West Bend Back to Basics FD-600 - Manual (Page 12)

DRYING MEATS
Meats or fish can be dried using two different methods, (1) dr^'ng without
cooking and (2) drying cooked meats.
Jerking meats, or processing without prior cooking, yields tough chewy but
great tasting meat. The meats are soaked in a salt based marinade, trier
dried.
Meats and fish can be cooked prior to drying. Proper cooking kills trie
bacteria present in raw meats and fish prior to drying. The dried meat and
fish products can be used for stews, sandwich spreads, or stroganoff. The
light weight of dried meats makes them idea! to take along on camping or
backpacking trios. Dried meats and fisn can be reconstituted by adding
wate.’, then used for many recipes.
Meats for drying should be LEAN WiTH AS LITTLE FAT as possible. Fat wii.’
spoil during storage. FlanK steak o^ round steak is an excellent choice tor
making jerky. Meats that work best for stews or sandwich spreads need tc
be of choice quality and tender. ALL FAT SHOULD BE REMOVED.
Meats, for purposes other than jerky, need to be cooked orio^ to drying. You
can use leftover roast or steak to dry. or cook meats specifically for drying.
Leftover turkey v^ll make excellent snacks for iater.
Fish should be as fresh as possible.
MAKING BEEF JERKY
Slice the flank or round steak into ttw strips or slices. Cutting the meat while
It is frozen may make cutting easier. Cut across the grain for more tender
jerk^^ Place in prepared marinade for 3 hours or overnight in an airtighi
container. Do not use a metal container. (See Homemade Jerky, p.17)
Place the strips or slices onto the tray. Do not overlap. Dry until it cracks-
when bent, about 8-15 hours. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Tc maintain the best flavor, refrigerate. Use within 3 montns.
MAKING FISH JERK>r
Use fresh fish cut into strips. Larger fish work better. Properly dean fish and
keep cold prior to drying to help reduce spoiling. Remove the bones and cut
into strips. Soak in mixture of 1 quart water and 1/2 cup salt. Refrigerate 30
minutes. Remove from liquid, pat dry.
Place into flat pan and sprinkle liberally vnth a salted seasoning mixture. Use
at least 1 tablespoon salt per 2 pounds of fish. Cover and refrigerate for
about 6 hours.
Then place seasoned strips onto trays to dry. Don’t overlap. Dry until no
moisture appears, but not until brittle. Refrigerate dried fish to ensure flavor.
Keeps up to 3 months refrigerated.
1