Dehydrating

[gettinaclue]

I have begun earnestly looking into dehydrating the goodies in the garden and I have a few questions.

1.What sort of dehydrator do you have now? Where did you get it? How much was it? Do you like it?

2. If you could buy any type of dehydrator, what would it be and why?

3. What are some tips and tricks you have learned about your dehydrator/dehydrating?

4. What are some of your favorite recipes to use with your dehydrated veggies?

 

[ORChick]

1.What sort of dehydrator do you have now? Where did you get it? How much was it? Do you like it? -- I have an American Harvest, bought about 27 years ago. I think the company has changed hands at least once in that time, and the names have changed. This is one of those round machines, with a fan at the bottom. I got it at a local hardware store, and I don't remember how much it cost. I like it very much; it has done, and continues to do, good service. It isn't terribly loud, and it has a thermostat, which I feel is very important.

2. If you could buy any type of dehydrator, what would it be and why? -- I keep reading about the wonders of the Excaliber machines. If mine were to die I might consider getting one of those, although they are quite a bit more expensive, and take up more room.

3. What are some tips and tricks you have learned about your dehydrator/dehydrating? -- Don't try to rush it. I dry everything between 105*-115*; I think it makes for a better end product - dried, not cooked. Higher temps might finish things faster, but I like the results better when using a lower temp. I haven't dried meat though; for that, and for safety, I might be inclined to use a higher temp.

What are some of your favorite recipes to use with your dehydrated veggies? -- I don't use many dried veggies in their *pure* state, except mushrooms and corn. Mostly I powder them and add them as seasonings to other things. I use mushrooms that way too, but mostly I re-hydrate them and use them like fresh - they re-hydrate very well. I use dried corn (that is, corn that is ready to eat when fresh, stripped from the cob, and dried [blanched first]) mostly in soups/stews or corn pudding type things.

Mostly I dry fruits and herbs.

 

[AnnaRaven]

I have begun earnestly looking into dehydrating the goodies in the garden and I have a few questions.

1.What sort of dehydrator do you have now? Where did you get it? How much was it? Do you like it?

I have two, both from garage sales. The latest one doesn't have any temperature controller - it's just on/off. The other one has a temp controller.

2. If you could buy any type of dehydrator, what would it be and why?

One with a temp controller is nice.

3. What are some tips and tricks you have learned about your dehydrator/dehydrating?

Use the screens to keep it easy to clean.

4. What are some of your favorite recipes to use with your dehydrated veggies?

My absolute favorite thing is to just munch apple slices from the bag. honestly - it's one of my fave treats.

 

[gettinaclue]

Okay, what I'm getting is one with temp control is a good idea.

I like the idea of powdering some stuff for seasonings.

Is it feasible to dehydrate potatoes, carrots and celery for roasts and soups? I'm thinking the pieces would be a bit small?

Also, I would like to make some fruit leather. What do you use them for? I have found a lot of recipes for making different kinds of leathers, but what do you do with them after you make them? Do you just eat them like a fruit roll up kind of thing?

I am excited about making banana and apple chips. They are so yummy and am thinking of making some trial mixes with them.

Feed back please????

 

[framing fowl]

I have a round one (don't know the brand) that I got off of CL. It does okay but I have to rotate the trays 180* half way through because it heats unevenly. I'm keeping my eyes open for a better one and then I'll sell this one.

LOVE fruit leather, yes just eat it like a roll-up. I've dried apples, tomatos and mushrooms in my current one.

This is just personal preference but I don't like the round model for fitting stuff into it. I would much prefer a rectangular one but it's just because I like to line everything up neat...

 

[Dace]

I have an Aroma, it has 5 trays and spins automatically.

The temp on it is about 150* per the manual.

I have been using it a lot lately for lots of herbs form the garden, lavender flowers and we just did a batch of strawberries, they are yummy!

I want to try some cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, onions and celery for soups and such.

 

[ORChick]

I have made tomato leather. When a recipe calls for a tablespoon of tomato paste I would often find myself with the rest of a can, wondering what to do with it. Freezing it in dollops worked, but even better is spreading it out on a dryer tray, dehydrating to leather consistency, and saving it for the next time I need tomato paste. It rehydrates nicely in the stew or soup. I've made fruit leathers a time or two, but that seems to of most interest to children, of which I have none.
Your library should have a book or two on dehydrating foods. I'd recommend that you look for one. A good one will not only tell how to dehydrate, but also what to do with the finished product. Fruits are easy; just eat them out of hand. Its a little harder getting veggies to be palatable - which is why I like to powder mine.

 

[k0xxx]

I have begun earnestly looking into dehydrating the goodies in the garden and I have a few questions.

1.What sort of dehydrator do you have now? Where did you get it? How much was it? Do you like it?

2. If you could buy any type of dehydrator, what would it be and why?

3. What are some tips and tricks you have learned about your dehydrator/dehydrating?

4. What are some of your favorite recipes to use with your dehydrated veggies?

1. We have an Excalibur 9 tray. It has a temperature control, as well as a 26 hour timer. It was purchased directly from Excalibur as a "scratch and dent" model (we have been unable to find the "defect") for about $200. We love it and plan to buy a second.

2. See above.

3. No real tips other than to be sure to dry everything completely before packaging. We do sometimes catch frozen vegetables like corn and peas on sale, then dehydrate them to save on freezer room. Also, some veggies (like potatoes and apples) require a lemon juice spritz to keep them from turning brown or grey when drying.

4. Although not a veggie, apple slices with cinnamon are my personal favorite. Mostly we just slice or dice our veggies, dehydrate, and then store in mason jars. The just add them to what ever recipe that happens to call for them. We do sometimes prepackage all of the veggies and seasoning for a particular recipe into one container. The we just add the contents and water (meat also of called for) into a slow cooker in the morning.

 

[TanksHill]

I have 3.

Two of the round ones by Nesco. One is as old as dirt with no temp control, the other has temp control. I bought the second at Goodwill for 7 dollars. I think it works the best out of all.

I have another one that's a rectangle. Several trays, grey in color with that guy standing in the corner. I don't know the brand. I got it form my SIL. It works ok but is huge and I only used it when I have a ton of stuff.

Last year I dehydrated a lot of extra stuff from the garden. Anything I would add to spaghetti sauce. Peppers, onions, eggplant, zucchini. With the long slow simmer you would have never known they were dehydrated.

I also do surplus fruit and leathers for the kids as snacks.

I also use my Nicer Dicer. Lever action dicer thingy. Makes everything really easy to chop and keeps the size consistent.

g

 

[AnnaRaven]

Okay, what I'm getting is one with temp control is a good idea.

I like the idea of powdering some stuff for seasonings.

Is it feasible to dehydrate potatoes, carrots and celery for roasts and soups? I'm thinking the pieces would be a bit small?

Also, I would like to make some fruit leather. What do you use them for? I have found a lot of recipes for making different kinds of leathers, but what do you do with them after you make them? Do you just eat them like a fruit roll up kind of thing?

I am excited about making banana and apple chips. They are so yummy and am thinking of making some trial mixes with them.

Feed back please????

Potatoes, carrots, onions are great dehydrated for roasts and soups. Do the onions in the garage or something though. Celery - someone else may know better than I on that. I freeze mine but I imagine you could dehydrate them.