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Food Safety Works Colorado State University Extension
SafeFood Rapid Response Network

SAFEFOOD NEWS - Fall 1997 - Vol 2 no 1

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At the Home Dryer: Update on an E. Coli-Free Jerky Process

Hunting season has arrived and so have calls about safe methods of drying jerky in the home. This issue surfaced this spring when home-prepared deer jerky was identified as the cause of an outbreak of E. coli infection in an extended family, and a follow-up article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that traditional methods of making jerky in the home did not sufficiently kill E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria.

Several states are now working collaboratively to identify and test a process that will produce an acceptable product that ensures destruction of E. coli 1057:H7 in home prepared jerky. To date, no dry cure method has been proven safe. In the interim, the following pre-cook method has been adapted from the Oregon State University Extension Service recommendations:

    Pre-Cooked Jerky
  1. Pre-freeze meat to be made into jerky so it will be easier to slice.
  2. Cut partially thawed meat into long slices that are no more than 1/4 inch thick. For tender jerky, cut at right angles to long muscles (across the grain). Remove as much visible fat as possible to help prevent off-flavors.
  3. Prepare 2 - 3 cups of marinade of our choice in a large sauce pan.
  4. Bring the marinade to a full rolling boil over medium heat. Add a few meat strips, making sure they are covered by marinade. Reheat to a full boil.
  5. Remove the pan from range. Using tongs, remove strips from hot marinade (work quickly to prevent overcooking) and place in single non-overlapping layers on drying racks. (Repeat: steps 4 & 5 until all the meat has been pre-cooked.) Add more marinade if needed.
  6. Dry at 140 to 150 F. in dehydrator, oven or smoker. Test for doneness by letting a piece cool. When cool, it should crack, but not break when bent. There should not be any moist or underdone spots.
  7. Refrigerate the jerky overnight in plastic freezer bags, then check again for doneness. If necessary, dry further.

Caution: Soaking the strips in marinade before pre- cooking is not advised as the marinade could become a source of bacteria. Putting unmarinated strips directly into the boiling marinade minimizes a cooked flavor and maintains the safety of the marinade.

Sources: Keene, et al., 1997, JAMA, 227 (15) 1229-1231. Personal communication with Carolyn Raab, OSU Extension Food Safety Specialist.

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Updated Monday, August 29, 2011