Thinking of buying a food dehydrator....

Probably just for jerky. Not looking to make dried fruit chips.

I see beef and turkey jerky in the markets. Not cheap!

Can you also make jerky using pork or chicken?

Don't want/need a big model. My interest might not last very long.

Any opinions?

Alton Brown says all you need is a box fan and furnace filters.

Rustyt1953 said:

Alton Brown says all you need is a box fan and furnace filters.

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Huh. All this time the Beatles had it wrong. Love? Guess not.

I've made jerky just by air drying the meat. The Indians didn't have a dehydrator but they still made jerky.

Little Chief electric smoker will be more than ample for smaller portions.

I made jerky in the '60s using venison. Sunlight for several days worked perfectly with the meat strips suspended on a homemade wire rack. Just like store-bought jerky, if you like jerky. I don't care for it, but you need nothing special to make it.

I make venison jerky every year. Did it for years in a heat smoker using my own brine in a 5-gallon bucket. It was time consuming and was a pretty messy job. A few years ago, I bought a dehydrator. I haven't used my smoker for jerky after that. It still takes time to prep the meat, there's no getting around that when making jerky, and I use regular High Mountain jerky cure now and just add my own extra seasoning like onion powder, black pepper, garlic powder, etc. But the time to complete a batch of jerky in the dehydrator is just a few hours instead of half a day or more in the smoker. Oh yeah, I also invested in a meat slicer. Now I can get evenly sliced pieces of meat. Better than using a knife. I like using a dehydrator. It's faster, cleaner, and the jerky comes out perfectly every time (after a small learning curve). I don't think you'd be disappointed if you decided to get a dehydrator.



And get a vacuum sealer if you don't already have one.

I made jerky from store bought roasts on sale for years. Have the meat department slice it around 1/8th inch thick, then trim off the fat. (I worked next to the store, I would select my roasts about 10am and pick it up after work, to make it easier for the butchers)

I soaked for 24 hours (refrigerated) in sugar, salt, liquid smoke, and black pepper. Laid out single layer and dehydrated for 36 to 60 hours, turning every 12 to 18 hours and consolidating as you went. Put in freezer bags when done and kept frozen until needed. Easily good for 10 days to 2 weeks after thawing.

This is with RAW MEAT! I wouldn't try with pork or poultry. ON them use a smoker.

We started with 2 of the Ron Popel dehydrators they lasted 3 or 4 years then switched to a now discontinued brand that were 4 trays each. 4 trays each is about the limit on small units. But since you are adjusting and consolidating, you can usually start the next 4 trays in about 2 days. We had 4 of the same unit (16 trays). That worked well for us. Cabela's has a big selection of models in store and bigger online. We tried the Electric Oven method and found it not feasible! I tried building my own using 100W light bulb (Easy-Bake Oven), also not feasible! Be sure you have a blower or fan in it, cuts time in half!

We did lots of dried apples and pears, as in hundreds of them! Cored and sliced thin (not pealed!). Single layer and 4 trays in 2 days.

Hints: Cleanliness in not only next to Godliness, it keeps you from getting sick! Most of the drying tray's won't fit in a standard kitchen sink! They need hand scrubbed not dishwasher so get a tub to soak and wash them in from the beginning! Fruit and some marinades are super sticky. we made cloth nets to line the trays with to help in removal. They were bagged and washed on delicate cycle after every batch.

Liquid Smoke brand name is very expensive! I would buy GFS or other commercial brands by the gallon for what 8 ounces of brand name would cost.

All my dehydrators came with recipe books. Internet recipes are very subject to scrutiny! Both salt and white sugar are preservatives, I would never trust a recipe without one or both! (Maple syrup and Maple sugar are very tasty, but not a preservative!)

Ivan

Buy an American Harvester with adj. thermostat. I'm on my second one. Got about 20 years out of the first one. Won't use anything else.

Your desires are better served with a smoker rather than a dehydrator.

I've been using a Nesco FD-75A for several years to make mostly venison jerky, with occasional beef jerky when I get a good deal on a roast.

It also works well for dehydrating fruit.

I've been thinking of getting one for drying my brass.

venomballistics said:

Your desires are better served with a smoker rather than a dehydrator.

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NOT if you're drying fruit and making jerky.......I have both.

I have one and it works great...but I don't use it for food

I also have one I don't use for food. I dry my homemade black powder pucks in it.

I bought a couple new old stock Ronco Food Dehydrators off eBay a few years back and love them. I've tried dozens of both wet brines and dry rubs to prep the meat and was never quite satisfied so I decided to develop my own. I've probably ruined the meat from a couple of cows getting my dry rub recipe perfected, but I have it down now and make some of the best beef and venison jerky you've put in your mouth. No brag, just fact.

Turkey jerky is also great to make, chicken not so much. Apple chips, when done right, are also a favorite.

Mike said:

NOT if you're drying fruit and making jerky.......I have both.

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the OP specified that his desires do NOT include dried fruit.