Deer Jerky need to cook first?

C

cgbills

New member
Was doing some research on making deer jerky and ran across this

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/jerky_and_food_safety/index.asp

Basically the USDA says that the meat needs to be heated up to 160 degrees before dehydrating at 130-140. Do you all do this? It does not seem like it would take that long to do if you did it when it was sliced thin. I guess I would just marinate it, put it in the oven to 160 and once the meat reads 160 with a thermometer, start the dehydration process. What are your thoughts/input on this? I have not made jerky before and this will be my first attempt. Also how long will you all keep your jerky for? The USDA sight says 1-2 months, but I think it will keep much longer if I put it in vacuum sealed bags. Also I had the thought of making jerky out of some of the meet and freezing the rest. When my jerky runs out, defrost the frozen meet and make into jerky. This way you can have jerky year round.
 
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I do mine 8 lbs at a time in the dehydrator for 11 hours on 165 degrees... I dont heat it any other way... but I use venison burger..not sliced meat.
 
I use sliced meat strips and just put it on the dehydrator. And leave it there till its as dry as I want it. I put most of it back in the freezer till use it.
 
We eat fish raw all the time. Oysters too......

Kibbie, a Mid-East treat, is raw meat.

Cured meats are often never heated. The salt, nitrates or other cuering agents render the meat safe to eat.

Drying also renders meat very resistant to spoilage.

I would not hesitate a moment to eat raw a piece of venison from a deer I had harvested and cleaned myself in the last few days. Maybe not so with one I knew not the handling of but certianly my own.

As for jerkey.........

If you've used the proper cuering agents and if you've started with good quality product and if you accomplish the drying in a timely manner the actual temperature is not all that critical.

You've got to remember when the "Nanny State" writes a regulation or a recomendation it is aimed at the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR.

Do more research......especially on European web sites as to the art of preserving uncooked meats. You will be surprised what you will find.......
 
When I made jerky, I sliced it thin, marinated it in the soy sauce, etc recipe a friend gave me for 24 hours, hung it on the racks in the oven, set the oven to the lowest temp and dried it for 4 hours.

We kept it refrigerated for months & months. Well until everyone ate it which was usually only about a month:D
 
I put raw strips in the dehydrator and go and haven't had any problems. I usually don't let my jerky sit around for more than a month however once its done.
 
I just marinate my slices of venison in liquid smoke and some other stuff. I then lay it on the racks in my dehydrator (one with a fan in it is the best). I then rotate the racks and take pieces off as they get done. Never had a problem. As far as storing it goes....I have no idea cause it never lasts that long around here.
 
Jerky is dried, raw red meat.

If you cook it in any way, it's not jerky.

Low level heat speeds up the drying process, but should not be hot enough to actually cook it.

Daryl
 
I agree with Daryl. It is dried, raw meat.
We squirt out 10lbs of hamburger strips in the dehydrator and in 5 1/2 hours at 155 degrees we got jerky. In my Excaliber, 6 hours is like cardboard. We usually zip-loc some for fast eating and then vac-seal some for storage. In the freezer it lasts a loooong time.
 
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Jerkey that has taken a trip through a dehydrator is cooked. No getting around that, and I don't much care for it.

I use non-fiberglass pleated furnace filters.

I lay the strips of drained jerkey in the grooves and stack another filter on top of that and repeat until I get a layer about 4 filters deep (3 will have meat on them).

Then I bungee the entire thing to a powerful box fan and turn it on high. It stays on high for anywhere from 18 to 24 hours, depending on temperature and ambient humidity.

While the salt, sugar, and spices are the long-term preservatives, I do refrigerate what I'm going to use within a week or two and freeze everything else just to be sure.
 
This thread is making me hungry for jerky. :)

I have 5 lbs of buffalo meat that was cut on processing just for this purpose. I started with 20-30 lbs, and still have the last 5 lb package.

Might just have to take it out in the next few days, season it, and then dry it.

Mighty good stuff!

Daryl
 
Enuf said. But that never stopped me from adding my opinion and experience.
;)
I do not cook my jerky. Only marinate, hang from rack in oven at low temp, leave door open a little bit to allow moisture to escape. Be sure to line bottom of oven or wife will get on you.
Jerking is a curing process. Originally, meat was simply hung in sun to dry. Safe to eat as has been done since beginning of time.
 
The jerky I like best is made from ground game meat.

Not stringy, not tough, just good!

And the info does call for it to be be brought up to a certain temp before finishing.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
I am sure that my being raised with the "IRON GUT" fortification has a large role in my not being a "sicky" but I have had all sorts of jerky from air dried with no heat to cooked... The air dried is by far the best tasting to me.

If your jaw muscles don't get a work out it is likely "chopped and formed" from ground meat... Me? I like mine from sliced meat.

Brent
 
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