Short answer
Yes, if you follow a few rules. Use lean meat, marinate it in the fridge, heat the strips to at least 71°C (74°C for poultry) before or after drying, dry at 70°C on the Ultra FD1000 until it bends and cracks, and store it airtight for up to 2 weeks (longer in the fridge or freezer).
Why meat needs extra care
Raw meat can carry harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli O157 and Listeria. Drying removes the water those bacteria need to grow, but the drying process alone may not kill them. In older dehydrator methods, raw meat sits at warm temperatures for hours while it dries. Research behind the USDA's guidance found that bacteria can survive this, which is why current advice adds a heating step.
The safe method in five steps
- Start clean. Wash your hands, boards and knives before and after handling raw meat, and keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat food.
- Marinate in the fridge. Keep meat at 5°C or below while it marinates. Throw away used marinade; don't use it as a sauce unless you boil it first.
- Heat to a safe core temperature. The USDA recommends heating meat to 71°C (160°F), and poultry to 74°C (165°F), before drying. Check with a probe thermometer. You can bake the strips on a rack, or simmer them briefly in the marinade (see our British beef jerky recipe).
- Dry hot enough. Dry at 70°C, the Ultra FD1000's highest setting. The USDA advises keeping the dehydrator at 63–68°C (145–155°F) or above throughout drying.
- Test, cool and store. Jerky is done when it bends and cracks but doesn't snap. Cool, pat off fat, pack airtight and label with the date.
Which meat?
| Meat | Our advice |
|---|---|
| Beef (topside, silverside) | Ideal. Lean, cheap and easy to slice. |
| Venison | Excellent and very lean. Treat exactly as beef, with the heat step. |
| Mince (for minced jerky) | Higher risk, because bacteria from the surface are mixed through. Always heat to 71°C. |
| Raw chicken or pork | We don't recommend drying these raw. Cook them fully first (poultry to 74°C), then dry as part of a meal. |
| Fish | Specialist; we'll cover it in a separate guide. |
What about biltong?
Traditional biltong is cured with vinegar and salt and air-dried without cooking. Many people enjoy it, but because it isn't heated, it doesn't meet the heat-treatment advice above. We're developing a tested dehydrator method and will publish it separately. Until then, people in vulnerable groups should avoid unheated cured meats.
Who should take extra care?
The FSA and NHS advise that people who are pregnant, very young, elderly or have weakened immune systems are more at risk from food poisoning. They should only eat meat that has been thoroughly cooked. Jerky made with the heat step above follows that advice; home-cured meats that haven't been heated don't.
Storage
- Room temperature, airtight: up to 2 weeks.
- Fridge: up to 1 month.
- Freezer: up to 3 months.
- Throw it away if you see mould, notice an off or rancid smell, or find soft, moist patches.
Common mistakes
- Drying raw meat at 50–60°C with no heat step.
- Leaving fat on the meat (it goes rancid).
- Marinating on the worktop instead of in the fridge.
- Cutting strips unevenly, so some are still moist when others are done.
Sources
This guide follows general food safety advice from the UK Food Standards Agency (cook meat thoroughly, chill at 5°C or below, avoid cross-contamination) and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (heat jerky meat to 160°F / 71°C, poultry to 165°F / 74°C). It's general guidance, not a substitute for official advice.
Download this guide (PDF) (PDF, A4, printable)
Related
- British beef jerky (safe UK method)
- How to store and rehydrate dried food
- Getting started with your Ezidri
Free recipe pack: The Ezidri Drying Year
20 British recipes for your dehydrator, from Christmas oranges to allotment gluts, plus a drying chart and storage cheat sheet.
Some food images are illustrative.