Dehydrating guides

Three guides covering the questions home preservers ask most. Each starts with a quick answer and lists its sources.

• Jerky safety: the 160°F step most recipes skip

  A dehydrator running at 130 to 140°F dries meat but may not heat it enough to kill bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation recommend heating meat strips to an internal 160°F (165°F for poultry) before drying, or heating the dried strips in a 275°F oven afterwards. Use lean meat sliced thin, marinate in the refrigerator, and store finished jerky airtight.

• Drying fruit and vegetables at home: temperatures, prep, and storage

  Dry most fruit and vegetables at about 140°F (60°C) in thin, even slices. Dip light-coloured fruit in an ascorbic acid solution to prevent browning, blanch most vegetables first, and dry fruit until leathery and vegetables until brittle. Condition dried fruit in a jar for 4 to 10 days, then store everything airtight in a cool, dark place.

• Nonfat dry milk: storing, mixing, and cooking with powdered milk

  Nonfat dry milk is made by removing water from pasteurized skim milk. Store it airtight in a cool, dry, dark place, where it keeps much longer than whole milk powder because it has almost no fat to go rancid. To mix, follow the package; a common ratio for instant nonfat dry milk is about 1/3 cup of powder per cup of water. Refrigerate reconstituted milk and treat it like fresh milk.