Beef Jerky Disaster

[Sven Svensson]

My big fancy LEM dehydrator has been glitching on me and it finally went out on me as I started big batch # 2. I’ll be calling LEM tomorrow but I’m not sure what to do with all these 1/4” slabs I so beautifully cut and seasoned and now are about 25% dry.

Do I freeze it and wait for LEM to help me fix it? The issue is the electronic controls. It could be a couple weeks at least.

Do I cube it and make chili? Grind it into jerky sausage? I’m certain there’s a good reason none of us have ever heard of jerky sausage.

 

[h8that4u]

Any way to finish in the oven?

 

[tbern]

Can you finish in your kitchen oven at low temp?

 

[tbern]

Whoops, looks like I was a little late with my post, sorry

 

[Sven Svensson]

My lowest setting is 170. Is that going to be too high? I do have a convection option on it if that helps.

 

[noboundaries]

Yep, like everyone said. Oven. I make the vast majority of my jerky in the oven.

And 170F is fine, especially if you crack the oven door open a little with a metal utensil or the probe of a metal meat thermometer. You'll find the shelf temps will run lower.

 

[Sven Svensson]

Thanks for the advice. I’ll give it a shot. My door won’t stay on if open but I’ll see how it does on a small tray first.

 

[tbern]

You can monitor your oven temp with a grill thermometer and if its higher then you would like( and your oven won't work with the door open) , shut down your oven for short periods of time and let the temp drift lower, then restart it when it starts getting a little too low. More work for you, but it should finish your jerky ok this time.

 

[Buckeye1]

I do all my jerky on pellet grill a 180.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Sorry to hear, sounds like the oven is now your friend,

Hope it turns out for you Sven,

David

 

[Sven Svensson]

Not sure why I didn’t think of the oven myself. I have a one-track mind, I guess. Glad I checked in here and did my complaining. There’s always a better solution than my solution. Although, it might have made good chili. But I’d rather have jerky. This stuff is beautiful.

 

[kuroki]

On my oven at least, the switch that cuts it if the door is open has a little play before it engages. Roughly 1" on mine. You could try just barely propping it open with something like the handle of a metal ladle or a grill spatula. I'd be surprised if it wouldn't run like that

 

[DRKsmoking]

That's right this place is here to with a helping hand or suggestion on our problems
and to help us buy and spend on things we did not know we needed. lol

David

 

[Steve H]

My lowest setting is 170. Is that going to be too high? I do have a convection option on it if that helps.

170 is fine. Prop the door open slightly. Do this all the time.

 

[Steve H]

Thanks for the advice. I’ll give it a shot. My door won’t stay on if open but I’ll see how it does on a small tray first.

I prop mine open with a wooden spoon. Just need as small crack.

 

[chopsaw]

Late to seeing this , but after my dehydrator quit I bought a set of jerky racks for the oven . They work great . I do all mine in the oven at 170 ( or whatever it really is ) and just pull the pieces as they finish .

 

[Bigtank]

Watching

 

[JLeonard]

Not a jerky maker....But I love to see everyone chiming in with work arounds. Thats why this forum is the BEST!

Jim

 

[Sven Svensson]

My oven has a frame around it which makes cracking the door open very difficult. After much trial and error, using the door handle and a wooden spoon, I cracked the door open without turning off the oven. It took a while. It was worth the work. The jerky was saved. I usually dry mine at 140-145 so 170 was a concern. It was just fine and I learned a lot.

There’s a lot more to dry. I love the oven rack option, chopsaw and had I known it would have worked this well I never would have invested $$$ in the big LEM dehydrator.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[tbern]

that does look awesome! glad you got the oven option to work for you!