jerky question

[ecmbowhunter]

does anyone cook their jerky meat before dehydrating it?.... the FDA says you should cook it at something like 160 degrees for a while and THEN dehydrate it....(something like that)...anyway i dont...i just marinade and dry it....how do ya'll do yours....not looking for a recipe .....to cook or not to cook....that is the question:confused:

[Grant]

We don't, well not at 160. I don't have a dehydrator, so mine is done in the over at 125.
I do alot of waterfowl, and they claim it needs cooking more so that alot of other meats...but it hasn't killed me yet.

It would probably be in everyones best intrest to cook it first, but I haven't talked to anyone that does.

[wowsafari]

I don't cook my jerky ahead of time. I marinade overnight,then grind and then dehydrate it.

[ecmbowhunter]

ok...thats pretty much what i wanted to know....hee-hee....just wanted to make sure i wasnt the only one who was gonna die from eating uncooked , only dried,jerky...lol.....on with the dehydrating!

[HappyHunter]

I normally use my smoker. I have also cooked/dried in the oven at 175 degrees. You do not have to "cook" it but it may be safer to do so. Personally I like the smokey flavor