Jerky - how to keep tender/soft?

[Tom Anderson]

How in the world can I keep my jerky from getting hard as plywood?  I dry it in a dehydrator for about 24 hrs. until it's cured.  If I don't eat it all within just a couple of days (which is difficult not to do), it gets so dry you can almost crumble it like crackers.  Is there anyway to keep it soft?

[jindydiver]

You are drying it for too long. When you check it's hardness while hot you will be able to bend it and you think "must need more" but when it cools down it always gets harder. You just have to judge when to take it off. If I am not sure I take a small piece out and let it cool before testing.

[smiley]

10 to 12 hrs is all I need in a dehydrator. Like mick says itjust needs to bend it sill get a little hard

[chefpaul]

Hi Native Craft

I agree with jindydriver and smiley about the time in the dehydrator. Another thing you might consider is adding maple syrup or honey to your marinade for the meat and just before you put it in the dehydrator brush it with some honey and once more halfway through. The honey (an invert sugar)will help keep the meat moist as well as keep bacteria in check. Remember that as long as your moisture content is less than 18% bacteria cannot survive. Your meat will still be pliable.
If you find this a little sweet add cayanne pepper and some smoked paprika.
Good Eating!
Chef Paul

[shawnee]

A good rule of thumb is when you can bend it and it cracks a little, but don't break, it's done.  Seems to work well for me, and mine usually takes 10-11 hours in a forced air dehydrator, with 5 trays of jerky.

[tecum-tha]

Jerkey is dried meat, so it is supposed to be hard as plywood and cracky for longtime storage.
And this is the perfect state to make pemmican.
chefpaul is right here,too. But even the commercial stuff have something in the bag to prevent moisture buildup. The original stuff was hard like plywood though,lol

[Talondale]

How long should it stay good?  I have some in a ziploc in the meat tray in my refrig and was wondering what the "shelf" life is for jerky.

[JEFF B]

hey jesse about 3 months bro