Food drying - Dehydrators (merged)

Sunnyday

brenda50 wrote: »

Good too see this thread. I am new to dehydrating and not too thrilled at how long it takes to prep the fruit and veg especially the apples due to having to coat them with lemon juice. I got a mandoline the other day and it helps. The end result is worth it though. I love the dried bananas! I am busy with apples atm as I have been given bags of them. The eating apples I did on the low temp to keep the enzymes, but the cooking apples which I peeled, I did on a warmer setting as they will be cooked though I was surprised at how sweet they are when dried.

I have done some elder berries to eat raw with mueseli for my immune system. They are fine dry.

I am putting the produce into zip bags at the moment and into a plastic container with a moisture absorber but I need to find out about vacuum sealing them. I want to get as much done as I can then think about long term storage when I have a breather.

Hi Brenda,

there is a good thread on vacuum sealing here along with some tips.https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/265376

Someone posted a while back that using one of the soluble fizzy vitamin c tabs in water would stop the apples turning brown, i`ve just been looking for the post to find out who it was but i can`t find it again now.

I`ve just finished prepping the sc with 2k of apples and loads of other bits for chutney. The house smells lovely atm :D:D

HTH

SD

ginnyknit

Just picked up my dehydrator that the kids bought me for Christmas and have read all through this thread. Thank you all for the links and advice, can't wait to get started and am looking forward to making healthy snacks for DGS. He has been brought up on homemade, additive free diet and really don't want him eating too many sweeties so Hm is the way to go for us - or should I say 'home dried' :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

just a quickie to say that I have used my dehydrated veggies in soups and casseroles and they are lovely.

ginnyknit

Thanks Kittie, I just have to master making soups - I can make almost anything but soups are my downfall!

D&DD

ooh congrats Ginny :j for little ones do a fruit leather then when almost dry cut out shapes with the smallest cutters you have to make homemade sweeties but without all the rubbish!
They store really well in a tin.

katieowl_2

So, If someone was thinking of buying a dehydrator :whistle: is there a lot of difference between one for £38 and one for £120 (this is on Amazon - only place I've looked - I have vouchers )

Although we like the idea of fruit leathers, and drying my 'bargains' for future use I'm not sure whether I could *really* justify spending over £100 on another gadget. I do have access to plenty of 'wild' fruit for free.

If you've got one do you use it loads, or does it take up space? Are they really cheap to run, and do you think you get your moneysworth out of your investment So many questions!

Kate

ginnyknit

I got my de-hydrator from Lakeland for 50 quid. Yes its quite big but I am in love with it so it doesnt matter :rotfl: The electric meter hardly moves when its on and have used it overnight on economy 7 so bonus! Its really for soft fruit season but have done whoopsied veg so far. Tomatoes are very nice and carrots ,banana chips do well too. i am planning on doing lots of fruit to throw into cereals, fruit leathers for DGS but there are loads of ideas online as well as on this thread. Well worth the outlay :T

dogstarheaven

just recently, i started a new job which is evening work and have just discovered that i can buy whoospies foods super-cheap! but that means i usually buy stuff that is way more than what i can actually eat*. today's dilemma is what to do with 3 smallish cauliflowers? i wasn't sure whether they need to be cut down in size so that they're of a uniform shape. i've also got a cabbage and a half to do too. has anyone dried these before?

i'll be camping in the near future, and am going to need some recipes for whole meals that i can dried. maybe using the above veg? has anyone done meals before, if so can anyone advise pls?

thanks!



*i've left my long-term partner in the NY and now i have to cook for myself, but it's v. hard to do as i love cooking for others. nowadays i don't have the motivation, nor inspiration (altho' i do profess to be a good cook). since my evening job, my only meal in the day is at lunchtime (noon) and then i eat again around 1030pm. bad timing but hey, it's difficult to go w/o food till that long. the meals i tend to have are just reheated main meals that is bulk-cooked from the beginning of the week. btw, i can't/won't eat food after noon, as my body had to adjust not feeling hungry after noon-time, but as soon as i get home, i'm fairly ravished. i know, it's sosooso bad to eat this late, not only for my IBS but my waistline too!

D&DD

DS I like this site
http://www.trailcooking.com/ tons of stuff there to play with.

Cauli I usually blanch for around 3 mins in small florets as it discolours when you dry it but it does whiten up a bit when used.
Nice to bulk out a soup mix or vegetable curry mix for camping.

dogstarheaven

btw, i got given about 8kg of v. small apples from a neighbour at the lotti about 8wks ago, and was meant to do something with them, but i was so put off by the size of them, that they've just sat in my utility room (not that cold, but the coldest place in the house) since then, getting older and older. i do have a magimix and thought about juicing them, but that wouldn't really reduce the amount of apples that quickly. making them dried would be out of the question i thought, as they'd need peeling/coring and that'll just be impratical.

what would you lot do about it?