i know you mix in the seasonings and the cure at the same time.

can i start dehydrating right away or do i need to fridge it overnight first? i didnt see anything saying that but the cure part has me wondering.

hopefully its ok to start right away, if you know what i mean. :)

thanks

Hey Jan. Being that it is ground meat, the cure goes to work and penetrates almost immediately. Well not immediately, but very quickly. I always like to let mine sit over night to let the flavors/spices meld but after a few hours, you should be ok to start dehydrating.

well, now im glad i only did a pound to start with.

another question....time. im 3 hours in now, at 160 using the square nesco model, 700 watts. how can i tell when its done?

When it shrinks up and looks like one of the dogs treats LOL.
Give it the bend test. It should bend, but not crack in half, firm, but pliable.

How thick did you go?

what ever the shooter was...3/16's maybe. 4.5 hours now, one tray

Is that one of them jerky guns? Like a caulk gun? If so, did you get the round attachment for it?

yes, that was included.

so, when this batch is deemed done, what then? right to the fridge?

Here's something else for you to try if ya like.

Fresh Breakfast Sausage

10# recipe
10 pounds boneless pork but or shoulder ground with 1/8 plate (store bought ground pork may be used)
3 Tbls Kosher Salt
1 Tbls Ground white pepper
2 Tbls + 1 tsp Rubbed sage
1 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tbls Nutmeg
1 Tbls Thyme
1 Tbls Cayenne
2 cups Ice Water

Yes it's for 10# as that is the size of batches I make but you can simply scale it back if ya like.

I use my sausage stuffer to make "sausage snakes". Basically they are sausage links. Mix whatever size batch you want, 1#, 3#, whatever, load your jerky gun up and shoot meat snakes across some wax paper that's on a cookie sheet. Toss in freezer to firm them up pretty good then cut into link size portions, bag em and freeze em. Breakfast links that beat the store bought stuff.....

quote kanoes: "yes, that was included.

so, when this batch is deemed done, what then? right to the fridge?
"

If ya bag it, let it cool first or you'll have condensation in the baggie.

pat with paper towel i assume.

thanks for your help. its greatly appreciated by this dehydrator virgin.

Pat with a paper towel? If you mean to blot off any fat reside, yeah, you could. But fat is flavor so.......

What was the fat % of the ground you used? For future reference, ground meat for making jerky, it is recommended to be at least 93% lean as the fattier stuff can go rancid sooner. If you did use lean stuff, you can store this jerky in a paper bag or jar on the counter, provided the center of the meat reached a safe internal temp. If you wanted to store it on the counter, a quick shot in an over at 250 degrees for 10 minutes would ensure that all was cooked. Even though I make my own jerky, I still store it in the fridge, and I could probably store it on the counter, but it usually doesn't last but a few days LOL.

it is 93%

5 hours now....took a bite. seems to be done. edit...i think i went 30 minutes too long. still tasty though.

Send it down here if its to done and I will dispose of it for you!
We have done quite a bit of jerky in the past, ground burger and ground deer. It seems to work best with deer if we really stick with the best hunks of de-fatted meat and grind it up with an electric grinder. I also like to let sit in fridge overnight, to take on all the spices. I think it also helps to move trays around in dehydrater.
I have a round old dehydrator, and rotate the trays around, to get what I feel is a more even cure on all trays. Maybe its me, but I do think rotating trays around after the dehydrator has been running a couple hours give a more even product. Under done to me is better than overdone. It seems when the stuff comes out and it's perfect, and then after it cools down it gets stiffer and brittle, then it is overdone?
Have fun figuring it out, it is more of an ART then a SCIENCE
SunCatcher

You may be interested in a book called The Dehydrator Bible. My library has it; bet yours does, too.