Drying Venison for dogs.

[charlieboy-shooter]

Hi Guys,

Would be grateful on your views on the following.
As I have made a air dryer or dehydrator. I'm not worried about the richness or suitability of venison for dogs as they are used to eating it. I'm more concerned with my technique.

Looking at making some venison air dried treats for the dogs and was not going to salt or put any preservatives on the meat.
So just the meat hung to dry ( all fat removed). Will the meat spoil and go rancid without salt or preservatives ?

The unit has a good air flow through the it but the heat source may be a bit low as the output air from the unit is 22deg C.. I have a sample drying now but wondered, probably a bit late, on its suitability and storage as it hasn't been salted or persevered. Sample batch is on its 4th day. Smells fine, looks fine and has dried well although still hanging in the unit. The dried strips would generally be cut into smaller pieces and used when out walking.

Thoughts and views please.

 

[Mike L]

I do biltong without salt and preservatives and that's been fine for human consumption, also my drying box just used air, no heat.

 

[charlieboy-shooter]

I do biltong without salt and preservatives and that's been fine for human consumption, also my drying box just used air, no heat.

Hi Mike,

How long do you dry yours for ? And how do you store it once dried. I was thinking in paper bags.

Thanks

 

[Mike L]

Biltong 4-5 days, droewors I left 8 days until you can snap it, when it's done I just leave in an open container with a muslin cover.

 

[willie_gunn]

I use surplus mince to make jerky for the dogs. No salt or preservatives, just ground venison. I use a jerky gun to push it out in flat strips. I have an Excalibur dehydrator (the same as I use for biltong) that I normally leave running for around 24 hours.

I typically make large batches of jerky and then vacuum pack about 20 sticks at a time. I keep the packs in the freezer and then pull them out when needed. Inside the house I store them in a Kilner jar.

I’ve yet to meet a dog that doesn’t love them….

 

[Tayles007]

I heat dry mine at 70°C for about 10 hours after I've cut it into this strips (about 5-10mm) thin. Once dry I cut it into small blocks and bag it in batches in freezer......works a treat, even gets unruly pups to train and behave. Never salt or preserve and remove all fat.....my biltong...hmm thats a whole different delicate game.....

 

[aris]

As long as it is bone dry right through, you will not have a problem. I ate ostrich biltong which was years old and I'm still alive - it was salted though and salt is a preservative.

Cut it thin - like 1cm and dry it until it snaps when bent.

 

[willie_gunn]

In the US they typically recommend ensuring you heat beef to 160 degrees for 10 minutes to kill all bacteria. This is done at the beginning of the process for making jerky.

https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/safefood/files/2015/07/Making_Safe-Jerky_in_a-Home_Dehydrator.pdf

Personally I’ve never done this, as the Excalibur heats up to 165 degrees anyway, and I normally start the process of making jerky or biltong with it preheated at that temperature for perhaps 15 minutes or so.

With the minced venison being in thin strips from the jerky gun I’d be less worried about bacteria than with solid meat.

 

[aris]

In the US they typically recommend ensuring you heat beef to 160 degrees for 10 minutes to kill all bacteria. This is done at the beginning of the process for making jerky.

https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/safefood/files/2015/07/Making_Safe-Jerky_in_a-Home_Dehydrator.pdf

Personally I’ve never done this, as the Excalibur heats up to 165 degrees anyway, and I normally start the process of making jerky or biltong with it preheated at that temperature for perhaps 15 minutes or so.

With the minced venison being in thin strips from the jerky gun I’d be less worried about bacteria than with solid meat.

Indeed - why both salt and vinegar are used to marinate biltong - kills off bacteria and prevents mould formation. I've made biltong with no heat whatsoever - just hung in the open with a fan blowing off it. In fact if you go to South Africa - this is how most butchers make biltong (or at least they used to - back in the day).

 

[willie_gunn]

Indeed - why both salt and vinegar are used to marinate biltong - kills off bacteria and prevents mould formation. I've made biltong with no heat whatsoever - just hung in the open with a fan blowing off it. In fact if you go to South Africa - this is how most butchers make biltong (or at least they used to - back in the day).

Yes, I marinate biltong when I make it, but it doesn’t really work with the venison mince for jerky. Keep in mind in this case the mince is typically pulled from the freezer, so no chance to marinade the whole joints before mincing.

 

[charlieboy-shooter]

I typically make large batches of jerky and then vacuum pack about 20 sticks at a time. I keep the packs in the freezer and then pull them out when needed

That's exactly what I was thinking of doing but was unsure of the merit in freezing. Due to reintroducing moisture but I guess if I leave sealed in the vac pac until it comes back to room temperature it should be fine once reopened.

It snaps by hand and the dogs liked it yesterday. Plus, I'm still alive this morning after trying some.

I think my hydrator would melt if it ever got to 160 deg and set the house on fire and that would make one hell of a big batch of biltong

Thank you to all who replied..

 

[willie_gunn]

TBH I’ve never noticed any reintroduced moisture from the freezer, but I do use a lower end commercial vacuum machine. The venison jerky still “snaps” just the same is it does when fresh.