The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

[Deleted User]

I have BUT when we rehydrated them they looked fine until we cooked them in something then we were left with little loops of dark green skin and no courgette inside them also rather thicker than anticipated gravy in the casseroles.   This was cutting them into rounds about 1/3" thick.  I think they might be better cut into battons around 3" long and although it will take longer to dry them they might end up with some courgette attached to the skin when they're cooked.....I may be wrong! perhaps courgettes are better enjoyed fresh?

-taff

Courgettes are similar to cucumbers in that they're quite a lot of water. The likliehood is that they will always go to mush after freezing except the skin. They mostly go to mush when I put them in soups or fry too long except for a little ring around the skin. They just break down too much.

cornishchick

MrsLurcherwalker said:

I have BUT when we rehydrated them they looked fine until we cooked them in something then we were left with little loops of dark green skin and no courgette inside them also rather thicker than anticipated gravy in the casseroles.   This was cutting them into rounds about 1/3" thick.  I think they might be better cut into battons around 3" long and although it will take longer to dry them they might end up with some courgette attached to the skin when they're cooked.....I may be wrong! perhaps courgettes are better enjoyed fresh?

I saw a youtube this week on dehydrating courgettes,they grated them on the large side of the grater, and when rehydrated just put into the stews etc, seemed to work well and one I think I will attempt if my courgette seeds ever sprout this year...I normally freeze then in chunks or grated and made into fritters and frozen.

thriftwizard

Courgette "crisps" (i.e. dehydrated courgette, finely sliced) are actually really quite tasty in their own right! 

I have a 6-tray L'Equip rectangular dehydrator, with temperature control, & use it a lot. Things like mango & pineapple are usually pretty cheap at our local market & dehydrate really well, as do home-grown apples. The results tend not to last very long, though, because they're fantastic (& very portable) snacks & the family just scoff them! Mushrooms work really well, too, and celery; I've even dehydrated 6 trays of nettle tips this spring, to add to soups & stews for some extra nutrition & a hint of a "deep green" taste.

[Deleted User]

I also have an excaliber 9 tray (along with teflex sheets) - I bought it about 18 years ago and remember that it cost a fortune at the time! 🙈 I have a bit of a thing for kitchen gadgets - champion juicer, excaliber dehydrator and more recently a vitamix - and I genuinely think that I haven't wasted the money despite the exorbitant price tags - they are all regularly used and have been worth their weight in gold to me 😁 no idea what the price tags are now but hopefully comparatively a lot less as there are considerably more vegans around now! 😉
 I love my dehydrator  - I dehydrate loads during the year including sliced courgettes but the courgettes are always eaten as snacks, they never make it long enough to be used elsewhere! 😂 Dehydrated strawberries are amazing - I'm going all out on growing strawberries year as they are adored by everyone and I never have enough! 
I don't blanch anything - I'll sometimes pop apples into a lemon water dip just to minimise browning but only if I can be bothered 😉 

boultdj

Thank you everyone for the courgette dehydrating tips.
I've done the strawberry crisps squirrelgirl, they are yummy, pity I've lost all my plant's, I will have to keep an eye out for big punnets when the season starts.

Si_Clist

Don't you dehydrating folks ever have a problem with condensation?  And what does it cost you to keep yours running for 24 hours?

dandy-candy

Is there any difference between dehydrating in an oven and a dehydrator? I have an oven!

thriftwizard

Mine's 550w IIRC, so costs about £2.50-ish to run for 24 hours. I keep it out in the porch (which is really a small conservatory) & condensation hasn't been a problem, though I couldn't tell you why not - probably the drafts blow it away! I can (& do) also dry things that can be dried slowly over my boiler, a floor-standing model with a little internal storage tank that stays warm 24/7; the warm air rising from that is perfect for drying chillis or seeds, say, or raising dough, and is essentially free. But fruit or veg that contain more moisture would just rot up there.

Yes, you can dry stuff in a very low oven with the door open. But I suspect that's no cheaper...?

[Deleted User]

According to one of the websites I've checked the excaliber dehydrator costs on average £1 per 24hrs to run - no idea if that's accurate though! I've never had a problem with condensation- I  expect it's because of the very low temperatures and the fan but again, not sure if that's the case! 😂 
Prior to getting my dehydrator, I tried the oven method but was never successful with it plus my oven was rarely out of use for long enough in those days as I had a houseful of kids 😉 At the risk of starting to sound a bit OTT about dehydrators, I just want to add that it's not just used for fruit and veg either-  I use mine for proving dough, blooming wild rice, drying papier-mache projects for my grandbaby, drying hm fire bricks and hm paper plant pots 😉 it is one of the best bits of kit I've ever bought! 
Anyway, I hadn't realised when I posted yesterday that I was on this thread (I thought I was on the vegan one! 🙈) I normally only lurk here so apologies for just bursting in!!! 😂