marinating time-length...

[diggingdogfarm]

It's no different then with the cooking of eggs.
The USDA's official position is that eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees.
I don't know anybody who enjoys good eggs who follows that.

No poached eggs?
No soft boiled eggs?
No eggs sunny side up?
No eggs over easy?

I think not!!! :biggrin:

~Martin

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

I'm reading JJ's post and I only see reference to making jerky in a food dehydrator. That is a completely different animal than making jerky in a smoker. It speaks of a food dehydrator and it's inability to keep a temperature at a level at 160*. That to me is a multi stack open air plastic appliance with a cheap electric heater.

What I think most of us are making our jerky in is a smoker. I will only speak of what I am using. It is a propane fueled vertical smoker with wood chips for the smoke. It is very easy to maintain a constant 160* temperature throughout the jerky making process. I also use a marinate that uses enough salt and smoke for the cure.

I recently made some jerky using the Nesco spices with the cure on ground beef and was not pleased with it. It was so over the top salty for my taste.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

It doesn't matter how the jerky is made, in a dehydrator, a smoker, or behind a jet engine, it's the "rulers" position that it be heat treated to 160 degrees before it's dried.

Why is it a food safety concern to dry meat without first heating it to 160 °F?

The danger in dehydrating meat and poultry without cooking it to a safe temperature first is that the appliance will not heat the meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F — temperatures at which bacteria are destroyed — before the dehydrating process. After drying, bacteria become much more heat resistant.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/jerky_and_food_safety/index.asp

The info on the National Center for Home Food Preservation's site does conflict with that in a serious way, In fact, they say to heat it to 160 before or (exactly the opposite) after drying...... I suppose that it'll probably take several million more dollars in tax money before the" food safety gods" at the USDA can resolve the conflict.


~Martin

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Jeebus

I been making jerky since 1976 and never had any problems. Y'all have fun with this un needed argument.

 

[chef jimmyj]

The Point being missed and the basis of my response is a little Cure #1 and you don't need to worry about what temp you use. Just get it Smoked and Dried and you are good to go. We can't have anyone posting recipes and or techniques that can be misinterpreted and lead to possible injury unless the original poster accepts that we will have to add a Warning. Anything else does not have to be deleted just clarified. Nepas does it all the time with his awesome Dry Cured products, a warning as to it's hazard if not done right with the right equipment.  And there are other members that do Traditional Prosciutto with Salt only, without refrigeration and accepts that although the Recipe is 1000 years old for purposes of posting a Warning is added. There is no requirement that you believe anything the USDA says but as long as it is the POLICY of this Forum to follow their guidelines, anything beyond those regulations requires a warning. And NO you don't need a warning to post your Bacon and Sunnyside Eggs...JJ

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Jeebus



I been making jerky since 1976 and never had any problems. Y'all have fun with this un needed argument.

You've got me beat by about 4 years, and I haven't ever had a problem either. :biggrin:



~Martin

 

[spuds]

Certainly an interesting topic,did tons of research today on jerky/nitrites,looks pretty safe without and sure is fascinating.Water content is a huge factor in safety.

Thanks JJ for allowing the discussion,and sorry the thread got hijacked,not my intention with first post and shame it wasnt put into a better forum for discussion,so again I appreciate the consideration allowing the discussion,I learned a lot.

 

[ironhorse07]

What the heck, my 2 cents, the USDA uses 160 because at that temp bacteria are destroyed in 7.3 seconds and easy for the average consumer to remember. However, meat will be pasturized in about 12 minutes at 140 degrees and about 2 hours at 130. Notice I said bacteria and not parasites and other things.

Douglas

 

[ponderingturtle]

It doesn't matter how the jerky is made, in a dehydrator, a smoker, or behind a jet engine, it's the "rulers" position that it be heat treated to 160 degrees before it's dried.
Why is it a food safety concern to dry meat without first heating it to 160 °F?
The danger in dehydrating meat and poultry without cooking it to a safe temperature first is that the appliance will not heat the meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F — temperatures at which bacteria are destroyed — before the dehydrating process. After drying, bacteria become much more heat resistant.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/jerky_and_food_safety/index.asp
The info on the National Center for Home Food Preservation's site does conflict with that in a serious way, In fact, they say to heat it to 160 before or (exactly the opposite) after drying...... I suppose that it'll probably take several million more dollars in tax money before the" food safety gods" at the USDA can resolve the conflict.
~Martin

For one thing this it not entirely true.  It creates a false dichotomy of that temperature is the only factor in safety.  They use temperatures that kill pathogens instantly, or you can use lower temperatures for longer.  Look at the pasteurization of milk

 63°C (145°F)*30 minutes

72°C (161°F)*15 seconds

89°C (191°F)1.0 second

90°C (194°F)0.5 seconds

94°C (201°F)0.1 seconds

96°C (204°F)0.05 seconds

100°C (212°F)0.01 seconds

link

The FDA considers those to all be equivalent.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

That's correct, but that's not something that the USDA promotes when it comes to lowly consumers.


~Martin