How Can I Dehydrate Chicken?

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

We taking 10-15 of our chickens to be processed this weekend, but I don't have room in my freezer yet. So, wondering if I can dehydrate them? I have a couple of cheapo dehydrators from Wally World, temp control and fan included. After dehydrating, I plan to put in jars and put in the back of the pantry for long-term storage. When I use, I'll rehydrate (20-30 minutes) or just add to crockpot with water, herbs and dried soup veggies. Probably. I don't like jerky.

Questions;

Do I cook first?

Can I just shred and place on drying racks?

Do I need to salt and season first? I can't have much salt because I have high blood pressure and everything I've read online says to highly salt it. Plus my kid won't eat if it has any seasonings on it.

What temp and for how long?

Thanks.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I just did a quick google search and it looks like you have to cook it first. There is even an instructional video on Youtube.com.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I wish I could look at that vid (yeah, I had noted that) but I don't have sound on my computer.

 

[KenK]

Here is what I think your options are to keep from wasting the birds:
Buy a freezer.
Buy a canner.
Keep the birds on the hoof until you can eat them.

If you do succeed in drying the meat in an edible form; please post back.

 

[Carolyn]

Canned chicken is great and keeps well. I dunno about dehydrating it.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I think this is what I'm gonna do:

-chickens come back from slaughterhouse

-put as many as possible in my crockpots (with garlic and onion), freeze as many as possible, and refrigerate any left over for later cooking.

-once cooked in crockpot, take off bone, blot dry, and place in dehydrator and dry until brittle dry. (and also eat some!)

-pack dehydrated chicken in small seal-a-meal bags and seal.

-store dehydrated and bagged chicken in fridge and in jars in pantry. Look at weekly.