[pct-l] Re: dehydrator

[Charcholla@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/6/99 11:24:34 AM Pacific Standard Time,
rebecca_pct@usa.net writes:

<< I've never dehydrated anything. I've never even seen a food dehydrator. If
I wanted to make beef jerky ...

 1. is it better to do it in a dehydrator or is an oven OK? >>

An oven works just fine for beef jerky. And better still, you probably already
own one.


<< 2. how long in advance of when you'll eat it can you dehydrate it? >>

I think beef jerky has an almost "indefinite life" so you can make it today
for your thru hike this year. 

The big risk with preparing beef jerky too soon is that there's likely to be
none left when you get ready to pack it up for the trip. My advice: make all
you want for the thru hike PLUS another panful to "test drive" before you
leave home. 

You might even make that two pans full. The first time that I attempted to
make beef jerky, I found the pan empty by the end of the prescribed
dehydrating time. My 3 boys had been sampling the product from the time it was
'medium rare beef' and it was completely gone before it ever became 'fully
dehydrated beef jerky.'


<< 3. what do you do with it in the mean time? how do you store it between
when you make it & when you take it on a trip? >>

I'd recommend an off-site safety deposit box if you plan to have any left to
pack in your resupply boxes. 

I think they recommend storage in an airtight container like "a jar with a
lid," nothing fancy.

 
<< And are the answers to these questions different for other foods, (fruit
veggies etc.) in case I decide to experiment. >>

I don't have a dehydrator either so I'll let someone else respond to this
question.

Have fun,
Charlie
* From the Pacific Crest Trail Email List |  http://www.backcountry.net   *

==============================================================================