Jerky Seasoning & Kits
Cooking
- In addition to roasting and baking, you can always use the NESCO® Roaster Oven as a slow cooker by simply setting the temperature control in the 200°F range and stirring often.
- For additional browning of meat or poultry, mix 1/4 cup melted margarine with 1 tsp. browning sauce and brush on before roasting. Occasionally, older cuts of meats dry out as they roast. Water, broth, or carbonated soda (ginger ale) may be added. Check meat during roasting. Your NESCO may be used as a portable oven by placing casserole dishes, glass, stainless steel or aluminum baking pans on the rack in the preheated cookwell.
- Do not use roasting bags in roasters.
Product Care
- Despite a long standing rumor, there is absolutely no need to put water in between pans when cooking in a NESCO. The patented NESCO Circle of Heat® provides consistent, even cooking throughout. Water will actually slow down the cooking process, and make it more difficult to clean up.
- Deep frying in your NESCO is not a recommended use. The heat on your NESCO comes from the sides of the unit, our patented “Circle of Heat®”. There is no heat from the bottom, so the oil will never get hot enough to deep fry.
- To prevent buildup on cookwells, do not spray with non-stick sprays. When making a casserole, soups, chili, etc. in the roasters, wipe the cookwell with a light coat of liquid vegetable oil to prevent sticking to the sides. Also, since the heat comes from the sides of the roaster, rather than the bottom, be sure to stir the contents occasionally.
- Be sure to “cure” your roaster before using it for the first time. The only part you that should be cured is the body of the roaster, also called the “heatwell”. Take off the lid and remove the cookwell and all packaging materials. Place in a well-ventilated area, plug in, and heat on it’s highest setting for 30-60 minutes. You may notice a slight smoke or odor, this is normal. It’s the insulation around the heating element heating up for the first time. You shouldn’t smell anything like this after the first time.
Cooking
- To make great jerky, use the two packets that come with the jerky seasoning mixture. Mix the spice packet and cure packet with ground meat. Use 1 package of each to approximately 2 lb. of meat.
- You may use pineapple, orange, or lemon juice as pretreatment for your fruits. This will help keep them from discoloring as they dry.
- Clean-A-Screens® are mesh screens that work well with small vegetables and sticky fruits. They will keep the small items from falling through the trays, and make sticky items easier to remove by flexing the screen.
- Fruit Roll Sheets are a solid plastic sheet that works well for liquids, fruit rolls, and as a drip catcher on the last tray of your dehydrator for jerky. Fruit Rolls are an easy to make, healthy snack for kids. Fruit Roll Sheets help you turn making Fruit Rolls into a fun family activity!
- Applesauce and gelatin can be added to your fruit rolls to add color and flavor. Try various flavors to see which one is your favorite.
- To rehydrate foods, soak in water for 1-2 hours. Using boiling water will speed up the process.
- When slicing a roast for jerky, it will slice more easily if the roast is semi-frozen.
- Make sure when testing for dryness that your food is at room temperature for accurate results. Food is softer the warmer it is.
- As you clean out your refrigerator or have left-overs, remember that dehydrating can save money and waste. Dehydrate them and use them later! When marinating with sliced meat, combine the spice packet, cure packet, and 1/4 cup of water and let this marinate in refrigerator overnight.
- You should always use 4 trays for even heat distribution. The trays can be run empty.
- Food must be carefully monitored near the end of the dehydration process to prevent overdrying. Overdried foods lose quality in texture, nutrition, and taste. To test for dryness, remove a piece of food, allow it to cool, and feel with your fingers to determine dryness:
- Fruits should be pliable and leathery with no pockets of moisture. To check if fruit is dry, tear a piece in half and watch for moisture beads along the tear. If there aren’t any, it is sufficiently dry for long term storage
- Fruit rolls should be leathery with no sticky spots
- Jerky should be tough but not brittle
- Dried fish should be tough. If the fish is high in fat, it may appear moist due to the high oil content
- Vegetables should be tough or crisp
- If the food you are drying sticks to the tray, Fruit Roll Sheet, or Clean-A-Screen®, place the tray in the freezer until the food is frozen. Then remove the food.
- Do not spray vegetable spray directly onto the surface of the trays.
Product Care
- The tray in the bottom of the FD-60 is a moisture collector. You don’t have to do anything with it other than empty it when moisture accumulates.
- Do not spray vegetable spray directly onto the surface of the trays
What temperature is low on a Nesco?
How many QT is a NESCo oven?
Oven Nesco 6 Qt. Roaster Oven Use And Care Manual Oven Nesco 18-Qt. ROASTER OVEN Use And Care Manual Oven Nesco 18-Qt. Use/Care And Recipe Manual Page 1 12-Qt. Convection Roaster Oven USE / CARE AND RECIPE GUIDE Page 2 Congratulations on the purchase of your new NESCO Convection Oven! Please spend a few minutes reviewing this booklet.
How big is a NESCo Roaster Oven?
It’s big. The Nesco roaster oven is a convenient alternative to a standard full-size oven. The 18-quart capacity can handle up to a 22-pound turkey. • Countertop model is a cool alternative to a conventional oven.
What temperature should a slow cooker be?
Slow cookers usually have two simple temperature settings: low and high. The equivalent of those temperatures on a roaster oven is about 200°F and 250°F respectively. Some other slow cooker models have low settings at 190° F and a high setting at 300° F.