Mealtime Magic: Leftover Turkey Jerky

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Here's a unique option for all of the turkey that will be left over from Thursday’s feast.  Surely you can make salads and sandwiches, and you can even heat it up and have Thanksgiving part 2, haha! But honestly, how much turkey can you eat before you grow tired of leftovers or before it goes bad and it is time to throw it away?
 With an Excalibur Dehydrator you can preserve your leftover turkey and make delicious snacks for you - and your pets- for months to come! Eliminate wasted food, and put a new spin on traditional leftover dishes.  Homemade Turkey Jerky will last for months without additives or preservatives and makes a great natural snack for your family and pets. Homemade Turkey Jerky also makes a great DIY holiday gift idea!  The folks at Excalibur Dehydrators have provided 2 yummy recipes for Turkey Jerky – one for you and one for Fido!  These recipes are easy to follow and taste great. This is also a great way to get the whole family involved because children really enjoy using the dehydrator. 
Also, check out Excalibur’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals atwww.Drying123.com; 10% off select 5 and 9 tray black dehydrators, free ground shipping and other fun freebies and discounts. 
 *Jerky Tips and Tricks: Keep in mind the white meat having less fat is going to store better than the dark meat that has more fat. You can also rehydrate the turkey in soups later along with dehydrated veggies and broth for a quick turkey noodle soup.
Basic Turkey Jerky (for you or for Fido)  Ingredients:

• 2 pounds cooked turkey; sliced into extra thin strips about 1 inch wide and ¼ inch thick (turkey breasts are best) the thinner you slice it, the less time it takes to dehydrate. 
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried sage

 Preparation:Coat the turkey strips with the olive oil and a few dog friendly seasonings including salt,parsley, rosemary, sage.  Place the turkey strips evenly throughout the tray, leaving an equal space between them and making sure that they do not touch each other. This is because there needs to be air flow in between them while they are drying out.  Once they are all in the food dehydrator turn it on and set the temperature for 140 degrees. It will probably take between 6 and 12 hours for it to fully dry, depending on how thick you cut your slices and the exact temperature of your food dehydrator. It is a good idea to start checking it once every hour after the first hour. To check it, simply open up the tray and take one slice out. Cut it open with a sharp knife and exam the inside. You should see no moisture at all and if it is properly dried it will have the same color throughout. If it is not finished put it back in for another hour. Once it gets close start checking once every half hour.  Once your turkey jerky is done store it in sealed containers, zip lock bags work great for this. Write the date you made it on them. You can also store it in the refrigerator for even longer shelf life. There, you are done. Enjoy your healthy snacks!    Marinated Smoked Turkey Jerky (for you)  Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 4 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon liquid smoke
• 2 pounds cooked turkey; sliced into extra thin strips about 1 inch wide and ¼ inch thick (turkey breasts are best) the thinner you slice it, the less time it takes to dehydrate. 

 Preparation:Mix soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and liquid smoke together in a bowl. Dip turkey slices into marinade. Place dipped meat in layers in a bowl, dish, or heavy duty zip top bag. Pour remaining marinade sauce over meat. Cover tightly and let marinate in refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours or overnight.
Remove from the marinade and blot away excess moisture with paper towels.  Place the turkey strips evenly throughout the tray, leaving an equal space between them and making sure that they do not touch each other. This is because there needs to be air flow in between them while they are drying out.  Once they are all in the food dehydrator turn it on and set the temperature for 140 degrees. It will probably take between 6 and 12 hours for it to fully dry, depending on how thick you cut your slices and the exact temperature of your food dehydrator. It is a good idea to start checking it once every hour after the first hour. To check it, simply open up the tray and take one slice out. Cut it open with a sharp knife and exam the inside. You should see no moisture at all and if it is properly dried it will have the same color throughout. If it is not finished put it back in for another hour. Once it gets close start checking once every half hour.  Once your turkey jerky is done store it in sealed containers, zip lock bags work great for this. Write the date you made it on them. You can also store it in the refrigerator for even longer shelf life. There, you are done.