NESCO JerkyXpress, yum yum!!

[OOBuck]

Hello everyone

I just got a Nesco JerkyXpress for Christmas and gota tell ya, this thing is slick! (food dehydrator)

I just tried my first batch an I think if I eat anymore I'll most likely explode

I did a small batch just under 2 pounds as this is all the ground I had, yup it uses lean "ground" meat.. The packages that come with the unit are good for 1 Lbs of ground. I think now I could most likely fit about a pound per tray if not just over 1 tray,,, (5 tray in the unit) so I'm thinking a total of 5 Lbs a go.. There are several flavors available I did a combo beef/terikaki and used 2 pack of the cure, which I believe to be salt? This thing is designed to make strip or store bought jerky and from my first batch I can tell you its dam good.. The unit has a cocking gun that despenses the ground, which I thought would be hard at first but turns out to be really easy.. I plugged the thing in around 10:30 Am and now have/had about a Lbs of jerky at 2:30 not bad!!

I just went to London Drugs where the wife got the thing from and bought more materials including trays for doing fruit leather, kids love it.. I try to post some pictures when I have a chance to download them..

If you love jerky and hate the price, spend the 39.00 dollars for the unit and giver!!!

[todbartell]

Ive got a similar setup (jerky gun for ground meat, and dehydrator). It makes awesome jerky, I know what you mean about eating so much of it you're gonna burst

[Bpower]

I have found that the seasoning mix can be a little salty when mixed as directed. I have used 3lbs of meat to two seasoning packages and it turns out pretty good. 3 lbs of meat fills all the trays nicely as well but you do have to be conservative with the spacing or else you will end up with too much meat mix in the end.

Meridian Meats in Port Coquitlam often sells ground bison for less than $3.00/lb. I make a 50/50 mix with beef and it turns really nice.

I have found that it is easy to overcook the jerky as well especially with moose and you end up with some tasty leather like meat that gives your jaw a good workout!

[huntcoop]

Hello everyone

I just got a Nesco JerkyXpress for Christmas and gota tell ya, this thing is slick! (food dehydrator)

OOBuck, I got the same thing and I'm dying to try it, for the 2 pounds of meat how long did you leave it plugged in for? 10:30-2:30, was that the plugged in time?

Huntcoop

[todbartell]

I usually have the dehydrator plugged in for about four hours

[Bpower]

4hrs is a pretty good guidline for ground meat jerky, just keep trying it as the jerky is drying.Remeber to pat off the excess fat that beads up on the meat as it drys though. I have found that the jerky is really nice if it isn't too dry. I have also found whole meat is a different story as it seems to dry differently.

If you store it for a short duration I suggest keeping it in a paper bag in the fridge or at room temperature, otherwise freeze what you don't plan on eating right away. I have put it in plastic bags and it went moldy after only a few days.

[OOBuck]

I have found that the seasoning mix can be a little salty when mixed as directed. I have used 3lbs of meat to two seasoning packages and it turns out pretty good. 3 lbs of meat fills all the trays nicely as well but you do have to be conservative with the spacing or else you will end up with too much meat mix in the end.

Meridian Meats in Port Coquitlam often sells ground bison for less than $3.00/lb. I make a 50/50 mix with beef and it turns really nice.

I have found that it is easy to overcook the jerky as well especially with moose and you end up with some tasty leather like meat that gives your jaw a good workout!

Bison sounds good!! Ya the salty thing has gota be adjusted,, I can almost feel my arteries harding. I wouldn't mind finding a recipe for jerky/dehydrator that doesn't involve the store bought crap or cure packages...

[OOBuck]

OOBuck, I got the same thing and I'm dying to try it, for the 2 pounds of meat how long did you leave it plugged in for? 10:30-2:30, was that the plugged in time?

Huntcoop

Yes 4 hours was it, might have been a bit long if anything, ya still want it to be moist not wet before going into the oven,,, 2Lbs was a small load for the thing and you have to use all the trays during the drying so I spaced the mix out accordingly. The jerky on the bottom took the longest and so on. You need to place the meat in the oven afterwards though as well, in the instructions 160/1hour yada yada...

[OOBuck]

4hrs is a pretty good guidline for ground meat jerky, just keep trying it as the jerky is drying.Remeber to pat off the excess fat that beads up on the meat as it drys though. I have found that the jerky is really nice if it isn't too dry. I have also found whole meat is a different story as it seems to dry differently.

If you store it for a short duration I suggest keeping it in a paper bag in the fridge or at room temperature, otherwise freeze what you don't plan on eating right away. I have put it in plastic bags and it went moldy after only a few days.

Have you ever eaten it without the oven trick??? I'm mean it looks as though you could but???? I don't like spending that much time in the shitter

[Bpower]

I have never actually put the jerky in the oven afterwards and haven't had any problems yet. I guess that is the reason for the "cure package" included. The cure not only includes a bunch of salt but nitrates as well. When you cut or break a piece that has been in the dehydrator and see the red or rosy colour this is partially due to the reaction of the nitrates.

I bought the set of extra trays from London Drugs and by using them all together it works out well for 5lb batches.

What I like about commercial seasoning mixes is the pre-measured amount of cure agent or nitrates. It takes the guess work out and you should be safe eating the product even if it wasn't completely dried or cooked. I know I said that I play with the mix-meat ratio but safe storage of the jerky should alleviate any problems.