Food drying - Dehydrators (merged)

Living_proof

I peeled the kiwis and sliced about a quarter of an inch and just dried at a low setting from what I remember. They are good value for colour alone and there are often good offers if you buy half a dozen at a time. If you can get them YS then they are a good buy as they keep so well.

Beef jerky was another success. My SIL loves it so I will have to have another go at this later on. I don't fancy it myself! Good luck with your brussels tops. Cauliflower leaves are my favourite, and totally wasted of course.

The only thing I have dried and not thought worthwhile are mangoes. Even when they are ultra cheap in the shops I think you are still better off buying the packeted ones which have probably been dried in the country of origin in the sun. I will keep mangoes for a nice spicy chutney.

Frugalsod

I do not have any garden crops to store, plus a freezer suits me pretty well. It really has given me a lot to think about.

Ken68

Yes Frugal, the freezer also takes priority here and the drier is for extra surplus.Elderberries are awkward to dry, needs containing and even then every little dried berry that escapes can cause a mess. Best done outside or a shed.
Am still doing soup from dried veg, soak a bit, add some from the freezer plus hot water and slow cook for a couple of hours. Add salt and or pepper or whatever, fill in to tubs or will probably can stay in the pot and keep in the fridge .
Can't beat a hot soupy stew this time of year.

Frugalsod

Ken68 wrote: »

Yes Frugal, the freezer also takes priority here and the drier is for extra surplus.Elderberries are awkward to dry, needs containing and even then every little dried berry that escapes can cause a mess. Best done outside or a shed.
Am still doing soup from dried veg, soak a bit, add some from the freezer plus hot water and slow cook for a couple of hours. Add salt and or pepper or whatever, fill in to tubs or will probably can stay in the pot and keep in the fridge .
Can't beat a hot soupy stew this time of year.

I do like soups and have seen that it is possible to dehydrate soups as well.

My main reason for looking into dehydration is that I was looking for a cheaper source of meals for camping. I had looked at the cost of dehydrated meals and they were expensive. Somewhere I found out that it really would not take many meals to actually save the entire cost of getting a dehydrator. Since I was planning to do a lot of that it would actually be a significant money saver for me. It would also open up far more meal options for me as I could do things that I liked, rather than limited to what was available off the shelf.

Rosemary_Jane

Frugalsod wrote: »

I do like soups and have seen that it is possible to dehydrate soups as well.

My main reason for looking into dehydration is that I was looking for a cheaper source of meals for camping. I had looked at the cost of dehydrated meals and they were expensive. Somewhere I found out that it really would not take many meals to actually save the entire cost of getting a dehydrator. Since I was planning to do a lot of that it would actually be a significant money saver for me. It would also open up far more meal options for me as I could do things that I liked, rather than limited to what was available off the shelf.

I found this book very useful, and it gives recipes for home dried foods while camping.

[FONT=&quot]Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and Paddling

Not too expensive and may help you make up your mind before committing to greater expense.
www.amazon.co.uk/Trail-Food-Cooking-Backpacking-Paddling/dp/0070344361

HTH

RJ

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Frugalsod

Rosemary_Jane wrote: »

I found this book very useful, and it gives recipes for home dried foods while camping.

[FONT=&quot]Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and Paddling

Not too expensive and may help you make up your mind before committing to greater expense.
www.amazon.co.uk/Trail-Food-Cooking-Backpacking-Paddling/dp/0070344361

HTH

RJ

[/FONT]

Thanks for that. On to my amazon wish list for when I do another order.

I have not really spent that much apart from a couple meals that I am trying to see how good they are. At this moment it is all research for me, and only if I can make use of it will I actually get one.

Once I thought about it, it looked like it would also solve a breakfast problem as well. I like dutch crisp bakes, rye crisp bread and bran flakes all of which can be finished in a dehydrator with some planning so that was the other use for me. Though I suspect it might actually be a couple of years before I actually get one I can plan uses and then work out the potential benefits and cost savings before I get one.

ragz_2

Hi, just dragging up this old thread as I am currently very keen on getting a dehydrator. DH approves as he's into prepping and likes storing food in many ways so I have a thumbs up on that front. Considering an Andrew James one from Amazon, the rectangular or round one, rectangle looks easier but it's a recent model with fewer reviews, so a little undecided. Has anyone got either?

Who still uses their dehydrator regularly and what do you use it for?

Ken68

Just done loads of mushrooms, Ragz.
Half price weekends at Lidl 42p per 350g.
Driers are not complicated, mainly a case and shelves plus a fan heater, so minimum price for maximum capacity is the way to go.

Living_proof

I have great plans for mine once the solar panels go up in the next couple of weeks. A dehydrator would never replace a freezer, but on the other hand, in a power cut you wouldn't lose anything. I read today on here somewhere how someone had saved so much freezer space by dehydrating raspberries but I wonder how one would rehydrate them successfully? It's all these kind of questions which spring to mind. I have great plans for experimentation as I go into my dotage and if the electricity is free and the food home-grown or foraged, what harm can it possibly do?

Ken68

Irony there LP
Like blowing a raspberry to high electric bills whilst drying them at the same time for free.