L'Equip EXPANDABLE 528 - Manual (Page 18)

EXPANDABLE 528
D E H Y D R A T O R
Owner’s Manual User Guide
18
Meats, Fish and Poultry
MEATS, FISH AND POULTRY
The L’EQUIP Dehydrator can make dried meat and jerky. Dried meat refers to
meat, poultry, or fi sh that has been cooked then dried. Jerky is raw meat or
fi sh that has been seasoned and dried.
Dried meats are best when made for upcoming camping and backpacking
trips. When reconstituted, they yield a tasty meat, somewhat like fresh
cooked. Practically any meat can be dried, but fatty meats are not
recommended.
Suggested uses:
Snacks, soups, stews, casseroles, pizza toppings or rehydrate and use in
salads.
Guidelines:
• Choose lean cuts of meat. The leaner the meat, the better quality of the
dried product. Chicken breasts are leaner than dark meat.
• Cleanliness is critical when working with raw meats. Make sure all
surfaces, utensils and your hands, are washed thoroughly.
• Except for jerky, all meats, fi sh and poultry should be cooked before
being dried. Braising, pot roasting or steaming are best, because no fat is
used with these cooking methods.
• Never dehydrate raw chicken or poultry because it could contain
salmonella.
• Cut meats across the grain into thin strips about 1” wide and ¼” thick.
• Trim off all fat and connective tissues. For easier cutting, partially freeze
by placing meats on the bottom of the freezer for about 30 minutes. Turn
and freeze 15 minutes longer. To prepare fi sh, fi let, then cut into 1” strips.
• Do not store dried meat, fi sh, or poultry longer than two months.
• Store dried meat in an airtight container, a sealed plastic bag, or jar with
an airtight lid. Keep in the refrigerator or freezer.
Note:
Meats, poultry, and fi sh generally take 6-12 hours to dry. This is a general
guideline. Drying times may vary. Dehydrated meats, poultry and fi sh darken
iin color when dried. Dehydrate until pieces are dry but will bend without
breaking, with no evidence of moisture.
19
Meats, Fish and Poultry
MEATS, FISH AND POULTRY
Meats Cuts to Select Preparation
Test for
Dryness
Beef
Lean cuts: Round,
Rump, Flank
Cook as for pot roast, until tender. Chill.
Remove all fat. Cut into cubes or strips.
Season, if desired.
Brittle
Chicken or
Turkey
White Meat
Cook by steaming or roasting. Chill.
Remove fat and hard skin. Cut or break into
pieces or cubes ½” thick, 2” long. Season
if desired.
Hard
Fish
Lean Fish:
Bass, haddock
pike, snapper,
halibut, cod, perch,
fl ounder
sole, whiting
Clean fi sh by removing head, skin and any
bones. Steam fi sh without adding butter.
Cool. Break into pieces about 2” square,
not thicker than ½”. Must not contain bones
or skins. May be sprinkled with paprika,
salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder or
other spices before drying.
Brittle
JERKY
Jerky is the only meat to be placed uncooked in the dehydrator. Your L’EQUIP
Expandable Dehydrator quickly turns thin strips of seasoned meat into a
hearty snack. It is recommended that pork not be dried for jerky, as the drying
temperature is not high enough to kill harmful bacteria.
NOTE: Start Jerky at 153° (highest setting). Halfway through decrease
temperature to 140°-145° and dry until desired texture is reached.
Jerky generally takes 6-10 hours to dry. This is a general guideline. Drying
times may vary. Dehydrate until strips are dry, but can be bent without
breaking. Jerky should be tough (slightly chewy), not brittle, with no evidence
of moisture.
PREPARING JERKY
• It is essential when working with raw meats to keep working conditions
clean. Wash hands thoroughly each time you touch another item. Make
sure all surfaces and utensils are washed completely.
• To prepare ground beef: Always use the leanest ground beef. You will
need a jerky gun accessory to shape the ground beef into strips.
• To prepare fi sh: fi let, then cut into 1” strips.
• To prepare meat: Select lean meats, (lean fl ank or round steak makes
great jerky). Trim off all fat and connective tissue. Cut into strips about
1”-1½” thick.
NOTE: For easier cutting, place meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes to
partially freeze. Turn over and freeze 15 more minutes. Cut across the grain
into strips about 1/8” thick.