# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Cooking, Food Storage, & Preserving >  Nesco dehydrator and some recipes

## your_comforting_company

My grandmother passed a few years ago and she was a bit of a nut like me, holding on to things that she thought would help her get through hard times. Oh I wish I could/would have learned about all the herbs she knew about. I didn't realize it until much later that she and I were on the same page!

So My mom was over there last weekend going through some of the old stuff, and she came across a Nesco Dehydrator. She immediately thought of me and since nobody's claimed it yet (I have uncles and cousins, etc.) she decided I should have it.

So I got a nice eating size doe last weekend, bled it out real good on ice all week, and ground it all into burger today, except for some sliced jerky from the roasts and backstrap. We seasoned about 5 pounds of meat with eastman outdoors hickory jerky cure, and about 25 pounds with #25 spice from the local grocer. Another 10 lbs or so will be Rick's special marinade recipe for strip jerky.

So, to recap, *I can store jerky in airtight jars and use it in stews, etc. later, right?* Grandma canned everything and I can get my hands on many, many mason jars with rings (might need new seals tho). 

This is my beginning in long term, independent food storage.. I'll have several weeks worth of jerked meat that won't spoil should the power fail.

A friend of my uncle is going to let me borrow his jerky gun, so I'll be smoking some over actual fire too, in my smokehouse cabinet.

The projects keep piling up, but that's okay because the weather is about to be really FOUL! 

Tomorrow is xmas shopping, then I gotta cut a half cord or so of firewood for the shop. Still gotta go through the dehydrator manual, but I'll be working on the jerky tomorrow evening.
Anyone else have a Nesco?

----------


## your_comforting_company

Oh, and for the recipe nuts and foragers, most of the ingredients in the #25 spice grow wild; onions, garlic, sage.. I'll do some digging for the proportions, see what I can come up with. grrlscout might make her own #25 from the weeds around her neighborhood!

----------


## oldtrap59

Used to have a dehydrator here. Don't remember what the brand was but they all work pretty much the same I think. I do remember one thing though. We used alot of Italian salad dressing for a marinade before drying. Gave the meat a real good taste Imo. Takes a bit longer for the drying but well worth it. Still have my jerky shooter so may need to get another dryer.
Btw Don't loan the dehydrator out. Like me you may not get it back.(Let it go so long couldn't remember who borrowed it when it was time to use it again)

Oldtrap

----------


## crashdive123

I've got a Magic Chef carousel type that I got at a yard sale for $1.  While it's not a great machine, it does work and has convinced me to put an Excalibur on my wish list.  I'm still very new at it, but really like it.

Combine that new dehydrator with your passion for wild edibles and you're going to be a busy fellow.

----------


## your_comforting_company

You got that right! Expecially since sage, onions, and garlic all grow either right here in my yard or right across the street! I have also marked several spots where _Monarda punctata_ grow, which will be useful with recipes requiring thyme. I can see this turning into a full blown obsession!
dry my own herbs to use to season my own meats.. this is gonna be fun!!

----------


## Rick

YCC - I had jerky in a zip lock bag that I tossed in the cabinet for over six months and it was still good. That was a test to see how long it would last. Otherwise, air tight jars will probably just be a hindrance at getting to the jerky. It probably won't last a week so make it easy on yourself.  :Yes:

----------


## crashdive123

Be careful when you dehydrate onions indoors.  Not sure how the wild ones will do, but yellow onions can give a bit of an over powering aroma in the house.

----------


## nell67

And Cayenne peppers,take it outside if you must dehydrate those,or else everyone in the house will hate you.... don't ask me how I know!

----------


## your_comforting_company

Thanks for the tips.. Might need to isolate an area out in the chop-shop for a few veggies, like the birds-eye peppers and pearl onions and garlic.
Anyone do their own foraged herbs, like sage, basil or parsley?

Can't wait till next muscadine season.. gonna make some fruit treats.

----------


## Rick

You can make leathers as well. Any sauce can be dehydrated. Things like spaghetti sauce, apple sauce, etc. What you wind up with is a fruit leather or sauce leather. Very pliable. If you don't have an insert for your dehydrator for making leathers (generally a plastic tray with raised lips on the edge) then make your own using plastic wrap. Lightly oil the plastic wrap so the sauce doesn't stick and make certain the edges are raised so the liquid doesn't run off. 

