Excalibur 2900 9 Tray Dehydrator

Features of the Excalibur Model ED-2900 Dehydrator * Controlled environment for a wide variety of uses, i.e. making fruit roll-ups and trail mixes, drying flower arrangements and herbs, plus various uses for art and crafts, and photos * 9 Trays with 15 square feet of drying area * Includes 9 polyscreen tray liners * Includes 28-page dehydrating guide * 7" FAN/600 WATTS * 1-Year warranty

Beef jerky is one of the most preferred American foods but sometimes buying this in the local grocery store can be quite costly. There are also risks in buying commercially and artificially prepared beef jerky products because of their rich preservative and chemical contents, which are proven to be harmful to the human body.

So what can we do to remedy the cost as well as the content problem of beef jerky products found in the grocery? The answer is simple, don't buy them. Instead, make your own beef jerky in the comforts of your kitchen. The process is pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Today, you will be able to learn the proper way of making your very own home made beef jerky. We'll teach you how.

How Is It Done

The most basic ingredient is obviously the meat. You can choose from a wide variety of meat choices like lamb, pork, but the most common and original choice is the beef meat. You should choose a cut of meat that will save you more time in preparation. Some of the choice cuts are mostly the lean cut portions such as sirloin, top round, eye round, and a few others more. Lean cuts are basically the meat portions with the least fat content. If you are quite unsure which part of the meat to choose, you can always ask the help of the butcher or the attendant.

The next step in the preparation process is the slicing of thin meat strips. There are some butchers who will do this freely for you - all you have to do is ask. There are actually two ways of slicing the meat. One is by following the thread lines of the meat and the other one is by slicing across the thread lines. You must trim any fat included in the meat because the fat contents will not dry out. If you do not do this, the beef jerky won't taste as good. If you are having problems slicing the soft meat, you can always refrigerate it for about thirty minutes prior to slicing. This process freezes the meat a little, making the slicing process a bit easier.

Now that you have prepared the meat slices, you can start marinating it. The most common recipe for marinating is the mixture of cider vinegar and rock sea salt. There are also other recipes you can use in marinating your beef jerky. The whole idea here is to allow the meat to absorb the flavor of the marinade.

If you want your beef jerky a bit stickier, you can put the soaked meat inside the refrigerator in about four up to twenty four hours. If otherwise, just lay it down on the kitchen table where air circulates constantly. After soaking, you can now coat the meat with a variety of seasonings you like.

The final step in the preparation of beef jerky is the dehydration process. You can either use a dehydrator or an oven for this. You must make sure that you lay down your meat in an orderly manner so that you can avoid any meat touching one other. When you're using the oven, you should preheat it first and then set the temperature to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, that's about 65 degrees Celsius.

The dehydration process allows the meat moisture to evaporate gradually. This may take about six to twelve hours, depending on the temperature, the level of humidity, and the thickness of your meat slices. You should regularly check the jerky slices if it's dry enough to your preference, but not too dry. To ensure that it is not raw, you may need to cut into it. The final color of each beef jerky must turn into deep brown or burgundy.

When all of the beef jerky slices are ready, you can place them inside plastic bags and store them in the freezer or refrigerator. You can then enjoy your home made beef jerky after a week.

Bernadette Guadiz is an expert writer that has been in the online writing industry for several years. She specializes in SEO and keyword-rich articles for website content, blogs, and even forum postings. Should you wish to hire her services, you can contact her through a safe outsourcing website via http://www.rentacoder.com/RentACoder/SoftwareCoders/showBioInfo.asp?lngAuthorId=6956948

dehydrator

Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook

A guide to food dehydrating shows readers how to make preservative-free dried apple rings, candied apricots, beef and fish jerkies, sun-dried tomatoes, corn chips, herb seasonings, dried fruit sugars, and more. 100,000 first printing. Tour.

Dreaming of making some of your own beef jerky at home but don't want the hassle, so you go out and buy some? Yikes, the price is enough to make you change your mind about making it right? No worries, we have the best beef jerky recipes that will whet your appetite and save you some change too.

