Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Food Dehydrator


Nesco Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator and Jerky Maker FD-60





So the hubs borrowed a food dehydrator to make deer jerky. Did I tell you all he got his first deer? It was just outback in the woods not too far from the house, well he's addicted to hunting now. I'm not loving deer meat so far, either I cooked it wrong or they processed it wrong, but it was just wrong!!! Any recipes would be much appreciated ☺ So he made jerky, and I just cleaned the machine today and I just happened to have a bag of cranberries and two pineapples that I got for a great price!!! So I am dehydrating those and so far soo yummy!!! We may never return this item to his friend or it needs to be on someones Christmas list!!! Has anyone used a dehydrator before? What did you shrivel?

And Mama bear, I am going tomorrow to the post office! Dealing with this little puppy is a big pain in the butt! I have to take it everywhere so I don't go anywhere and if I do it's a really quick trip! But the post office will be my quick trip tomorrow ☺

17 comments:

  1. Deer meat! Awesome. Congrats to your husband! It's got a different taste and smell to it, and I didn't like it at first, and didn't cook it right when I first started cooking it. A tip would be to cook it slow. If it's like a stake cook it slow, (low/med heat) with lots of butter!! Yummy. If it's a roast cook it in the slow cooker. If it's deerburg you can mix it half and half with hamburg. Cuts down the smell and flavor of deer. Also I've mixed a dry packet (or half) of ranch dressing in the deerburg and made burgers with it!! Yummy with all the toppings a burger!
    Enjoy and experiment with it!!

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    1. I should have mixed it with beef. I think we need to take baby steps with this meat!

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  2. Soak the meat in a brine solution to draw out the blood, then marinate in Coca-Cola, then grill. This was my Mom's recipe. Let me know what you think.

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    1. We put the meat in salt and ice for three days after he processed it. Maybe too much salt :/ The ground meat wasn't in that so it was bland and weird. I will try the coke, that sounds interesting!

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  3. Find a good brine solution, and like K said soak it in that. Before I cook any meat, I rub it down with Olive oil, and a good rub.

    I got a dehydrater as well, and make a good ground meat jerky, super easy and yummy

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    1. The deer jerky is pretty good. I think we had cured our meat with too much salt so it might clog the arteries LOL! You should dehydrate some fruit, I ate half the pineapple when I would check on it,soo yummy ☺

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  4. Depending on which cuts you're cooking, different methods. I just browned some of our ground venison and it looked / tasted fine to me. But I've been eating venison for years now and can't taste the "gamey" in it anymore.

    Tenderloins we usually have that evening, cut into medallions then sauteed in butter/garlic/onions.

    The loins (backstraps) we usually cut into 1" thick slices, then pound with a meat mallet to about 1/2 it's original thickness, dip it in flour, egg, then seasoned crumbs or saltines crushed up & some S&P or Seasoning Salt. Then fry in about a 1/4" of hot oil, turning when browned.

    The front legs I season with salt,pepper,garlic,onion powder, then wrap it up really good in foil, then slow cook it until the meat easily comes off the bone, usually five hours, maybe more depending on the age of the deer. When it's cooled, I pick the meat off and serve it over potatoes and gravy or cover it in BBQ sauce & have pulled venison sandwiches.

    The hams (back legs) I bone & separate the larger muscles then cut it into stew meat. Slow cook it or can it. If you pressure can it, stick a beef bullion cube in there to make it taste less gamey.

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    1. I'm going to print this. Thank you, I knew you would know how to cook this thing ☺

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  5. I never acquired a taste for deer meat so I am no help. I do have a dehydrator I'd love to use for beef jerky but I haven't found the perfect recipe.

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    1. My husband got a seasoning packet from Bass Pro for the deer jerky. I bet you could find some kit with a recipe ☺

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  6. The dehydrator pictured above is the one I have, and love using. I've shriveled up fruit pineapple, apple, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, (my favorite, strawberries) and vegetables (potatoes, carrots, peas, green beans).
    I haven't yet tried to make fruit leather, I hear it's easy to make. Eventually, I will dehydrate beef and venison.

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    1. I may never give this thing back!!! Strawberries sound really good!!!

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  7. I have 2 dehydrators and use them for everything from venison jerky to dehydrating onions. I am not a vension fan and have eaten it every way it can be fixed and jerky is the only way I can stomach it...farm man is an avid hunter..He and farm girl like it, I fix them roast, tips, steaks etc...We process our own, always have...I doubt yours was processed wrong...it is wild game and will taste, well gamey...I have heard you can soak it in milk, vinegar and various and sundry concoctions, but it is still wild game and still taste gamey...I guess enough seasonings, spices and sauces would help cover the taste..lol.. but as I said, it is wild game, it foraged wild ediables like acorns (which are rather bitter to the taste),therefore deer will taste gamey..if you feed them corn they will taste different, but most do not feed deer year round, but tame deer taste way different than wild deer...but anyway in a pinch or less than desirable situation I would eat it rather than starving...lol.

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  8. We have been eating venison for years and it has become my children's favorite meat. We process it all ourselves to ensure we get the cuts we want. Like Carolyn we have the tenderloin fresh the day of the kill and we cook it the same way. Bacon wrappeed stuffed backstrap is our traditional New Years Day meal . I have a large venison cookbook that helps. I have never mixed hamburger with my ground venison. The trick we use to get the "gamey" smell and taste out is this - after my husband kills and cleans the deer he quarters it and packs it in a large cooler full of ice with the drain open so that the blood can constantly drain out. We leave the deer on ice for 5 - 7 days keeping it packed full of fresh ice daily. I have never had to soak my meat in anything or do any other methods to make it not smell or taste funny. I just cook up the venison like any other type of meat.
    Hope this helps. :)
    Tiffany

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  9. I have the nine-tray Excalibur dehydrator and love it. Excalibur has a thermostat and heat control. I only dehydrate fruits and vegetables. i have plans to make yogurt in it using half-pint jelly jars.

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  10. I don't much care for meat jerky (hubby does) but I would love fruit! Looks like great family time coming together using this dehydrator...sorta like when popcorn was popped the old-fashioned way! It's FUN gathering together and eating! Enjoy reading families life on farm! Have a wonderful and blessed weekend! Roxie

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