Here's some good info on fruit leathers: 

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/fru...ther_info.aspx

----------


## Rick

Oh, yeah, I highly recommend Mary Bell's book on dehydrators. It's my go to book. I use it all the time. Lots of great recipes for the dehydrator and a lot of tips and tricks. 

http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Bells-Com.../dp/0688130240

----------


## your_comforting_company

You are the man, Rick! Thanks a bunch.. gonna set my wife on that link and let her pick out some recipes!

----------


## crashdive123

I picked up Mary Bell's Complet Dehydrator Cookbook on Rick's recommendation.  I'm glad I did.

Most of the herbs that I dry I let dry naturally on their own.

----------


## Winnie

I got Mary Bells' book as well, also on Rick's recommendation(I'm beginning to think he has shares in the publishing house) it's very handy.

----------


## Rick

Hey! Would I lie to you guys? I mean, come on, I'm out here by myself 250 miles from my nearest neighbor.

----------


## your_comforting_company

Just an update.. Rick Jerky is delicious! I was wrong about the spice blend, it was #104 Bratwurst seasoning and it is equally as good. At 4am this morning, the first batch will be done. Gonna take some hunting today and see how it tides me over.

----------


## Erratus Animus

I have a nest Bo and used it so much that the element has gone out. This post  has reminded me to try and order one as well. I made biltong this year and have never looked back at making jerky. The biltong stays nice and soft but chewy. Good luck bro and remember if we don't get a sample we can't believe it's good !

----------


## crashdive123

Well that's true.  Samples to QC or it never happened. :Innocent:

----------


## Rick

Don't you find the biltong salty? I've never made it but the recipes I've seen use quite a bit of salt.

----------


## grrlscout

> Oh, and for the recipe nuts and foragers, most of the ingredients in the #25 spice grow wild; onions, garlic, sage.. I'll do some digging for the proportions, see what I can come up with. grrlscout might make her own #25 from the weeds around her neighborhood!


I dunno about that. Either I suck at IDing the plants, or there isn't that much available around here. Unless you want rosemary. Ton of that stuff around, as it's a popular landscaping plant.

----------


## Ted

> You can make leathers as well. Any sauce can be dehydrated. Things like spaghetti sauce, apple sauce, etc. What you wind up with is a fruit leather or sauce leather. Very pliable. If you don't have an insert for your dehydrator for making leathers (generally a plastic tray with raised lips on the edge) then make your own using plastic wrap. Lightly oil the plastic wrap so the sauce doesn't stick and make certain the edges are raised so the liquid doesn't run off. 
> 
> Here's some good info on fruit leathers: 
> 
> http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/fru...ther_info.aspx


You beat me too it! I have a American Harvester that came with a plastic tray for sauces and such. The kids love the apple sauce rollups!

----------


## rwc1969

Mmm, I bought a bunch of the plastic trays to make fruit leather from the Autumn olive. I'm just about finished with it, have maybe 1/2 lb. left.

I made jerky using the jerky gun with ground beef and it was real good, and tender. Although, I thought it was supposed to be kept refrigerated if not eaten with a week or two. Ours never lasted long enough to find out.

Onions dry real quick and I made some dried ramps/ wild leeks and am still using them years later. Crushed em up into powder and sprinkle on everything. MMMM!

I mostly just use mine to dry shrooms though. the nice thing about these dehydrators is you don't have to rotate the stuff. Mine is the round one with the hole in the center for airflow and temp adjustment. I've expanded it to 12 trays now, which is supposedly the max.

This lady has ads on her Youtube channel, but does provide some great info on dehydrating and using dehydrated foods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxVpIHre2ao

----------


## Erratus Animus

> Don't you find the biltong salty? I've never made it but the recipes I've seen use quite a bit of salt.


No I used my own recipe. The important thing is you coat the meat in an apple cider vinegar. That is what gives it it's firm texture. So you can use whatever recipe you want. I even smoked mine on my pull behind smoker. It is preferred over regular jerky by all how has tried it.

----------


## Rick

Well, uh, care to pony up that recipe?

----------


## crashdive123

Or at least samples.

----------


## your_comforting_company

Everyone's favorite seems to be the "Hot and Swangy Rick Recipe" (that is a trademarked brand name now!). So much for the "food store"... The HSRR-jerky is almost all gone!

----------


## Rick

It's a very old family recipe. No one ever used it but it's old.  :Whistling:

----------


## Batch

Hey, I have Mary Bell's book as well. Seems like someone here recommended it highly...  :Whistling:

----------

