The best food dehydrators for jerky, including a budget option

These best-selling food dehydrators will help you easily make beef jerky at home

These are the top 2 best food dehydrators for beef jerky, including a budget option

Beef jerky is always a delicious idea, especially when it’s homemade. To that effect, we‘ve taken it upon ourselves to find two of the best food dehydrators for jerky around, including a budget-friendly option, each designed to pique your interest (and your palate).

What are the best food dehydrators for jerky?

#1 The best food dehydrator for jerky

Top Pick
Excalibur Food Dehydrator
$242.49

The powerful Excalibur dehydrator packs in 9 trays and has a total of 15 square feet of drying space for your favorite snacks.

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11/29/2024 01:38 am GMT

First up is the Excalibur food dehydrator that’s currently on sale on Amazon. Usually retailing at $399.99, the price has been slashed to only $298.

The pricey but powerful, Excalibur dehydrator packs in 9 trays and has a total of 15 square feet of drying space for your favorite snacks.

This premium dehydrator runs on a patented hyper wave and horizontal parallax technology that eliminates water from food with a continuous circulation of warm air. It cooks food at temperatures below 115 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit. This method contributes to preserving nutrients and enzymes for a nice immunity boost.

Aside from being an efficient jerky-making machine, the Excalibur Food Dehydrator 9-Tray Electric is extremely easy to clean. The poly-screen trays are perfect for preventing foods from sticking.

And if you want to add some extras next to your jerky, you can use this appliance to dehydrate zesty fruits, veggies, and nuts. The dehydrator even gives you the opportunity to raise bread, whip up some invigorating homemade yogurt, or make some sweet fruit roll sheets should you wish it.

#2 The best dehydrator for jerky under $100

Budget Pick
Presto Dehydro Food Dehydrator
$59.99

This budget-friendly food dehydrator produces excellent beef jerky for under $100

Buy Now
11/30/2023 10:34 am GMT

If you’re looking for a great dehydrator for jerky that falls into the budget-friendly category, the Presto Dehydro stands at the top of the list. Currently, on sale, the Presto Dehydro electric food dehydrator is available for just $49.46 on Amazon.

At this low price, it’s almost surprising that this dehydrator comes with multiple functions, but it does! The Presto Dehydro is ideal for cooking homemade jerky, veggies, fruit, and even healthy pet snacks.

The Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator is equipped with a top-mounted fan and heating elements that supply consistent airflow for optimal drying and a wide temperature range so that the drying process for this food dehydrator is seamless.

To top that, it offers compact storage and comes with 4 drying trays. If you want to increase the number of trays (you can expand up to 8 trays), they are available for purchase separately.

After a productive day of making jerky, you can enjoy a fast and easy cleanup process thanks to the dehydrator’s fully immersible trays and cover. That means you can easily submerge the trays in soap and water for an efficient clean-up.

Is a dehydrator worth it for jerky?

A dehydrator for jerky is definitely worth it, especially if you’re a big fan of cured meat. This way, you won’t have to run to the store every time you have a jerky craving. It also allows you to control what ingredients go into the jerky, so instead of buying store-bought jerky which tends to be full of preservatives, you can make your own healthy beef jerky at home.

Having a dehydrator for jerky also means that you can prepare large batches of jerky in one go. Most of these devices were specifically designed to accommodate large servings of jerky, so it will be difficult to run out of jerky.

Did we mention that having a jerky dehydrator is pretty low maintenance too? You just place the meat in there and it does all the heavy lifting for you. Before you know it, you’ll be munching on homemade jerky.

What is the best meat to make beef jerky in a dehydrator?

The best meats to use for making beef jerky in a dehydrator are top round, bottom round, pectoral, lifter, flank steak, and skirt steak. All these beef cuts are lean, brimming with flavor, and economical; perfect for your homemade beef jerky.

How long do you leave beef jerky in a dehydrator?

It takes beef jerky approximately 4 to 5 hours to dry in the dehydrator. When you have one of the best food dehydrators for jerky in your kitchen, the wait will totally be worth it.

How thick is too thick for jerky?

To get the best texture, you want to aim for your beef jerky slices to be about one-quarter-inch thick. If it gets thicker than that, it will end up being chewy. On the other hand, if it gets too thin, it will be tough. So, work on maintaining that quarter of an inch balance and enjoy your jerky!

When you have the perfect slices and the best jerky dehydrator in your armory, you’re bound to produce your very own jerky of the highest quality.

Is beef jerky a good weight loss snack?

Yes, beef jerky is a good weight loss snack. When consumed in moderation, this protein-rich snack helps reduce appetite, boost metabolism, and increase muscle mass.

Why is beef jerky so tasty?

Beef jerky is a delicious snack that appeals to a wide audience. It owes its tastiness to various spices and a drying process that unleashes its signature smoky flavors.

What is the white stuff on beef jerky?

You may notice some white stuff on beef jerky, but that’s nothing to worry about. Meat contains mineral salts, which are soluble in the natural oils that it produces. When the jerky dries, moisture in the meat evaporates. That’s when the salt gets left behind in the form of a visible white deposit on the surface of the jerky. So don’t worry about the white stuff on beef jerky, it should be safe to eat.