Adding step to traditional method ensures safe beef jerky

Jerky is a convenient meat product that easily can be made at home by drying thin strips of lean meat to about one-fourth their original weight.

But easy doesn't translate into safe. Recent illnesses from homemade jerky because of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 have raised questions about the safety of traditional home-drying methods.

The traditional way to make jerky is to marinate raw strips of meat, then dry them in an oven or dehydrator set at 140 to 150 degrees for up to 10 hours or until chewy and leathery.

Studies conducted at Colorado State University concluded the traditional methods did not adequately destroy E. coli O157:H7, which can then survive for weeks on dried products. A small number of these bacteria can cause serious illness.

So can you still make jerky at home without worrying about the bacteria? Yes, if you pretreat the raw meat first to destroy bacteria, according to CSU studies.

In the Hot Pickle Cure method given here, raw meat strips are simmered 1 1/2 to 2 minutes in boiling marinade. Precooking in marinade destroys bacteria, shortens the drying time, and makes a more tender jerky. Here are the directions:

HOT PICKLE CURE JERKY

Freeze meat slightly to improve slicing. Slice 5 pounds of meat into 1/4-inch strips, each approximately 1 inch wide and 5 inches long. Spread pieces out and sprinkle with a mixture of 3 tablespoons salt, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press spices into meat with a rubber mallet. Turn over and repeat spicing process on the other side. Place meat strips in a flat pan, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Make a brine by dissolving 3/4 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons black pepper in 1 gallon of water. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar and bring to a low to medium boil in a large pan. Place a few meat pieces at a time in the bottom of a 2 to 3 quart steamer basket and lower into brine. Simmer 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure all pieces are immersed.

Remove the basket from the brine, drain and shake to remove excess water. Using tongs, remove meat pieces and place flat, without touching each other, on clean dehydrator trays or oven racks. Repeat process until all meat pieces have been immersed in the brine solution.

( Note: Replace the brine after several dippings, as the solution begins to foam and produces less desirable results.)

Place meat pieces in preheated dehydrator or oven that maintains a temperature of 145 degrees. Dry for 8 to 10 hours, or until pieces reach desired dryness. Remove jerky from oven before it gets too hard or brittle. Properly dried jerky is leathery and chewy; it should crack when bent in half, but should not break into two pieces. After drying, let pieces cool, then place in open plastic bags or glass jars. Leave bags or jars open overnight to allow pieces to temper, then close and store in a cool dry, dark place or in the refrigerator or freezer.

Here are some other tips for safely making jerky at home:

Use only lean meats in excellent condition.

Marinate meat in the refrigerator.

Keep raw meats and their juices away from other foods. Always wash cutting boards, utensils, counters, sinks and hands with hot, soapy water after contact with raw meat. To sanitize after washing, rinse with a mixture of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to one quart cool tap water.

Dry meats in a dehydrator or oven that will maintain a temperature of at least 145 degrees throughout the drying process. A dial thermometer with a metal stem works well to determine the drying temperature of the dehydrator or oven while it is operating empty. Don't rely just on the dehydrator's temperature settings. You can place the metal stem of the dial thermometer between drying trays or drill a hole through the side of a tray to create an opening. Insert the thermometer stem in the drilled hole so you can read the dial outside the dehydrator.

After drying is complete, store jerky in an airtight plastic food bag or jar with a tight-fitting lid. You can store at room temperature for one or two months. For long-term storage, store in the refrigerator or freezer.

For other safe recipes for making jerky, contact the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension at 636-8920 and ask for the handout "Making Safe Jerky at Home."

- Sheila Ryan, consumer and family- education agent at Colorado State University Cooperative Extension in Colorado Springs is at 636- 8920.

Quote: Studies conducted at Colorado State University concluded that the traditional methods (of home-drying jerky) did not adequately destroy E. coli O157:H7, which then can survive for weeks on dried products. A small number of these bacteria can cause serious illness.

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