Preparing Jerky Safely

Preparing Jerky Safely

Homemade jerky can be a flavorful, easy-to-make snack. But as with any meat product, keep food safety in mind so that your final product is both tasty and healthy.

Recent research conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison determined that there are some key steps to safely preparing jerky at home. “There have been documented outbreaks of illness linked to jerky over the past 10 years,” says Barbara Ingham, research food microbiologist and food science specialist with the University of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “One focus of our research has been to determine how to dry jerky that was safe using standard consumer methods.”
Ingham’s research focused on the safety of jerky made from seasoned ground beef or marinated strips of beef or turkey breast. “Wisconsinites tend to prefer a flavorful, chewy jerky says Ingham. “We don’t want to dry meat too long so that it remains chewy, but we do want to ensure safety.”
There are three key steps in preparing safe jerky. First, use a home-style dehydrator that reaches and maintains a temperature of 145 degrees F, or above. “A dehydrator where you can’t adjust the temperature, or where a high enough temperature can’t be maintained, will not destroy enough pathogens, if they exist. Three brands were tested in the research; the Excaliber (by Excaliber), the Gardenmaster (by Nesco), and the Jerky Xpress (also by Nesco). Only the Excaliber and the Gardenmaster were able to reach the desired temperature in a relatively short period of time and maintain that temperature over the drying period.
The second step is to dry the meat for at least six hours. It may be tempting to pull meat out of the dehydrator early, but allow enough time for moisture to leave the meat so that it won’t mold or become unsafe during storage.
The third and perhaps most important step, is to follow the drying process with a quick oven-heating treatment. To do this, place dried strips on a cookie sheet in an oven that has been preheated to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat the strips for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool and package. This is an easy step to ensure safety.
Although the research was conducted with ground or whole-muscle beef and strips of turkey breast, the results apply equally to venison.
To learn more about preparing jerky at home, go to http:foodsafety.wisc.edu

Source: Barbara Ingham, Food Safety Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Extension and University of Wisconsin-Madison.