It's not as hard as you might think it is. Yes, it takes some time, but the results are well worth it. So, grab a pencil or just print this page out and you are good to go.

This beef jerky recipe is a favorite of many beef lovers and lends itself to many variations on the recipe we have here. You will love this because you can pack it anywhere. Just watch yourself around dogs though or you will become a magnet.

Your choice of cuts is the ticket here, so if you like Sirloin or London Broil, then go for it. Make sure you pick a lean cut though with as little fat as possible. This helps speed up drying time. The next thing you want to do is cut your meat up into very thin, thin strips, say about 1/8" thick. You could have them thicker, but it will slow down drying time.

Hints: ask the butcher to do this for you or in the alternative partially freeze it at home before slicing.

Once you are ready to cut the meat, if the butcher didn't do it for you, cut it with or against the grain. With the grain is way easier to chew, but that is up to you. If you like it REALLY chewy go against the grain. Cut the fat off, as fat does not dry.

Ok, next you need to marinate the meat. You can make your own or buy some from the store. Our suggestion is you use sea salt (that way it won't toughen the meat) and cider vinegar for that tangy flavor. You can leave it as little as four hours, but we seriously suggest going for 24 hours for the best results.

Most of the best beef jerky recipes use marinade, but some people consider marinating optional, because it can make the meat wetter and slow down drying and make the jerky stickier. This is personal preference, and you may choose either way depending on what you prefer. When this stage is done, coat the meat with the spices your like, spray the racks of your dehydrator with non-stick cooking spray and pop them in with enough room around the pieces to let the air flow properly. Try not to let the meat touch.

There you have it. Now all you have to do is wait, check, watch, check again and in about 6 to 12 hours you will have beef jerky that your neighbors will visit you to sample.The trick here is to check it regularly after about 6 hours to test it for the consistency you want. You may have to test cut slices to make sure it isn't raw inside. It should be a deep red or burgundy color when done.

If you are looking for more of the best beef jerky recipes around then take a look at our list of free beef jerky recipes. If you like spicy food then you are going to love our spicy beef jerky recipe. Or if you have a dehydrator at home then view our dehydrated beef jerky recipe for a quick and easy way to make jerky at home.

dehydrator

Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and Paddling

PCKT GD WILDRNESS MED & 1STAID

After you have harvested your vegetables you might not be sure what you should do with them. Even a large family will have a hard time eating a steady supply of fresh organic vegetables. The way to avoid wastage is to store your vegetables in your home.

It is true that some vegetables are easier to store than others but most organic vegetables can be stored and saved in some way or another.

There are actually many ways to store your harvest so do not get frustrated if you feel that you have grown more than you can eat. Many grocery stores sell mason jars and supplies needed for making preserves and canning vegetables along with instructions on how to do this. The same stores sell cheesecloth which is great for placing vegetables on when drying if they are air drying.
Food dehydrators can also be used for drying your vegetables along with your oven. When using an oven to dry vegetables set it for the lowest setting, usually 140 degrees, and watch carefully to make sure the vegetables are drying out and not roasting.

Lettuce

Once you have harvested all of your lettuce you can wash it, remove the core, and pat it dry with a towel. When you have finished store it in a plastic bag and put it in your refrigerators crisping section. This will help your lettuce remain crisp for up to a week.

Since it is harder to store vegetables for a long period of time it is recommended that you harvest your lettuce and start using it even before it has reached full growth. When it has reached full growth use what you can, store what you can use, and offer the rest to friends and family members. They will appreciate some fresh organic salad to use in their salads or to place on their sandwiches.

Root Vegetables

Root vegetables can often store longer than the other vegetables you harvest as long as they are harvested on time and correctly. Make sure your vegetables have not been bruised or damaged during the harvest. If they have been damaged throw them away since the spoilage can spread if you are not careful.

Many root vegetables such potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and more can be stored in a cool, dark, dry place such as a root cellar or some pantries. Other root vegetables (carrots) can be dried with a food dehydrator or even in an oven set to a very low heat setting. Some vegetables such as turnips can even be stored in a refrigerator crisper, especially if they are going to be used soon.

