Simple techniques for production of dried meat

Drying meat under natural temperatures, humidity and circulation of the air, including direct influence of sun rays, is the oldest method of meat preservation. It consists of a gradual dehydration of pieces of meat cut to a specific uniform shape that permits the equal and simultaneous drying of whole batches of meat.

Warm, dry air of a low humidity of about 30 percent and relatively small temperature differences between day and night are optimal conditions for meat drying. However, meat drying can also be carried out with good results under less favourable circumstances when basic hygienic and technological rules are observed. Intensity and duration of the drying process depend on air temperature, humidity and air circulation. Drying will be faster under high temperatures, low humidity and intensive air circulation.

Reducing the moisture content of the meat is achieved by evaporation of water from the peripheral zone of the meat to the surrounding air and the continuous migration of water from the deeper meat layers to the peripheral zone (Fig. 6).

There is a relatively high evaporation of water out of the meat during the first day of drying, after which it decreases continuously. After drying the meat for three or four days, weight losses of up to 60–70 percent can be observed, equivalent to the amount of water evaporated. Consequently, moisture losses can be monitored by controlling the weight of a batch during drying.

Continuous evaporation and weight losses during drying cause changes in the shape of the meat through shrinkage of the muscle and connective tissue. The meat pieces become smaller, thinner and to some degree wrinkled. The consistency also changes from soft to firm to hard.