MEAT! 10-tray Dehydrator

Over the last few weeks, we've had the pleasure of working with the MEAT! 10-Tray Dehydrator. We've thrown everything we could at it– fully loaded with wet leaves of ramps, thick pieces of South African-style biltong, dog treats and of course, venison jerky. We've ran it for 24 hours straight, and it did not falter. Quiet and consistent, this machine is going to be in our kitchen for years to come.

Of course I had to try my favorite venison jerky recipe in it, and the dehydrator performed as expected. You can find the recipe below.

What We Love About It:

• 10 high-capacity trays will up your jerky-making game – that's A LOT of jerky. 
• Removable bottom liner catches dripping and is easy to clean. 
• Quiet operation – one complaint I had about my old dehydrator was that it was so loud; if I had it running all day, that was what I had to listen to all day. The fan on the MEAT! dehydrator is barely louder than a whisper. 
• Use the number of trays as needed. They are heavy-duty, metal and feature a mesh-type weave that allows you to even hang meat – handy when making biltong. See the photo below.
• The timer is one of this dehydrator's greatest features. You don't have to worry about returning home in time to pull the plug. Set how long you'd like the machine to be on, and it shuts down on its own. 
• Touch buttons are responsive and easy to set. 
• Temperature ranges from 90° to 167°, low enough to preserve delicate herbs and spices and high enough to safely dry meat.  
• The glass door and control panel are low profile and sleek. The dehydrator will look great in any workshop or kitchen. 

To shop, visit: https://www.meatyourmaker.com/process/jerky/jerky-dehydrators/10-tray-dehydrator/1117083.html#start=1

Venison Biltong

Venison Pineapple-Jalapeno Jerky Recipe

Ingredients: 
- 2 pounds of venison round roast (from hindquarters)
- 1 cup of 100 percent pineapple juice
- 2 teaspoons of jalapeno powder
- ¼ cup of soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons of kosher/sea salt
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup of packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon of garlic salt (or 1 teaspoon of ramp salt)
- ½ teaspoon of Prague powder #1 curing salt

Directions: 

1. Slice venison into approximately ½-inch pieces. Cut against the grain for an easier-to-chew jerky or with the grain for something you can work on longer. 

2. In a medium-size bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add sliced venison, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning the meat occasionally.  

3. Set dehydrator to 165 degrees and dry the meat for about 5 to 7 hours, or until jerky reaches desired texture.

Ramp Salt

Ingredients:
- Ramp leaves
- Coarse sea salt

Directions:

1. Cut the leaves an inch above where the stem starts. The stem is thicker than the leaves and will not dry at the same rate – save the stems (and bulbs, if applicable) for something else. 

2. Set the dehydrator to 115° and dehydrate the leaves until fully dried. The more loaded the dehydrator, the longer it will take. We had ours fully loaded and it took about 24 hours. The leaves should snap when bent when fully dried. You can set the temperature higher for faster drying, but the high heat might compromise the herb's nutritional value and flavor. Rotate the trays occasionally for even drying.

3. To make the salt, grind leaves in a food processor until it turns into a powder. Add equal parts coarse sea salt and pulse to combine. Store ramp powder in a jar, in a cool, dry place. Use ramp powder to season meats, roasted vegetables and anything you can think of.