Mummy Meat!

[Capn Bob]

Okay, I was helping this lady find some soup cookbooks, right (I work in a library), and in the process I came across a food dehydrator cookbook. Since I got one of them food drying thingies, I snatched it for meself, looked thru it...and the result that I have some meat soaking in a marinade, and I'll be drying it tomorrow.

What sort of marinade, ye might ask? Well, I followed the recipe more or less exactly, but I doubled the amount of liquid smoke (from 1 tablespoon to 2), left out the salt (to make me physician happy), left out the onion juice (stores don't seem to carry it, and I ain't buyin' a juicer just to squeeze dry and onion)...oh, yes, and I left out the beer and used rum instead.

So this is not just mummy meat, but buccaneer mummy meat!

[callenish gunner]

I like to dry both beef and venison mixed with fruit and nuts to make Pemmican for trekking or period events ....I have also done some meats and fowl mixed with onions peppers and celery along with herbs for the base for stews and soups in camp where refrigeration will a problem ...and you can do it in a regular oven and don't need a fancy unit to do it

[Capn Bob]

Way back whenever, I started out making me jerky using the oven, but I was given a dehydrator for Xmas one year...just a very simple and basic unit, nothing fancy...curious about how the rum based marinade will work out...if nothing else, the meat should be drunk...

I like to dry both beef and venison mixed with fruit and nuts to make Pemmican for trekking or period events ....I have also done some meats and fowl mixed with onions peppers and celery along with herbs for the base for stews and soups in camp where refrigeration will a problem ...and you can do it in a regular oven and don't need a fancy unit to do it

[LadyBrower]

Oh, I'd like to know how to dehydrate in the oven... I like your idea Callenish, of using the assortment for the base for soups and stews, would make dinner quite easy I would imagine. =)

[callenish gunner]

I set my oven to warm and prop the door ajar to allow moisture to easily escape place meat on clean stainless steel trays and allow several hours or at least over night to dry - Dehydrating meat or fish takes about six-eight hours at 125° when using ground meats (only use very lean meats beef, turkey or venison) add a small quantity of bread crumbs so that when re-hydrated it is tender

From regular cuts of meat I pre-cook about half way( except for fish) then thin slice and finish the drying process it is better to over dry than to under dry to prevent spoilage You can also use sliced deli meats to choose to dry (roast beef, turkey breast or even ham) ....suggested not to dry regular pork due to higher fat content of the meat

Vegetables take much shorter times to dry (fresh or even frozen veggies and fruits can be dried)

Store in crocks with tight lids or zip-locks or waxed paper wrapped in muslin

Edited August 2, 2009 by callenish gunner