Jerky

Yum!
I've used a dehydrator on fruits and veggies before... How long does meat take?

Gonna probably take about 8 hours. These trays are pretty full so it will take a while

I started with a RONCO, as seen on TV unit and it works great, now I use the NESCO Professional food and Jerky Dehydrator, it has a fan in the top(do not get one in the bottom), 7 trays and dries in about 1/2 the time of the ronco that had no fan. My NESCO model # is FD 75PR

Get the add a tray option as the original only comes w 5 trays and there is a package they offer on Amazon with a slim jim maker, the whole thing is a great deal. Frank

There are bigger and better units for more $$ but this is the one I use.

OK since someone is going to ask anyway, my base recipe:

Chicken Jerky

6 lbs boneless skinless chicken, for 6-7 trays
1 btl Dale's marinade, or whatever you like
1 btl mesquite smoke, cold be hickory, or other
1/2 btl soy sauce
1 blt course ground pepper
Optional: any other seasonings you enjoy

Slice the chicken into thin strips, no fat or veins, now is the time to season with cajun, garlic, onion if you want to. Remember to use no salt seasonings as the Dales and soy contain a lot already.

1 gallon zip baggie, pour your marinade in and mix, then add your chicken and mix all up. Take all the air out of the baggie to keep all the meat in the marinade. Place bag into plastic bowl, in case of leaks. Place in refrigerator for 12-24-36 hrs. Chicken takes only 10-12 hrs, the gamier the meat the longer to marinade.

Plug in your dehydrator and place strips without touching each other and pepper to taste with the COURSE ground pepper each level as you go. This will take 6-7 trays and provide you about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs of great jerky. Use sodium free ingredients if you have to but be sure to flavor up with lots of other seasonings if you do.

You can use pork, venison, rabbit, fish or beef too remember NO fat so the meat has to be the leanest(tough cuts are fine). Good luck and enjoy

ALSO, last night I just made 10 lbs of ground beef jerky, used the spice and cure pack at Bass Pro, 10 lbs for $5.99, added some of my spices and used the new jerky gun I got. It has a flat tip for strips or a round tip for a beef stick/slim jim type jerky. I almost like this better, a great snack in the field or a meal(5 sticks = a burger, lol). I added garlic in a batch, cajun in another, pepper in another and a combo of all 3 in another to their base mesquite seasoning. I dry 1/2 at a time and freeze the rest for another time, my 7 trays hold 5-6 lbs wet meat.

You can do the drying in a smoker also for a smoky full favor