Cabela's 54-1647 Manual page 16

WHY T EMPERATURE I S I MPORTANT W HEN M AKING J ERKY
Illnesses d ue t o S almonella a nd E . c oli O 157:H7 f rom h omemade j erky r aise q uestions a bout
the s afety o f t raditional d rying m ethods f or m aking b eef a nd v enison j erky. T he U SDA M eat
and P oultry c urrent r ecommendation f or m aking j erky s afely i s t o h eat m eat t o 1 60 ° F b efore
the d ehydrating p rocess. T his s tep a ssures t hat a ny b acteria p resent w ill b e d estroyed b y w et
heat.
After h eating t o 1 60 ° F, m aintaining a c onstant d ehydrator t emperature o f 1 30 t o 1 40 ° F
during t he d rying p rocess i s i mportant b ecause:
• the p rocess m ust b e f ast e nough t o d ry f ood b efore i t s poils
• It m ust r emove e nough w ater t hat m icroorganisms a re u nable t o g row
Lean f ish c an b e u sed f or j erky. Y ou c an a lso d ry f at f ish, b ut i t w ill n ot k eep a t r oom
temperature m ore t han a w eek. F ish j erky s hould c ontain a bout 1 5% m oisture w hen i t i s
completely d ry. I t w ill b e p liable a nd f irm. I f t here i s a ny d oubt a bout t he d ryness, s tore i n
refrigerator o r f reezer t o a void t he r isk o f s poilage.
Cooked f ish m ay a lso b e d ried, a lthough i t h as d ifferent t aste t han f ish j erky. I t s till
makes a n ice s nack. R e-­‐ h ydrating c ooked f ish i s n ot r ecommended b ecause t he
resulting p roduct i sn't v ery g ood.
SELECTION
Choose f resh f ish t o d ry. I f y ou c atch t he f ish, c lean i t p romptly a nd k eep o n i ce
until y ou a re r eady t o d ehydrate. I f y ou a re p urchasing f ish, m ake s ure i t i s f resh
and n ot p reviously f rozen. F rozen f ish c an s till b e m ade i nto j erky, b ut b e a ware t hat
the q uality i s i nferior t o f resh.
PREPARATION
Cut f ish i nto 1 /4 t o 3 /8 i nch t hick s trips. M arinate i n y our o wn f avorite m arinade.
When u sing y our o wn r ecipe, b e s ure t o i nclude a t l east 1 -­‐ 1 /2 t o 2 t easpoons s alt
per p ound o f f resh f ish. S alt s lows t he g rowth o f s urface b acteria d uring t he i nitial
stages o f d rying. M arinate f or a t l east 4 t o 8 h ours i n r efrigerator s o f ish w ill a bsorb
salt a nd s easonings. D ry f ish j erky a t 1 30˚F t o 1 40˚F ( 55˚C t o 6 0˚C) u ntil t hey f eel f irm
and d ry, b ut d oes n ot c rumble. T here s hould b e n o m oist s pots.
1. Preheat t he d ehydrator t o t he h ighest s etting. V erify t he d ehydrator i s h olding t he
temperature, p roceed t o t he n ext s tep.
2. Lay t he s ausage o n a c utting b oard. S lice t o d esired t hickness, w e r ecommend 1 /4 t o
3/8 -­‐ i nch s lices. S ausage t hat i s t oo t hick c an g reatly i ncrease d rying t ime.
3. Put t he s ausage o n t he d ehydrator t rays w ith a t l east 3 /4" s pace b etween p ieces.
4. Dehydrate t he s ausage f or 4 t o 1 0 h ours, c hecking o n i t r egularly. W hen t he s ausage i s
pliable b ut n ot b rittle, i t i s r eady.
5. Put t he s ausage i n a p lastic b ag o r a g lass j ar a nd l eave i t o pen. L et i t c ontinue t o d ry f or
24 h ours b efore s ealing.
DRYING F ISH
DRYING S AUSAGE
16