A must read for Jerky Lovers, a homemade dehydrator!

Thanks to those of you who offered your own recipes. I have jotted them down, and will try those variations out as well. I love to experiment with different variations.

I'd also like to see the results if anyone tries to make one, pics please. Tell us a little about your construction, etc, and the type of heater used, as well as your results. Let's see what you guys come up with......

ah have to save this page !!
What a great idea, I have no idea why i never thought of making my own Jerky (as i snack down on some jack links 6 dollar bag)
WAYYY cheaper.
S+F

reply to post by Druid42


Wonder if i could make this outta plywood? need the measurements
though

reply to post by AngryAlien
Get 2 12 inch I beams and weld together so the have an oven area put your jerky meat in a hanging rack and sit inside until it dries out face the opening of the over towards the wind so the wind blows through it

This gives a new meaning to the phrase ''smelly box''.

well done man you have inspired me. thanks for sharing the tips and tricks

When I was younger, I remember a woman who had built a 3 to 4 stack high bin with wire bottomed bin drawers. She had a hook she hung this on above her wood stove and when the weather got colder, she was able to dehydrate food in the winter months. She could lower the height of the drying bin and move the shelves to different positions within the bin frame.

Damn, when I read the first part of the title to this thread, I thought I found the advice I need for my husband, then I read the dehydrator part and after a few confusing seconds it dawned on me, you meant food.

I just read the thread and I think its awesome!!, I have been looking at dehydrators but never bought one yet because I was never sure which kind is the right kind and ofcourse the cost, I dont have the money but I love this idea, thank you for making this thread OP and showing us this, Im all excited to try it!!

Nice idea and here's a link you should read.
www.fsis.usda.gov...

reply to post by Druid42


Nice I love jerky. I have been thinking of making my own dehydrator, thank you for the idea of using skewers to hang the meat. I think I'll use that. Although I think I might use metal construction for the dehydrator, I don't like the idea of using cardboard, or wood, I would be too worried about a fire. Thanks for the recipe I think I will try it.

Thanks for the info! The instructions necessary for making a dehydrator have been mentally stored.

Awesome dude. I have no recipes to help with but thought i could help out with a few ideas for improvement.

1) Since you are using skewers, instead of poking them through the box, why not cut down ward slits to slide them down then angled slits along the downward slit to rest them on. That way you can set them up before you put them in the box instead of having to work awkwardly in the box. Further more add notches on the ends to help align the meat while you add it on the skewer as a guide for how far to seperate things etc.

2) for a thermometer, would you be able to use one of those turkey or car a/c ones? That might help since you can just poke those though and you could get them closer to the center of the box.

3) If you put the flap on top with a hinge (ie one side of cardboard cut on 3 sides or taped only on one side) you could use a small strip of cardboard or other friction, non round material to wedge that flap up a to a certain height. Then make it for temperature (also take into account the ambient temp as that will probably affect the inside temp).

Once again awesome poor man's fix to another over priced home solution!!

p.s. let me know if these things made sense and or if they would even be useful.

This is awesome man!! loiks like ill be havin me some whitetail jerky later this month

reply to post by Druid42


Thank you Druid, your wisdom will come to use for us all very soon, I love when people come up with cheap easy technology. If anyone else has any useful inventions id love to see them posted, as a matter of fact it should have its own forum section. Why not encourage innovation to help each other?

How to Build a Dorm-Friendly Air-Conditioner


Homemade Solar Food Dehydrator


window air heater - for 3 bucks

what do you mean by cross cut?

reply to post by Druid42


Ummm.... I spent $300.00 on a large commercial stainless unit, when I've got three or four of those small heaters and a ready supply of cardboard and tape. As Buggs Bunny would say.........what a maroon...


Now, if you could only invent an "off the shelf" pressure canner/cooker to top my gasketless 19 pint/7 quart "All American".
I used those cheap plastic dehydrators, did I say cheap? the plastic shelving would fall apart after the third or fourth use, which is why I went with the stainless unit. I like your idea of using "skewers" for all of the reasons that you provided.
As another poster stated, when can we expect to see your "solar" version...?

Hats off to you...

YouSir

Originally posted by The Utopian Penguin
Nice idea and here's a link you should read.
www.fsis.usda.gov...

Ummm......A UV light will do the same and not "cook" the meat....so break out those blacklights that you've had kicking around from your "free spirit" days.
You could even install one INSIDE the unit...

YouSir

Originally posted by StumpDrummer
reply to post by Druid42

 

Wonder if i could make this outta plywood? need the measurements
though

It's 27" long, 15" wide, and 21" tall. If you have the tools, and equipment, you could definitely make a "studier" unit. I also like the idea of making a sheet metal version, but never followed through on the permanent model. The stupid box is cheap, easy to make, and disposable, not much of an investment.