean. Dry immediately.
Make sure that you have enough space for the dehydrator and allow for 6" of clearance for air circulation. The
dehydrator should be close enough to a properly installed and grounded 3-prong outlet for the cord to reach. DO
NOT modify the 3-prong plug in any way.
WARNING: Read all instructions before operating the food dehydrator
USING THE DEHYDRATOR
1. Place the dehydrator on a clean, dry, level surface, allowing at least 6" clearance for air circulation.
2. Insert the plug into a properly installed and grounded 120V outlet.
3. Make sure all the trays are clean and dry before using.
4. Turn the power switch to the "On" position and set temperature control knob to desired temperature,
allowing it to heat up for at least 5 minutes.
5. Remove any excess water from the food to be dehydrated by patting with a dry paper towel. Excess water
and moisture will increase the time it takes to dehydrate the food.
6. Load the trays with the food to be dehydrated. DO NOT allow pieces of food to overlap or touch. There
should be space between items of food to allow for air to flow.
7. Of water forms on the surface of the food being dehydrated, pat dry with a clean paper towel. DO NOT
touch the walls of the unit while it is operating.
GENERAL FOOD SAFETY RULES FOR MAKING JERKY
When raw meat or poultry is dehydrated at home, either in a warm oven or a food dehydrator, to make jerky
which will be stored on the shelf, pathogenic bacteria are likely to survive the dry heat of a warm oven and
especially the 130 to 140 °F of a food dehydrator. Included here is the scientific background behind drying food to
make it safe and the safest procedure to follow when making homemade jerky.
What is Jerky? Jerky is a nutrient-dense meat that has been made lightweight by drying. A pound of meat or poultry
weighs about four ounces after being made into jerky. Because most of the moisture is removed, it
is shelf stable and can be stored without refrigeration – making it a handy food for backpackers and
others who don't have access to refrigerators.
Jerky is a food known at least since ancient Egypt. Humans made jerky from animal meat that was too
big to eat all at once, such as bear, buffalo, or whales.
How Can Drying Drying is the world's oldest and most common method of food preservation. Canning technology
Meat Make it Safe? is less than 200 years old and freezing became practical only during this century when electricity
became more and more available to people. Drying technology is both simple and readily available to
most of the world's culture.
The scientific principal of preserving food by drying is removing moisture; enzymes cannot efficiently
contact or react with the food. Whether these enzymes are bacterial, fungal, or naturally occurring autolytic
enzymes from the raw food, preventing this enzymatic action preserves the food from biological action.
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