Tomatoes

There are many ways to store tomatoes and that is a great thing since tomatoes are popular with many organic gardeners. Tomatoes can be stored well on a counter top or in a window sill if they are still a bit green. They can also be stored in the refrigerator.

Some people will dry tomatoes for later use in sauces or even preserve them. Tomatoes preserves either sweet preserves with ripened tomatoes or pickle preserves with green tomatoes can be a winter time treat.

Onions

Onions will store wonderfully in any dry, dark place. As long as the onions have not been bruised and have no sign of moisture they can be stored in a pantry or attic for a long time.

Beans and Peas

Beans and peas can often be harvested as needed but once it is time to store them there are several methods that can be used. Peas and beans can both be stored in bags in the refrigerator for several days. They also can be canned with the proper equipment. Beans can also be dried which is a popular way to store them. Once beans are dried and bagged they can later be soaked and cooked.

Corn

Corn can be stored in the refrigerator or, once the husk is removed, frozen for a long time. The kernels can also be dried, stored, and creamed at a later date.

Learn about the redbud tree and the weeping cherry tree at the Tree Facts site.

dehydrator

Nesco All-in-One Food Dehydrator Kit, Model# FD50-WHC

Everything needed to dry fruit, vegetables, jerky and more. 500 Watts power plus patented coverage flow for even drying. No more rotating trays. U.S.A.

The raw food weight loss diet is one of the most hyped-up diet fads in recent years. It has been endorsed by celebrities, approved by doctors and nutritionists, and is the subject of many weight loss books. Its claims are certainly worth looking into: according to its proponents, its impossible to gain weight on raw food, and you can eat as much as you want without gaining an ounce!

Of course, such claims should be taken with a grain of salt. Before starting a raw food weight loss diet, its important to know its risks and benefits. Read on to learn more about raw food diets and what they can do for you.

What is it?

The raw food weight loss diet promotes the consumption of uncooked and unprocessed plant foods. By uncooked, they mean subjecting food to temperatures above 116oF, which is believed to destroy enzymes that help the body absorb nutrients. Fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, sprouts, seeds, and seaweed make up most of the diet.
Raw food proponents believe that eating right is only part of the process that make up a good life. According to them, cooking deprives food of its life force and makes eating simply a means of sustenance, rather than part of ones overall well-being.

How much raw food?

Its near impossible to limit yourself entirely to raw foods. The raw food weight loss diet recommends that raw food make up around 75% of your diet; any more that and youre at risk for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Raw food also includes meat and seafood: raw shrimp, sashimi, and rare to medium rare meats. However, most raw food dieters prefer plant foods because they are lower in fat and preservatives.

What are the risks and benefits?

Raw foods contain little to no saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. These are the most common culprits of serious diseases such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A study featured in the Journal of Nutrition shows that a raw food weight loss diet significantly lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Raw foods are also high in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that contribute to cancer risk. Other nutrients abundant in raw foods are fiber, folate, potassium, and magnesium. Proponents of the raw food weight loss diet also have more energy, clearer skin, and better digestion.

One common reaction to the raw food diet is detoxification symptoms, which indicates that the body is flushing out toxins. Symptoms include nausea, mild headaches, and food cravings. They usually last several days and may be more severe in people whose previous diet was rich in meat, sugar and sodium. Raw food diets are also not recommended for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, anemics, and people at risk for osteoporosis.

What cooking methods are allowed?

Raw doesnt mean you have to eat foods right off the counter. There are ways to prepare your foods without breaking the 116oF mark. Here are some techniques you can use.

1. Blend vegetables together to create a dip or salad.

2. Make a healthy shake using fresh fruits.

3. Dress salads with fresh juice extracts instead of prepared dressings.

4. Soak dried fruits and nuts to enhance their taste and make them easier to digest.

5. If youre eating grains or seeds, you can eat them young or sprouted. Eat them together with citrus fruits to improve iron absorption.

