• Meat may be seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder, or other spices. Because flavours
intensify during dehydration use salt sparingly! There are lots of jerky recipes available. Try them
or create your own unique flavour!
• Drain marinated strips on paper towels, and place the strips on drying trays (remember to protect
the dehydrator from dripping foods as described earlier in this manual). Dehydrate until strips are
quite dry, and stiff to bending but can be bent without breaking This will take from 6 to 16 hours.
Unlike other dried meats, Jerky should be slightly chewy but not brittle.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember that keeping a sanltarywork aru Is crucial. Be sure to wash all work
surfaces and your hands before handling the meat, and wash your hands after touching any other ob-
ject or surface before handling meat again.
Flower and Herbs Dehydration
Flowers: The flowers should be picked after the dew has dried and before the evening dampness. Flo-
wers should be dried as quickly and as soon as possible after picking. Discard any damaged or brown
leaves. Place in trays without overlapping. Drying times will vary depending upon size and type of flo-
wer. Dry for approximately 2 to 36 hours.
Herbs: Rinse and shake off excess water. Pat dry. Remove dead or discoloured leaves. If using seed,
pick when pods have changed color. You should leave herbs on the stem and remove when drying has
been completed Spread herbs loosely on tray. Drying times will vary according to size and type. Dry
for approximately 2 to 6 hours.
Once food is properly dried it is important to store it properly for best results. By following these
storage techniques, your food will stay fresh and ready-to-use for the longest time possible.
Containers
Any container which is clean, airtight, and moisture-proof is suitable for storage. Heavy, zippered
plastic bags or heat sealing cooking bags are excellent. Fill each bag as much as possible and squeeze
out excess air. Filled bags may be placed in metal cans with lids (shortening or coffee cans are good)
to keep out insects. Glass jars with tight-fitting lids can be used with or without plastic bags. Quality
plastic containers with tight-fitting lids are good but they must be airtight. Do not use paper or cloth
bags, lightweight plastic bags, bread wrappers, or any container without a tight-fitting lid.
General Food Storage Tips
• Wait until food is cooled off completely before storing.
• Heat and light will cause food to deteriorate. Keep food in a dry, cool, and dark place.
• Remove all the air you possibly can from the storage container and close tightly.
• Ideal storage temperature is 15°C or lower.
• Never store food directly in a metal container. Avoid containers that breathe or have a weak seal .
• Check the contents of your dehydrated food for moisture during the weeks following dehydration. If
there is moisture inside, you should dehydrate the contents for a longer time.
• For best quality, dried fruits and vegetables should not be kept for more than 1 year.
• Dehydrate your produce in the summer when it is at optimum freshness and replace it annually.
• Dried meats, game, poultry and fish should be stored for no more than 3 months if kept in the ref-
rigerator, and no more than 1 year if kept in the freezer.
• Vacuum sealing can help to extend storage life by several months, if food has been properly and
thoroughly dried.
Storing Dried Foods
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