Drying food for preservation and increased flavor.

C

coote

Joined
Apr 3, 2006
Messages
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Doc's walnut project reminded me of the benefits of dehydrating food.

I have dried quite a bit of fruit and meat.

Dried food keeps for a long time, and it is handy to take on trips where you might not be near stores.... or where you don't have a refrigerator.

In some cases, the drying process seems to concentrate the flavor as well...and you can turn some fairly ordinary fruit into quite a taste sensation...tomatoes and pears being two things that often turn out this way.

I have used a commercially made electric dryer.... but I have also dried fruit in the sun, and by hanging it above my woodstove.

The dried meat I've done is tasty enough, but it goes pretty darn hard... so it has to be cut into very fine slices, or pounded, to make it easier to chew.
 
Coote I dry meat and I find cutting the meat as uniformly thin as possible helps quite a bit . As soon as it starts to come apart/break instead of bend its good to go . I use a fruity red wine in my marinade and I find that enhances flavor .

What kind of meats do you dry the most . Do you have any tricks or unique spices you put in ?
 
I don't dry meat regularly. All the stuff I've done has been 'wild'.... goat, venison and hare.

I use salt, vinegar, coriander and pepper.

I've never used a commercial dryer for meat. I have just hung it up in the house. One batch grew some white mould.... but my South African mentor told me that it didn't matter. I just wiped it off using a bit of vinegar. I could be wrong, but I think I've been told that green or white mould is ok... but red mould is not good.
 
Coote I don,t particularly think any mold is good . Of course it all depends how hungry you are .

Generally I dry meat as a preference and not specifically as a preservative .
I use less salt as I won,t be keeping it for over a month . (My buddies get hold of it and it doesn,t last the weekend . ) L:O:L

I think a lot of salt may toughen some meats . A buddy of mine has suggested papaya as a tenderiser .

I mostly use thin fat free cuts and as it is by choice and not so much a preservative I have more freedom with my choice in cuts .

I wonder what lamb tastes like dried ?
 
I have made beef, buffalo, venison and fish jerky in the oven at low heat with the door open as well as in a Harvest Maid dehydrator. For me, the oven works better for jerky, the dehydrator for fruits and vegetables.

Fish is the hardest thing to get to turn out right. So many batches go straight from the oven to the garbage that I have just about given up on it.

The other meats have proved just about impossible to mess up. Just a light rub of salt and pepper with nothing else works and dries quickly. I usually use at least 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 pound of meat in the belief that it enhances the safety of the raw meat. A marinade with Balsamic vinegar is one of my favorite seasonings; adds a sweet taste and I think it is also a tenderizer and antimicrobial. Liquid Smoke is also very good for seasoning jerky and goes well with (or without) the vinegar. I also use a brief spell (30min or so) at a high temperature (150 to 200F) to help combat any microscopic threats. I use the heat after the jerky is fairly dry so the meat does not get cooked.

You can control the hardness of the jerky by controlling the drying time. I usually dry it till it is pretty hard; you can let it sit in your mouth a while before chewing to soften it or just chomp right in. About one half of the balsamic flavored jerky usually gets eaten before the drying is completed.

Where I live, do not think anything will dry well outside; may have to try it just to see.
 
Guyfalks ? I really like balsamic vinegar . That country bread and a little salted cheese will keep me going all afternoon .
 
Kevin the grey said:
Guyfalks ? I really like balsamic vinegar . That country bread and a little salted cheese will keep me going all afternoon .
Click to expand...

Its enough to make me hungry. I think I will have to get up early tomorrow and go to the supermarket and the bakery.
 
Kevin the grey said:
Guyfalks ? I really like balsamic vinegar . That country bread and a little salted cheese will keep me going all afternoon .
Click to expand...
Salted cheese? Is this any different than most cheeses? I love salt, and I love cheese, so this is sounding pretty good to me... :confused:
 
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