6. Replace processed drinks like coffee, tea, and soda with homemade juice or purified water.

What will you need?

If youre considering a raw food weight loss diet, you will need to adapt your kitchen to your new lifestyle. Be sure to have the following:

A food dehydrator. Dehydrators remove water from your food, making them easier to store for longer periods. It uses temperatures below or just above boiling, so youre still within the 116oF limit.

A juice extractor. Fruit and vegetable extracts are a major part of the raw food weight loss diet. Its not just for making juiceyou can also use extracts to flavor your food or create salad dressings.

A blender, chopper or food processor. This helps save time when chopping or mixing your vegetables.

Glass containers. If youre sprouting your seeds and grains, put them in large glass containers. This allows you to check their progress at a glance. Plastic and metal containers also leave residues which may affect the taste of your food.

Phillip England is a weight loss expert and Author of the popular report "The Ultimate Weight Loss Secret". To receive your free information on the secret that doctors, and health companies either don't know, or don't want you to know, please see http://www.theultimateweightlosssecret.com/secret

dehydrator

Nesco American Harvest FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator

The NESCO Professional Food & Jerky Dehydrator has more power than most dehydrators -- 700 watts -- which means faster drying time. You will have results in hours, not days. The top mounted fan with patented Converga-Flow action pressurizes air downward through the outer ring and horizontally across each individual tray, converging at the center, for fast, even drying. No need to rotate trays. The adjustable thermostat allows you to dry different foods at proper temperatures (95-155 F), providing the flexibility to produce the best drying results. As your needs grow, the Professional Food & Jerky Dehydrator can be expanded up to 12 trays.

Ethanol is a biofuel. Biofuels are basically alternative energy sources made from living matter. Unlike Fossil Fuels, such as oil, which come from nonliving materials. Although it sounds like a great idea on the surface many countries are experiencing rising grocery costs as Ethanol production mounts. But why is this and does it affect you?

The most commonly used type of biofuel today is called E85 which is a blend of gasoline and ethanol. Basically it is 15% gasoline and 85% ethanol. The ratio of this mixture is adjusted according to weather temperatures, so during Winter months it takes more gasoline in the mixture to operate.

Now if everyone could afford a vehicle which used E85 this would be a huge step in reducing or reliance on oil. But the truth is many of us cannot and the vehicles and E85 stations are not being promoted to the public.

But the real problem with E85 and Biofuels comes from the fact that the production is causing food shortages which raise your grocery bill. But how is this?

The start of this chain reaction from producing biofuel is corn. Corn is the primary food from which Ethanol is produced. And since farmers raise this crop there is only so much land for it to be grown on. And while supply for corn has grown the farmers struggle to keep up.

With this increased demand corn has become very profitable to grow. Farmers are sacrificing growing other products such as Soy and Wheat to have more land to grow corn. So instead of a shortage of just one crop, Corn, we now have a shortage of three, Corn, Wheat, and Soy.

These are staple crops. Meaning that many of the products you buy everyday from the Grocery store is produced from these. Resulting in raising your grocery bill and a shortage of food that is distributed to the poor and underdeveloped countries.

An alternative to biofuel and rising grocery bills is available. Water. The most abundant natural resource on the Planet.

With an inexpensive and easy to install kit your everyday vehicle can achieve increased gas mileage ranging from 30 percent to 50 percent and more. This is achieved by using a small electrical current from your battery to release Hydrogen gas from water. This is then mixed with your vehicle's fuel/air mixture.

To see how this incredible alternative energy source can benefit you and save you money at the fuel pump and help combat rising grocery costs please visit http://www.water-as-gas.com

dehydrator

Nesco American Harvest FD-61 Snackmaster Encore Dehydrator and Jerky Maker

This convenient dehydrator makes great tasting, healthy snacks & jerky! Introducing the Snackmaster?? Encore???. It's Grey top and marbled design features 500 watts of drying power, and generates maximum speed and quality for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, beef jerky, and venison jerky. Helps dry food in hours, not days like ordinary food dehydrators. The top mounted fan eliminates the worry of liquids dripping into the the heating chamber!You can make delicious beef jerky, turkey jerky, fish jerky, trail mix, homemade yogurt, apple snacks, banana chips, dried soup mixes, dried tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, mangoes, papaya and other dried fruits at a fraction of the cost. Make dried herbs and spices; also make potpourri and dried flowers for any occasion.

