Victorio VKP1006 Food Dehydrator - Manual (Page 12)

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Slice across the grain if a more tender, brittle jerky is preferred. The meat
can be marinated for flavor and tenderness. Marinade recipes may include
oil, salt, spices and acid ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, teriyaki,
soy sauce or wine.
Place strips of meat in a shallow pan and cover with marinade. Cover pan
and refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight. Products marinated for several hours
may be more salty than some people prefer. If you choose to heat the meat
prior to drying to decrease the risk of food borne illness, do so at the end
of the marination time. To heat, bring strips and marinade to a boil and
boil for 5 minutes before draining and drying. If strips are more than ¼
inch thick, the length of time may need to be increased. If possible, check
the temperature of several strips with a metal stem-type thermometer to
determine that 160ºF has been reached.
Food Safety
Raw meats can be contaminated with microorganisms that cause disease.
These harmful bacteria can easily multiply on moist, high protein foods
like meat and poultry and can cause illness if the products are not handled
correctly. If pork or wild game is used to make jerky, the meat should be
treated to kill the trichinella parasite before it is sliced and marinated. This
parasite causes the disease trichinosis. To treat the meat, freeze a portion
that is 6 inches or less thick at 0ºF or below for at least 30 days. Freezing
will not eliminate bacteria from the meat.
Follow these recommendations for safe handling of meat and poultry:
• Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and running water for at least
20 seconds before and after handling raw meats.
• Use clean equipment and utensils.
• Keep meat and poultry refrigerated at 40ºF or below. Use ground beef
and poultry within 2 days, red meats within 3 to 5 days or freeze for
later use.
• Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter.
• Marinate meat in the refrigerator. Do not save and re-use marinade.
Drying Meats
Remove meat strips from the marinade and drain on clean, absorbent
towels. Arrange strips on dehydrator trays. Place the slices close together,
but not touching or overlapping. Place the racks on the dehydrator heating
base.