Expert: Carol Schlitt - 11/8/2006

Question
what is the best temprature to make jerky at?
since the begining of time people smoke cured meat how does this process differ from dehydration? Even air dryed meat with no ill afects, why now do we have such a scary things
about meat?
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I made a dehydrator out of a new hair dryer and a clean cardboard box which I lined the inside with aluminum foil and insulated the outside. I sealed all of the cracks and used a air filter. I want to know if a higher temp from the hair dryer will affect the safety of the meat, also, I would like to leave some of the fat on the meat, most people trim the fat off the meat, why is this done and can I leave some of the fat on the meat.  Does bacteria grow faster on fat than lean meat. I have a temp probe in my dehydrator so I can monitor the temperature. The air flow in my dehydrator is higher than that of a regular dehydrator, will this higher pressure be a safety issue. Thank you, Sincerely, Paul and Glenda
-----Answer-----
Hi Paul and Glenda

I've never heard of making a dehydrator out a hairdryer and cardboard box. Is this your design?

Fat is removed from meat because it becomes rancid quickly. This is why lean meat is used in making jerky as the whole purpose is to make a protein source that can last a long time outside of refrigeration.

If you dry meats at high temperatures and with a high air flow -- you will most likely case case-hardening of the meat. This is where the outside of the meat dries so quickly that it does not allow the moisture from within the meat to be extracted. Doing so makes the meat much more susceptible to spoilage.

Please check out this website for research-based information on making jerky at home:   http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/dry/jerky.html

If you should have additional questions, please let me know.

Carol C. Schlitt
Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness
University of Illinois Extension


Answer
Hi Paul,

Jerkey should be prepared in 140 degree dehydrator or oven. If you marinate the meat prior to drying the 140 degree heat is sufficient. If you did not marinate prior to drying, then we recommend heating the jerkey to 160 degrees in an oven to ensure safety.

Why the difference?  Marinating changes the water content of the meat, lowering the chances for food borne illness. HOWEVER -- we recommend that heating all jerkey to a final temperature of 160 degrees ensures its safety.

Now -- why do we do we recommend methods that differ from those done in the past?  Three reasons -- 1. we know more about what can cause problems, 2 we live in a country that has mass production of meat and the chances for food borne illness affecting a larger number of people at one time is increased, and finally 3. we live in a litigious society.  In other words -- we live in a society that will sue you if you make any kind of mistake.  Erroring on the side of safety for food recommendations saves money in the long run.

I hope this has answered your questions.  I do recommend that you check out these research-based websites on making jerkey:

http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/mod01/01600823.html
http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/home/12397lyn.html
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn580w.htm

Carol