Halloween has always been a favorite time of year for me. Not only is it my birthday, but the air is clean and crisp, the leaves have turned colors and its just a very pretty time of year.

Id like to share some fun Halloween ideas and recipes with you:

Halloween cookie cutters are a must. You can use these cookie cutters on bread to make Halloween sandwiches. Kids love jack-o-lantern shaped sandwiches. You can spread their favorite sandwich topping on the bread once its cut.

Purchase M&Ms from a store that sells specific colors. Buy orange and green M&Ms and then use them in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe substituting the M&Ms for the chocolate chips.

You can also put those same M&Ms in your favorite rice krispy treat recipe. Its amazing how these two colors transform recipes into Halloween recipes.

Look for mini cookie cutters. They can often be found in kitchen specialty shops. If you find pumpkin mini cookie cutters, these work great on cheese. Buy sliced cheese. Cut the cheese with the mini cookie cutters and then put the slice of round cheese on a Ritz cracker.

Prepare your favorite brownie recipe and then top with candy corn pieces.

Make hamburgers and use your cookie cutters on full size slices of cheese. Serve open faced so that the pumpkin or ghost shaped cheese is on top.

Many stores sell spinach pasta. Green pasta with red sauce is very Halloween looking to kids.
Make english muffin pizzas. Add sauce and cheese and then cover with pepperoni slices. Use pineapple chunks to make eyes, nose and mouth.

What would Halloween be without pumpkin flavored items? Here are a few pumpkin recipes for you:

Pumpkin Dip

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 large 30-ounce can of pumpkin

4 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

Mix everything together and serve. Kids love to dip both fruit and cookies into this dip.

And what about pumpkin muffins? I love pumpkin muffins warmed with butter on them:

Pumpkin Muffins

3 1/3 cups flour

3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup oil

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

2 cups pumpkin

Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Pour into muffin tins. Batter will rise, so only fill the muffin tins 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Decorating your table can be fun also. Use a combination of blacks and oranges. Use cat or witch shaped bowls. I have a friend who owns plates, creamers and tea pots in the shape of cats. You can also sprinkle your M&Ms and candy corn on the table. The kids can eat the decorations.

Enjoy Halloween with your kids and their friends at home with all of the above treats and ideas.

Audreys mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com

dehydrator

Nesco All-in-One Food Dehydrator Kit, Model# FD50-WHC

Everything needed to dry fruit, vegetables, jerky and more. 500 Watts power plus patented coverage flow for even drying. No more rotating trays. U.S.A.

Any regular grocery shopper is familiar with the chain stores and the monotony they represent: a meat department that is either mediocre in selection and quality or jaw-dropping in price; and ethnic aisles that do not even cover the basics. The citizens of France eat more than baguettes, but you wouldn't know that from your corporate food aisle.

It's time to go back to eating steak that tastes like it was purchased from a butcher's counter rather than torn off of your car tire. We have been conditioned to accept meats that are drier than British comedy and more discolored than a tie-dyed shirt, but alternatives often exist in your area. Family-owned markets often carry meat products that are sourced from the best providers and fresher than the Corporate Beef. And local grocers also take the time to seek out the international foods that we want-we live in a melting pot, so why are we still lacking the variety in our diets than the original settlers of this country did?

Try some specialty foods created by real chefs in small town markets, and rediscover that preparing food is actually an art! There is more to life than flat pop and steaks so dry that they may spontaneously combust. You may, however, have to go beyond the strip mall that sits off of the freeway exit in order to find the fresh, locally-owned choice. I'm telling you, family markets are where you need to go for great meats and specialty food.

Wondering where you can get some of these great meats? Check out http://www.franklinmarketbasket.com to see their mouthwatering selection.

dehydrator