[crack]

I've tried a search but not much luck. I'm sure there's a few beef jerky conisours on here so my question to you is what dehydrator are you using? Seems there's a few to choose from some cheap some not so. Anyone used the tray ones from eBay?

I'm thinking as it will be my first time I should go the cheaper route or ebay ones until I can make a decent jerky and then spend the money later on.

Cheers
Crack

 

[Sparkys]

I've always made jerky in the oven. Leave it on a low heat for a few hours and it achieves the same thing.

However recently a mate showed me his biltong box, it is a really good idea. It's a large, plastic tub with holes cut in both ends and a computer fan wired up to move the air through. Above the holes is a stainless rack that he sits the meat on. He brought some biltong on a recent motorbike trip and it tasted awesome so it obviously works a treat.

 

[crack]

Thought about the oven but with two feral children in the house the oven door will either be closed or open.

 

[DB-101]

Back in the day when I made jerky from deer hunted in the Scottish highlands I just used a spare room (made air tight) and a heater. Cut across the grain (stick it in the freezer for an hour or so, much easier to slice).

Marinate as you want, drain very well (don’t pat dry as you can remove a lot of taste) and then hang over indoor clothes drying stands, tied off tight fishing line or whatever else that was handy. Even stole the racks from the over once, pished the wife right off when she went to use it that night ...

Crank the heat up, close the door and comeback in a couple of days. More of a natural cure and not as brittle as oven (which I use at the start), but that is just my opinion.

You need heat, or you can propagate bacteria and therefore ruin the meat if you're not careful.

 

[rgren2]

Back in the day when I made jerky from deer hunted in the Scottish highlands I just used a spare room (made air tight) and a heater.


This sound like some home growers rooms, minus the meat, just the vegetable.

 

[DB-101]

Back in the day when I made jerky from deer hunted in the Scottish highlands I just used a spare room (made air tight) and a heater.


This sound like some home growers rooms, minus the meat, just the vegetable.

lol, only for growing, you do not want heat when drying ...

Cool and dry is the way to go.

 

[LordBug]

I bought one of those multi-levelled circular dehydrators a few years back for next to bugger all, less than a carton of cheap beer.
Made many batches of jerky in it.
Been unused for a fair while now.

My opinion, cheap route first, if you stick to doing it heaps then maybe upgrade, and if you end up shelving the hobby, no guilt at all

 

[4by]

I put oven on very low with fan on and door slightly ajar. Drink a can of beer then squash the can and use that to keep the door open a little.

 

[Sooty_10]

I bought mine from dealsdirect a few years ago for $20. It's a circular one with multi levels and adjustable temp dial. Works well I've made heaps of batches of jerky with it. My mate actually borrowed it this week to make some roo jerky after we went shooting.

 

[Paddy16]

Google biltongbru, they sell one for biltong. Or build your own

 

[Paddy16]

I've always made jerky in the oven. Leave it on a low heat for a few hours and it achieves the same thing.

However recently a mate showed me his biltong box, it is a really good idea. It's a large, plastic tub with holes cut in both ends and a computer fan wired up to move the air through. Above the holes is a stainless rack that he sits the meat on. He brought some biltong on a recent motorbike trip and it tasted awesome so it obviously works a treat.

My brother went the plastic route for biltong and it works well. I built a wooden box which cost more but I've dried many kgs of biltong in mine without any problems. In summer it'll dry 4kgs within 4 days

 

[smicko]

I picked up a six tray Nara last week in a swap for a bottle of Jacks, got my first kg of topside in it now along with three trays of sliced apple for school lunches. Just had a taster, it's good.

 

[The Mellon]

https://www.sunbeam.com.au/Cooking/Food-Dehydrators/DT5600-Food-Dehydrator.aspx
same as the one i have

 

[Jok]

I lay strips of meat on a cake cooling rack(that's what the missus calls it) and stick it in the hooded barby, low heat for an hour or so.

 

[crack]

A lot of different ideas! Think I'll buy a cheaper dehydrator for now.how well does the bbq work?

 

[lowkew]

Jerky is normally smoked and slowly cooked (Dried right through),whereas biltong is just dried(retains more moisture).You may have to look into a cold smoker instead of just a dehydrator if you want to make jerky.

 

[Sparkys]

Biltong is nicer IMO, retains some of the juiciness of meat.






I'm getting hungry now

 

[Paddy16]

Yes biltong is cured with vinegar, salt and sugar and then dehydrated, never smoked. You can buy spice that you put on the topside overnight, hang it to dehydrate and there's your biltong

 

[X8Doom8X]

We have one that we've had for years, no idea where the old boy got it but it's brilliant.
A mate got one of the round stackable ones from the good guys fairly cheap and its works really well, just have to swap the racks around every now and then so it's more even.

 

[jwmr]

Excalibur from US is top of the pile but not cheap
A lot of meat turns into not much jerky

Id have thought it all needs curing, can use bought stuff.
Usually takes certain hours per mm thick meat
Mostly you apply spices at the same time