| Can you make jerky in a regular home oven? Yes, a | | | | a) an easy, practical way to experiment with food |
| home oven can be used as a makeshift food | | | | dehydration and b) little to no additional investment is |
| dehydrator. Food dehydration essentially requires two | | | | required, assuming an oven is already available. |
| basic elements; heat and air flow. These two | | | | However, dehydrating with an oven does have its |
| elements work in concert to remove moisture from | | | | disadvantages including: a) an oven lacks air |
| food. As the heat warms the food, its moisture is | | | | movement, which is a critical component of food |
| released and evaporated into the air. To dehydrate | | | | dehydration and could result in improperly dehydrated |
| food in an oven, you simply place food items on the | | | | food, bacteria and microbial growth and premature |
| wire racks in your oven, set the heat and leave the | | | | food spoilage, b) inefficient energy use given the |
| oven door slightly ajar to let air and moisture out. | | | | oven's size and cost (it is estimated that leaving the |
| You can also place a fan by the open oven door to | | | | oven door open will require the oven to work 25% |
| provide some air circulation. | | | | to 30% harder to maintain the desired oven |
| The basic meat preparation steps for making jerky | | | | temperature), c) the danger inherent in leaving the |
| are as follows:o Choose a lean piece of meat and | | | | oven door open while it is in use, especially if you |
| trim off all the fat, connective tissue and or tendonso | | | | have younger children, d) the heat emanating from |
| Slice the trimmed meat into 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick | | | | the open oven door will heat the surrounding area - |
| strips. The slices can be made with or against the | | | | not so good if it is spring or summer or if you live in |
| grain.o If desired, the meat strips can be marinated | | | | a warmer climate, e) some older ovens cannot set |
| with sauces and seasoned with spices, salt and | | | | temperatures below 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 |
| pepper.o The United States Department of | | | | degrees Celsius) and f) your oven will obviously be |
| Agriculture (USDA) recommends that, before | | | | out of commission for several hours. |
| dehydrating, the meat strips be heated to a | | | | Food dehydrators are specifically designed to provide |
| temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees | | | | a constant ideal drying temperature combined with |
| Celsius). The USDA recommends this step to destroy | | | | heated air that circulates via a blower or fan. Thus, |
| any harmful bacteria that may be in the raw meat. | | | | the two main components in food dehydration - heat |
| Per the USDA, studies have shown that harmful | | | | and air - are controllable via the dehydration unit. A |
| bacteria can survive temperatures of 140 degrees | | | | food dehydrator's advantages include: a) a more |
| Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). The USDA especially | | | | efficient usable unit and space, b) a temperature |
| recommends preheating, before dehydrating, for | | | | control that can precisely maintain a constant desired |
| ground beef based jerky.o Maintain a constant drying | | | | drying temperature, c) a fan that circulates the air, |
| temperature of between 130 to 140 degrees | | | | thus removing moisture and d) a more efficient |
| Fahrenheit (54 to 60 degrees Celsius). | | | | dehydration processing time. |
| Advantages of dehydrating food in an oven include: | | | | |