Nesco is a popular company that makes household appliances at an affordable price. The Nesco dehydrators are quite popular among consumers for providing superior dehydrating performance. The company offers a range of dehydrators that are ideal for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, nuts, and more. You can also use Nesco dehydrators for drying jerky with great results.
Nesco dehydrators are capable of drying a variety of your favorite foods including veggies, fruits, and jerky. But still, few Nesco dehydrators in the market provides you amazing results for making dried jerky. The jerky dehydrated in these machines is not only healthy but nutritious as well.
In this article, we are going to review the best Nesco dehydrators in the market that can help you to dry jerky for a different types of recipes. Besides the reviews, we will also share useful information with you that will help you in preparing delicious jerky.
Comparison Chart of Best Nesco Dehydrators for jerky
This comparison chart will provide you a glimpse of the best Nesco dehydrators for jerky before we move on to the reviews section. Here’s a quick look at the specifications of different dehydrators.
| Serial No | Product Name | Wattage (W) | Number of Trays | Temperature | Thermostat | Warranty | Air Flow | Timer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NESCO FD-75A | 600W/120V | 5 (Expandable upto 12) | 95 to 160 degrees fahrenheit | Yes;Adjustable | 1 year | Horizontal | No |
| 2 | NESCO FD-61WHC | 500W | 5 | 95-165 Degree Fahrenheit | Yes | 1-year Limited | Vertical | No |
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Reviews of Best Nesco Dehydrators for Jerky
In this section, we have reviewed the top two best Nesco dehydrators that help in making ultimately dried jerky effectively. These machines can also dehydrate other things like fruits and vegetables, but we have reviewed these dehydrators only focusing on their jerky drying capability.
There are few things that we have kept in mind while picking these dehydrators, like unit capacity, uniform heat distribution, ease of use, noise level and accessories.
So, let’s have a look!
1. Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator
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This is an incredible Nesco dehydrator that you can buy for drying jerky. Whether you want to make beef jerky or deer jerky, you can do it all in this dehydrator. You can dehydrate up to 3 lbs. of meat on its five trays. Additional seven trays can be purchased for drying extra meat, and that means this machine can dehydrate a total of 7.5 lbs. of meat.
The 600 watt top mounted fan provides uniform and fast distribution of heat for drying jerky on all trays. You can also control the temperature with its adjustable thermostat between 95 degrees F to 160 degrees F for even drying of the jerky. It does not make much noise during the dehydration process. You get accessories like jerky gun kit, Add-A-Trays, jerky seasoning mixes and the fruit roll sheets along with the product.
Pros
- It is an affordable Nesco dehydrator that you can buy from making jerky
- It is easy to control its temperature for making uniform dried pieces of jerky
- You can expand its BPA free trays for drying more meat
- It runs quietly while drying jerky
Cons
- You have to keep an eye on the machine while drying jerky as there is no timer in it
- It is not a dishwasher safe dehydrator
2. Nesco FD-61WHC, Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator
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It is a complete all-in-one kit that you can use for drying jerky. It comes with a top mounted fan and 500 watts of drying power for dehydrating jerky easily, evenly and quickly. You get five big trays as well as a jerky gun to ease the process of dehydration.
The manufacturer offers a recipe guide along with the machine that you can use for making delicious jerky recipes from different types of meat.
The design of this Nesco food dehydrator is contemporary and sleek, and it produces maximum speed for drying venison and beef.
There is no need to worry about the dripping of liquids from meat over the heating chamber as the machine has a top mounted fan. You get a jerky gun with three tips, five jerky spices and cures, and two Clean-A-Screens along with the recipe guide. There is no need to rotate the trays in this machine while drying jerky due to the patented Converga-Flow drying system.
