How to Dehydrate Meat

Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: August 6, 2024 Approved

Dehydrating meat is an old fashioned way of preserving meat. It makes it convenient to take on long trips, backpacking or hiking since refrigeration is not required and it is much more lightweight than regular meat. Dehydrated meat can be eaten as is, typically referred to as jerky, or reheated with moisture to semi-rehydrate the meat to be added into main dishes. Commonly dehydrated meat includes beef, venison, buffalo, chicken and turkey.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Saucepan Method

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Trim away all visible fat.^{[1]
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Cover with plastic wrap if the bowl does not come with a cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Oven Method

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The meat is dehydrated when it cracks but does not snap. There should be no moisture present, as this is where bacteria will grow.^{[4]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Storage

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Place the strips of meat on cooling racks.
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National Center for Home Food Preservation
Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food

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Community Q&A

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Question

How does the saucepan texture compare to the oven method?

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When you're cooking meat, a saucepan will fry and an oven will roast. Making any meat meal in a saucepan makes the meat dryer and crispier. Making meat in an oven (cooked right) makes it juicier and more tender.

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Question

Should meat be cooked prior to oven method dehydration?

Maggie Peterson

Community Answer

Yes, the meat should be cooked prior to dehydrating. Otherwise, it will be too moist to dehydrate properly.

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Question

Can you dehydrate meat without an oven or a saucepan?

Community Answer

You can slice it very thinly along the grain and smoke it, or set it in the sun if it is very hot. Be sure to follow instructions for doing it either way; you cannot mess around with meat preservation.

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Tips

Put the meat in the freezer for 30 minutes before slicing; this will make it easier to cut.

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Use lean pieces of meat for dehydrating; fat will go rancid and spoil the meat faster.

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Meat can be dehydrated using a food dehydrator; just follow the appliance directions.

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Warnings

Moisture will spoil the dehydrated meat so keep it stored in containers or bags with no air.

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Meat should be precooked before drying in order to safely eliminate any bacteria.

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