Paleo Diet: Raw Paleo Diet and Lifestyle Forum
Raw Paleo Diet Forums => Info / News Items / Announcements => Topic started by: livingthelife on November 22, 2009, 02:07:34 am
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Just for the record, I checked with USWellnessMeats & their jerky is raw into the dehydrator and then dried at 115 degrees F.
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Did he actually say the Fahrenheit part? I think there is a regulation for the temperature for drying meat for jerky, and it's much hight than this.
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No, I don't think he did specify, but 115 C seems too hot (240 F)
I'll double-check. Thanks for bringing this up
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If it's any help, the chart printed on the top of my Excalibur dehydrator states 145 F for drying meats / making jerky. I assume from that there is no regulation stating it must be cooked at a higher temperature. I would certainly see no reason why they'd dry it at 240 F?! ??? Of course, it's still worth checking with them.
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true, 240F does seem ridiculous.... I just didn't think 115 was allowed... great if it is and available!
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I will check. USWellness does promote raw foods and a good part of their market is the raw primal crowd - so I can believe that they'd use the lowest temp possible/allowed.
Incidentally, is 115 considered "raw?" That seems to fall within the range of "sun dried" ... borderline, I guess.
We do use their jerky. It's expensive but good. You can't always take raw wet meet to school, though it's done surreptitiously from time to time ;)
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My guess is that US Wellness is not being totally forthcoming on the subject of the temperatures used in processing their jerky and dried meat products and it is just another case of John telling people what they want to hear. USDA/FSIS have what is called a 'recommended leathality standard' for jerky that must be met. There are several ways to meet this standard but the most common is to use moist heat (raising the temperature of the raw meat before drying) to a minimum of 160F and then continue drying at a temperature of 135F-145F until the desired moisture level has been reached. Any processor not following these guidelines would be putting themselves at significant risk and could be ruined by a single lawsuit brought against them for salmonella or E. coli infection. Here's a link to the FSIS document.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Compliance_Guideline_Jerky.pdf
The definition of Jerky in the Compliance Guideline document is a dry product that is shelf stable without refrigeration. I suppose US Wellness could get around these guidelines by insisting that their end product be kept frozen (which they do for their pemmican). My problem with believing this is that low temperature drying would almost mandate that every batch of jerky be tested for bacteria before it could be used or sold and this is very expensive. Much cheaper to follow the guidelines. John at US Wellness has also told me that the reason that their pemmican must be kept frozen is that they do not fully dehydrate the meat because it is too difficult to grind when fully dry.
You are free to believe whatever you wish, but I don't think that US Wellness or their processors would be willing to bypass USDA/FSIS guidlelines. All it would take is one lawsuit for salmonella or e. coli contamination along with the fact that they purposely weren't followiing published guidelines and they would be toast. Damages would be in the millions.
Lex
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The ideal maximum temperature would be 104 degrees Celsius. The max temp for Fahrenheit therefore would be 219.2
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Error! Make that 104° Fahrenheit/40°Celsius; more heat and the jerky is cooked.
USWellnessMeats jerky is not raw, as enzymes begin to be destroyed >104F.
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Error! Make that 104° Fahrenheit/40°Celsius; more heat and the jerky is cooked.
USWellnessMeats jerky is not raw, as enzymes begin to be destroyed >104F.
Quite right, I wasn't thinking.
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USWellnessMeats jerky is not raw, as enzymes begin to be destroyed >104F.
Thank you for clarifying. It doesn't look raw, it's dark brown.
Oh well. It will have to do for now until I get around to investigating an alternative.
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Thank you for clarifying. It doesn't look raw, it's dark brown.
I'm not sure if the colour is significant. I dry my beef for jerky at 95 F for 12-24hrs and it, too, is very dark brown.