Pros
- The top mounted fan helps in effective drying of the meat
- The 500-watt drying power is perfect for drying meat quickly
- The Converga-flow drying system dries out the meat on all trays
- You don’t have to rotate the trays while drying jerky in it
- You can adjust the temperature for drying jerky as per your need
Cons
- You have to be alert while drying jerky as there is no timer and ON/OFF switch in it
- The meat on the top tray dries out faster than the lower trays
Operation of the Nesco dehydrator while making jerky
Nesco dehydrator dries the jerky by moving the hot air on the piece of meat to remove moisture. There are two different kinds of Nesco dehydrators that help in drying jerky.
In the first type of Nesco dehydrators, the fan is located on the bottom or top to flow the air vertically on all the trays. These are round in shape and also come at an inexpensive price in the market. The other type of Nesco dehydrators is the professional unit in which the fan located at the back for flowing the air horizontally on the meat from back to front. They have a square shape and are costly.
Why Should You Use A Nesco Food Dehydrator To Make Jerky?
Preparing jerky in the Nesco food dehydrators is a far better option than the store bought processed dried jerky. The homemade jerky is healthy, nutritious, free from chemicals, and has high protein content. Here are the reasons for using Nesco food dehydrator for making jerky:
- You can easily control the amount of sodium while drying jerky
- The high temperature setting helps to kill the pathogenic bacteria in the jerky
- You can make the jerky without using any artificial chemicals or preservatives for long term preservation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: I am a beginner. Can I dehydrate jerky easily in the Nesco food dehydrator?
Yes, it is quite easy to dehydrate jerky in the Nesco food dehydrator even if you are a beginner. You only have to follow the guidelines and the instructions given in the guidebook that you get from the manufacturing company.
Q: Does the jerky prepared in the Nesco food dehydrator is healthy?
The jerky prepared in the Nesco food dehydrator is quite healthy to consume. Moreover, if you are on a strict diet, you can eat homemade jerky. Store bought jerky might contain excessive salt or preservatives that are harmful for your health.
Q: What is the use of a jerky gun that we get with the Nesco food dehydrators?
The jerky gun used for preparing round sticks or thin shreds of the meat for jerky. It is convenient to use in comparison to the knife or a slicer. You can easily dehydrate these evenly cut strips of meat into the jerky.
Q: Do the Nesco food dehydrators offer any seasonings or spices with it?
There are few models of the Nesco food dehydrators that offer seasonings and spices along with their machine. You can use them for enhancing the flavor of your jerky recipe.
Q: Is the jerky prepared in Nesco food dehydrators costly than the store bought jerky?
No, the store bought jerky is costly than the jerky prepared in the Nesco food dehydrators. Moreover, the packaged jerky is less nutritious and has high sodium content.
Q: Which kind of meat can be used for preparing the beef jerky in the Nesco dehydrator?
You can use the sirloin, brisket, flank and any other type of meat that is lean to make jerky in Nesco dehydrator.
Q: Are there any precaution that we should follow while drying jerky in the Nesco dehydrator?
You should heat the meat for jerky up to the temperature of 160 degrees F for killing the bacteria at the beginning of the drying process. If you follow this step afterward then, it might not kill the bacteria that turn into more heat resistant during the drying process.
Q: How much time does the Nesco dehydrator take for drying jerky?
Usually, it takes 5 to 8 hours for drying jerky in the Nesco dehydrators. But the drying time might vary with the type of model that you pick.
Conclusion
There is an extensive variety of Nesco food dehydrators that are ideal for dehydrating meat for preparing delicious and healthy jerky. Homemade jerky is always a rewarding option than the store-bought jerky.
Here in this article, we have reviewed the two best Nesco dehydrators for jerky that not only work incredibly but also provide impressive drying results for making jerky. You also get a jerky gun and jerky spices along with these dehydrators that allows you to enhance the overall flavor of your jerky recipe. However, you should pick the Nesco dehydrator for making jerky while keeping in mind the quantity of jerky you need to prepare, your budget, and space available in your kitchen.
So which Nesco dehydrator did you pick for making jerky? Don’t forget to tell us in the comment box.