Beef jerky is a solid option for a quick source of protein that’s convenient enough for people on the go. When properly sealed, it can last over a year in the pantry and up to two years in the freezer.
If you have a dehydrator, jerky is a great way to save some money and create a delicious powerhouse snack.
When using a dehydrator to make beef jerky, there are a few tricks for determining when the meat is done. Dehydrated jerky will bend but not snap, so if it’s snapping in half — it’s overdone. The beef jerky should have a leathery exterior that’s not wet and not so dry that it’s crumbly.
If you’ve never made beef jerky in your dehydrator before, you’ll be excited to learn that it isn’t as difficult as it sounds.
The most difficult part may be slicing the beef thin enough, as you don’t want an overly thick and chewy piece of jerky. The next step is simply to wait patiently until it’s done!
4 Ways To Tell If Your Beef Jerky Is Done Dehydrating
For those who have never dehydrated beef jerky before, you may be wondering how to tell when the meat is fully dehydrated and ready to remove, package, and enjoy.
When beef jerky is fully dehydrated, it will have a dry and leathery exterior appearance, while still having the flexibility to bend.
There is a fine line between achieving perfectly dehydrated jerky and jerky that is tough to chew and leaves a dry taste in your mouth. You should never rush the process of making jerky and instead, savor every step of making this salty and savory snack.
If you’re trying to get the perfect jerky every time, follow the tips below to achieve delicious homemade beef jerky. The first couple of times may be trial and error but oftentimes, the errors are pretty tasty as well.
1. Examine the Exterior of the Jerky
Oftentimes, you can look into the dehydrator and examine the jerky without having to open it. Once the beef jerky looks dry, without any lingering spots of moisture, it may be ready to remove.
Beef jerky should look fairly wrinkled as the moisture is pulled out of the meat, which provides an additional visual clue.
2. The “Bend Test”
After removing a slice of beef jerky, you’ll want to ensure that it has a bend to it. Properly dehydrated beef jerky shouldn’t snap into pieces.
If it does, this is an indication that it was left in the dehydrator for too long and has become overly dry. When you bend the jerky, it shouldn’t present moisture and if it does, you’ll want to put it back into the dehydrator.
3. Use a Food Thermometer
If you’ve been cooking beef jerky for a while, you likely inherently know when it’s done. For those who are uncertain, a food thermometer provides a level of confidence that the meat is cooked to the correct temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remember, consuming undercooked meat can lead to a host of illnesses.
4. Taste a Piece!
For many people, this is the most exciting part of the dehydrating process. Once you’ve ensured that the meat is fully cooked, you’ll want to pull a slice of jerky and give it a taste.
If it’s overly tough, that means it isn’t quite done. If it crumbles in your mouth, try leaving the next batch in for less time.
Can You Over-Dehydrate Beef Jerky?
As with most things in the kitchen, you can overdo dehydrated beef jerky. When left in the dehydrator for too long, the jerky has the chance to turn too hard and crumbly. This results in an unpleasant mouthfeel and perhaps a hurt tooth.
The ideal texture for beef jerky is a leathery bite that requires a bit of chew, though not so much that your jaw is sore after eating a few pieces. Crumbly, over-dehydrated beef jerky won’t have that satisfying bite and you’ll have a mouthful of dry meat that’s lost some flavor.
There is a fine line when it comes to dehydrating jerky while maintaining a bit of softness. This softness is what makes the meat product enjoyable to eat, as it retains a bit of the meat’s natural texture.
Under-dehydrated jerky, on the other hand, is much too soft and won’t last very long in storage due to the excess moisture causing premature spoilage.
If you pull your jerky too soon and notice that there is still a fair amount of moisture on it, simply put it back into the dehydrator and set a timer. You may want to check the jerky more frequently at this stage, to ensure it reaches perfect doneness and doesn’t dry out instead.
Perfectly dehydrated jerky should be dry to the touch but flexible enough to bend. If it snaps directly in half, this is a clear sign that it has become over-dehydrated. While still perfectly edible, it may be less enjoyable to snack on due to the change in texture.
How Long Does Beef Jerky Take To Dehydrate?
When determining a timeframe for how long it takes to dehydrate beef jerky, many people fail to add in prep work.
This is often the most active time requirement when it comes to dehydrating any type of food. There is also the additional time required to marinate the beef to ensure it has an appealing flavor once dehydrated.
Depending on how thick you’ve cut your beef and how many slices you’re attempting to dehydrate at once, expect the process to take between 5-12 hours in total.
There are many variables when it comes to the time estimate, as there are several methods for dehydrating meat and quite a few cuts of meat to choose from.
Jerky is generally cut between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch. This allows it to stay thin enough to dehydrate within a day and thick enough that it has a satisfying chew to it.
Once the slices of beef are cut and marinated and in the dehydrator, it may take 4-6 hours to fully dehydrate them into jerky.
Keeping the heat between 150 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit allows it to cook fully and reach the desired internal temperature to kill any lingering pathogens and bacteria.
At this point, you can lower the temp to around 130 degrees Fahrenheit to dehydrate the meat the rest of the way. This takes longer but results in a better texture.
You might find this interesting: Can You Leave a Dehydrator On Overnight?
Should You Flip Beef Jerky In a Dehydrator?
Some models of dehydrators, such as the round ones, don’t require flipping halfway through. However, it’s generally recommended that you should flip your jerky slices once they look dry. When the other side begins to look dry as well, you can flip the pieces once more before removing them.
On some dehydrators, you may find that rotating the racks midway through the process helps keep the airflow consistent.
For smaller units, you may want to rotate every hour or so. With consistent use of your dehydrator, you’ll begin to get a feel for how often you should be moving things around.
The slices of beef jerky towards the center of the rack may dehydrate slower than those closer to the edge. When you flip the jerky and move pieces around, you can ensure a more even cooking process for the entire batch.
When dehydrating anything, but especially meat, you’ll want to spray the racks with a touch of nonstick oil. This prevents the food from sticking to the wiring and creating a mess later on. Beef jerky is susceptible to sticking and resulting in dried-on bits that require some elbow grease to scrub off.