Food drying - Dehydrators (merged)

Living_proof

Kittie - I made some when I first got my Excalibur. I don't eat much meat but my family ate it all up quite quickly! I didn't salt mine but marinated it in a spicy mix and dried as the instructions demanded and then put it in a plastic container in the fridge. There are recipes on the web for cooking then marinating turkey which I will have a go at once I have moved and have more time.

[Deleted User]

Thank you LP. I have decided to put meat on hold for now as the dehydrator is quite busy with veg and fruit just now. So roast beef today and another small joint in the fridge. Will definitely explore meat in the near future though

Knowing quantities is good and I have started to make notes ie 250g box of chestnut mushrooms, takes one whole box per full tray

4kg of carrots sliced on a mandolin on the thickest setting fills the 9 trays. They are approx 3/8" thick

pineapples. Medium takes 8 for 9 trays. Easy to prepare if the bottom is cut off and sliced horizontally after going around the core with a small point knife

I have 4 pineapples in now at 135 for 18 hours and will add apple slices in 3 hours

Rain again all day yesterday so I spent half a day revamping my storage and now have neat rows of labelled boxes of dried foods within easy reach, in dark cupboards in the kitchen. Surplus is going under the stairs on purpose built shelves. It gave me a good opportunity for sorting and I uncovered last years kale, which was still a beautiful bright green and 5 year old dehydrated onions in perfect condition. I also found a few potato slices from last year and again in perfect condition and a great big box of parsnip slices, likewise in pristine condition

To say that I am happy with dehydrating progress is an understatement

[Deleted User]

prepareathome wrote: »

Thanks Kittie for posting about this thread in the toughies one, am reading it avidly - just had despatch note to say my dehydrators will be here within 10 days, am so excited and if I find the cheap ones are used often then will save up for the really good ones.....

PAH, I believe you are getting the round one with extra trays, that is exactly what I did for my first one. I would say to start off with something easy, like sliced carrots or mushrooms or apples. I remember doing de frosted raspberries, big mistake as far too wet. You will need to rotate the trays to get a guaranteed good result. Also try and cut them thinner as the round one takes a lot more time. I wouldn`t cut the carrots by hand but firm mushrooms are easy.

I just thought. Herbs need only 95, veg 125, onions 145 and fruit 135 so you can use that to arrange your trays ie herbs like lemon balm on the top.

prepareathome

Thanks kittie

Got my dehydrator today and went and dug up some potatoes which I blanched then sliced very thinly and put the in, remembered about checking in case I needed to rotate and after 4 hrs found yes bottom ones were far further along than top so moved them and checked all other trays and have discovered some of my potatoes have gone black.

So what have I done wrong - should I have put something over them, not down so straight from blanching to dehydrator.

I have cut them very thin almost crisp thinness but not quite

Help please..........

[Deleted User]

Pah, I slice first into cold water and then I drain and blanch the slices. I don`t cool down as they go straight into the dehydrator.

You should get the dehydrator going on a high temperature before you start and I would not fill too many trays as the hot part is only at the bottom. You could experiment ie slice, blanch, pat dry (because your dehydrator is not as powerful) fill four trays and leave on high for 30 minutes and then set it at the recommended temperature for potatoes

Next time try 5 trays and so on, until you find that point at which it isn`t working well all the way up the stack and then make a note for future reference

My slices are about 3/8" thick and I steam for 5 minutes to blanch

Your blackened potatoes will be fine disguised

prepareathome

Thanks Kittie, I have taken a note and will remember - glad the potatoes are not going to be wasted phew was worried.

I did cut and wash in cold water then blanched and put them straight into dehydrator but didn't put it on till they were in - so will make sure I do next time..........

Ah well a learning curve, that is why I thought I would try first with potatoes as I have more of then than anything else - will dig up more tomorrow to put in.

Going to order some lock and lock boxes but when first lot are ready will let them cool and run through vacumn sealer that should hold them ok for a few days.

Have picked up a second freezer from freegle last night but its sitting in living room at moment as we had to cart it on its side in car over lots of speed bumps so felt it better sit for a few days then its going in kitchen in only place I have 'under the tumble dryer - not ideal and only used twice a week tops, but at least heat rises and its right by my back door which is always open with the dogs and tumble dryer never left on when we go to bed. So when its up and running will be using that just for veg - dehydrated and cooked and then frozen. I want the lock and lock boxes for fruit so they can be kept fresh but not frozen ready just to eat.

This is a whole new adventure for me, got to admit I am a bit nervous of keeping them, with all the questions like will they stay fresh, will they be edible when I rehydrate them etc going through my head.

If it does work out ok then I can think about getting a far better one although where I would put it I do not know as they are bigger and kitchen already rather full, well that is for the future at the moment this one when not in use can live on top of bread machine as that is only used once a day normally.

Thanks again for your help - you are a wonder when it comes to all things to do with gardening and preserving......

zippychick

ive merged this with the relevant thread for you. Let us know how you get on.

Zip

[Deleted User]

I dried 9 trays of calendula petals yesterday, they need cool at 95 max and I left them drying all night. I have packed them today and as always, am amazed how they have kept their colour. They will go into my herbal medical and cosmetic store and also be used for decorating various dishes.

Today I decided to rid my fridge of lemons, limes, kiwi and oranges. All sliced on number 2 setting on the mandolin, ie not too thick. Lemons about 1 1/2 on one tray and 1 med/large orange on 1 tray, kiwi 4 on a tray

I pulled 5 rhubarb sticks this morning, my last pull this year. Split and cut about 1" and spread on one tray, as an experiment. I can see that I will have more rhubarb than my freezer can cope with next year so dried will be perfect. House smells nice

[Deleted User]

rhubarb turned out very good and was fully dried in 10 hours. Fruit leathers today, 3 lots on paraflexx sheets and the rest on non stick paper. First time for those

Ken68

Doing peppers now (cheap ex Lidl this weekend) and celery and runner beans and aubergine and (hoping here the flavours don't mix) pineapple. Last of the bought in stuff, early plums now.
Runner beans would normally be dried on the pod or frozen green but space in the freezer limited.
Not sure if the pepper seeds would be useful?
Done a lot of goosegogs last week. Crazed them with boiling water, dried the small as is and cut the bigger ones in half. Mixed results.
It's all go.