Post by Granny Smith on Feb 25, 2009 21:05:05 GMT -5
It's possible to dehydrate nearly all lean meats. I started with the recipe for Hamburger Rocks, but worked with a friend of mine, a bio-chemist, and altered the original recipe to be sure the results were as safe as possible. Using these methods, along with a modicum of cleanliness, no deadly bacteria will survive.
If you are dehydrating hamburger, the first thing you'll need to do is render out as much fat as possible. To do this, you can use one of two methods. You can either fry the meat slowly, stirring often, then rinse with hot water. Or you can boil the meat, drain, then rinse with hot water. When I boil it, I drain it, then fill the pot with water a second time, bring it to a boil again, drain again, then rinse. I want to be sure to get rid of as much grease as possible.
Warning: Do not drain meat into the sink! The grease will clog your drain. Instead, put a colander on a big bowl (or another pan) and drain it into that. Save the grease (directions follow)
Once your meat is drained, put it into a clean skillet and sprinkle lightly with plain salt. You can omit the salt if you want to, but it's one of the safeguards against bacteria. If you are doing a lot of meat, you'll need to do this step in several batches. Cook the meat on medium, stirring often, until you have all of the moisture out of it. If you stir it and see no more wisps of steam, you can go to the next step.
Once the meat has been cooked the second (or third) time, spread it out on cookie sheets and put it in a 200 degree oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it's completely dry and hard as rocks. I pinch a few of the biggest pieces to be sure.
Cool thoroughly and store in a jar on the shelf. The instructions say to use within 2 years, but I've used it after 3 and couldn't tell any difference.
To dry chicken, beef, and pork, first trim as much fat as you possibly can. Cook the meat, either by roasting or steaming. I like to roast it with a cover on, so it doesn't get crusty.
When the meat is thoroughly cooked, either cool or not, as you prefer, and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Shred the meat with your fingers, as if you were going to make pulled pork sandwiches. Rinse the shredded meat, sprinkle lightly with salt (again, this is optional, although it does add to its safety), spread out on cookie sheets, and dry till thoroughly crisp in a 200 deg. oven. This can be tested by crushing a few of the bigger pieces with your fingers. When it crushes to dust, it's done. Cool and store in jars on the shelf.
To use these dehydrated meats, either soak them for about 15 minutes in hot liquid or simply add them to your sauce or casserole. Once they're rehydrated, I can't tell them from fresh and neither can anyone else I've served them to.
I mentioned that you should save the hamburger grease. Here is how you do that~
Add enough water to cover, then bring it to a boil. Chill it, then take the fat off the top of the water. Put it back in a clean pan, add as much water as you have grease and boil it again. Chill it again, lift it off the water and look at the bottom. If there is any gunk, scrape it off with a butter knife and discard. Then cook the fat in a skillet until you have all of the moisture out of it. Cool and pour into containers. This can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Use like you would use lard. It has very little flavor of its own.
If you are dehydrating hamburger, the first thing you'll need to do is render out as much fat as possible. To do this, you can use one of two methods. You can either fry the meat slowly, stirring often, then rinse with hot water. Or you can boil the meat, drain, then rinse with hot water. When I boil it, I drain it, then fill the pot with water a second time, bring it to a boil again, drain again, then rinse. I want to be sure to get rid of as much grease as possible.
Warning: Do not drain meat into the sink! The grease will clog your drain. Instead, put a colander on a big bowl (or another pan) and drain it into that. Save the grease (directions follow)
Once your meat is drained, put it into a clean skillet and sprinkle lightly with plain salt. You can omit the salt if you want to, but it's one of the safeguards against bacteria. If you are doing a lot of meat, you'll need to do this step in several batches. Cook the meat on medium, stirring often, until you have all of the moisture out of it. If you stir it and see no more wisps of steam, you can go to the next step.
Once the meat has been cooked the second (or third) time, spread it out on cookie sheets and put it in a 200 degree oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it's completely dry and hard as rocks. I pinch a few of the biggest pieces to be sure.
Cool thoroughly and store in a jar on the shelf. The instructions say to use within 2 years, but I've used it after 3 and couldn't tell any difference.
To dry chicken, beef, and pork, first trim as much fat as you possibly can. Cook the meat, either by roasting or steaming. I like to roast it with a cover on, so it doesn't get crusty.
When the meat is thoroughly cooked, either cool or not, as you prefer, and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Shred the meat with your fingers, as if you were going to make pulled pork sandwiches. Rinse the shredded meat, sprinkle lightly with salt (again, this is optional, although it does add to its safety), spread out on cookie sheets, and dry till thoroughly crisp in a 200 deg. oven. This can be tested by crushing a few of the bigger pieces with your fingers. When it crushes to dust, it's done. Cool and store in jars on the shelf.
To use these dehydrated meats, either soak them for about 15 minutes in hot liquid or simply add them to your sauce or casserole. Once they're rehydrated, I can't tell them from fresh and neither can anyone else I've served them to.
I mentioned that you should save the hamburger grease. Here is how you do that~
Add enough water to cover, then bring it to a boil. Chill it, then take the fat off the top of the water. Put it back in a clean pan, add as much water as you have grease and boil it again. Chill it again, lift it off the water and look at the bottom. If there is any gunk, scrape it off with a butter knife and discard. Then cook the fat in a skillet until you have all of the moisture out of it. Cool and pour into containers. This can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Use like you would use lard. It has very little flavor of its own.
)
Gotcha! Might be something I would want to play around with the night before, then, rather than in the morning when trying to make Dave's lunch! 