Food drying - Dehydrators (merged)

Angelina-M

Angelina-M wrote: »

Guys I have posted on another thread about my tomato sauce and I've got frightened by the idea of canning. Another kind MSE'er mentioned me dehydrating them so I thought I would ask here. At the moment I have three pints of a mix of roasted tomatoes and garlic that is very thick. Would it be ok to spread this out as a leather and if so, what do I do then? I use a lot of sauces but i'm not sure how I would use this to its best?

Just an update. So I dehydrated this mix into a kind of leather then rolled it up and stored it in a jar.

Tonight I was making a spaghetti so I took a roll of the leather and added water to cover it, left it for about thirty mins to soak. It didn't look too promising so I dunked my blender in it and wow, it looked exactly like it did before I dehydrated it and it made my meal taste so fresh and rich!

So next time I go to the supermarket and they have tomatoes on the reduced to clear section I will be buying in bulk and making sauce leathers. So much nicer than opening a tin of tomatoes!

I'm going to experiment with making different roasted/garlic herb combinations. I never expected it to turn out so well :eek:

Angelina-M

Guys, can I just ask what are your thoughts on drying mushrooms.

I've done them twice now and they never go back to being how I want them. I do cut them with my mandoline so they are quite thin but they never bulk up at all when rehydrated, they just stay paper thin.

Are people getting good results with mushrooms or are they a bit of a write off? Thanks all

Ken68

I do a lot Angel, although the some of the last lot didn't take. Maybe forgot to sterilise jars in the microwave.
They go straight in the frying pan giving a lot of flavour but not much substance. Usually just a few hours drying time but might try thicker next time.I find them good to fill the empty space left when doing plums. See you keen.

Angelina-M

Thank you Ken, yes thats a good way to put it, not much substance!

Next time I see some on offer I will cut them thicker and see how that goes. Mind you the water left from rehydrating was beautiful!! I kept sipping it instead of chucking into my dinner!

I'm going to build up a big stock.. I do hope Morrisons do their £5 vegetable vouchers again!

Ken68

That's where I got mine, Angel
Have a load of home grown pears to do now, but not ripening at the same time, so will probably have to dry some, freeze most or learn bottling. It's all go.

Angelina-M

Good fun too, especially when you get a bargain or even better, free food. I'm freezing a load of blackberries bit by bit and then I shall dehydrate them and make blackberry powder to add to drinks/smoothies for extra vitamins during winter.

Ken68

My blackberry leather came out a bit like a potholed road. lol

supki

has anyone done beef jerky in the westfalia round dehydrator? it doesn't have a adjustable temperature thingy and I'm slightly worried that it might not be safe to eat. i've done veggies and fruit quite successfully.

fredthered1863

If you are needing non stick sheets or mesh call a company called Planit Products as they have a range of them at good prices

[Deleted User]

wow, redfred, that is a fab site. I just saw fat absorbers at almost half the cost of lakeland. Thank you. I am going to browse and put in my favs