How Many Jerks Does It Take To Make Jerky?
Written: Nov 25 '01 (Updated Mar 29 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sliding tray feature and seven inch fan makes this the best out there.
Cons: Price is a bit steep...
The Bottom Line: If you enjoy dried fruits, vegetables and meats and are tired of the junky models that last a year or so then invest in something practical.
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| BrendaMetcalf's Full Review: Excalibur Dehydrator |
It’s that time of the year once again, drag out the venison (deer) meat out of the freezer, slice it, stack it on waxed paper, and crank up the dehydrator. To some this might sound like a learning experience but to me, it's just hard ass work I dread every season. I’m not talking about a couple pounds of meat but over hundred pounds that after dehydrated will be equal about forty pounds if I’m lucky. So you’re wondering why do I have to take on a task like this? It’s like the old saying “Man bring the meat home, woman fix it”, and jerky is what the man wants.
This is ten years or more since I started this ritual and the dehydrators I have burnt up, wore out or just plain thrown out are too numerous to mention their names. After receiving a catalog from the Excalibur Company and reading all the great testimonials from satisfied customers I decided to go big time and invest in something that would do twice the work and in half the time.
Features
I purchased the Excalibur #3900 model which comes with 9 trays measuring 15 square feet of drying space, built in on/off switch and an adjustable thermostat. The Excalibur has a seven inch fan which compared to most dehydrators who have only two to three inch fans for drying. Also a big advantage is the 26 hour adjustable timer that allows you to turn it off when you think it’s ready. Most dehydrators come with stacking trays that you have to rotate while drying where the Excalibur with its horizontal airflow drying system allows dehydrating without having to rotate your trays.
The Excalibur is inexpensive to run and costs just 2 or 3 cents/hour in electricity. My favorite feature is the non-stick teflon screens that come with this dehydrator, you place them over your trays before drying and cleanup is so much easier. Then rewash them in soapy water and reuse over and over. With our other dehydrator trays I would have to scrub forever and still found it hard to get in all the cracks to get them clean. Excalibur is made out of polycarbonate-the same material used in jet airplane windshields and claim to be indestructible which for me could prove to be its best feature.
Excalibur dehydrators are offered in colors of black (my choice) or white and come with a one-year warranty and for an extension of ten years is available for $25 dollars. Considering my luck with cheap model dehydrators I gave the extra twenty-five dollars. Now comes the price tag, I gave $209.00 plus shipping charges and compared to most cheap dehydrators the Excalibur has already paid for itself.
My Recommendation
If you like dried fruits, vegetables, meats and are tired of paying grocery store prices and want the best dehydrator out there, get the Excalibur #3900 and don’t waste money on the junky low priced models that last a year and are have to be sent to the dehydrator junkyard. Yes, I did receive an owners manual and will be happy to send anyone who requires it a copy via e-mail or postal mail…
Final Note
How many jerks does it take to make jerky? The answer is three…Me, myself and I…That is until I decide to throw in the towel and tell my husband and all his friends that so look forward to my jerky where to go and how to get there. My secret recipe and I know I can trust everyone here with it is: © Dale’s Steak Sauce, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Salt, and occasionally crushed red pepper©…
Recommended:
Yes
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BrendaMetcalf
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Baseball is wrong: man with four balls cannot walk...
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