New Dehydrator

[Manda_Rae]

I just got a New dehydrator!🥳
Does anyone have any tips?
Where should I start?
What's the easiest thing to start with? 😁

 

[Britesea]

I don't eat potatoes anymore (diabetes), but when I did, I liked shredding potatoes and rinsing off the starch, then dehydrate. Rehydrate for about 5 minutes, then fry in butter or bacon grease. Best hash browns ever!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

What's the easiest thing to start with? 😁

For me - the absolute easiest thing to start with is frozen veggies from the store. They don't have to be cut or blanched because it's already done. It saves me tons of time!

I recently bought 50# of onions and a lot of them were dehydrated.

I also do okra from the garden - it's delicious! Dehydrated corn is quite a tasty snack, lol.

Homemade jerky is delicious and rewarding, but like FJ said is a bit imtimidating the first time. Try it - if you don't like it the dog probably will, lol.

 

[tortoise]

I don't recommend dehydrating vegetables because they don't rehydrate well and the flavor goes off, IMO. (even with blanching).

I like to dehydrate leafy greens and make them into a powder. It's space efficient and adds a kick of nutrition in almost anything - it's easy to hide! I minimize drying time and minimize heat by leaving the greens on dehydrator trays for a day before turning it on. Then they dry in a couple hours.

I like to keep dehydrated mushrooms on hand. Rehydrate in warm water, drain. Add to cream and cook over low-medium heat until reduced into sauce. Best cream of mushroom soup you'll ever taste!

Apple chips are a hit with my kids. I've tried treating them to reduce browning and even blanching them. Just plain untreated apple slices worked best. Use a mandolin for even drying.

My kids love fruit leather. I can applesauce in season and then later flavor it with berries, etc, and make fruit leather strips. Cutting them is annoying, but it saves so much money compared to the BEAR fruit rolls that DS7 loves.

I make jerky dog treats with thin sliced meat - whatever is left in the freezer before hunting/butchering season. I use a laser thermometer to check the temperature, my cheap NESCO dehydrator gets to 190 easily.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I don't recommend dehydrating vegetables because they don't rehydrate well and the flavor goes off, IMO. (even with blanching).

Hmmm.... I've been making soups and stews with dehydrated veggies for years! I generally rehydrate them before I add them to the pot and it works well for me.

 

[Chic Rustler]

we use our dehydrator alot!

okra has been really great for soups and stews. i just throw it in while the pot is boiling.


we dehydrate alot of herbs as well and onions. once the onions are dehydrated i run them threw a blender and mince them down to a chunky powder of sorts. its great in everything. really sweet.


an 8oz jar if chicken, some rice, dehydrated vegetables and a little bouillon cube and you got "sketchy stew". my kids love it! i got the idea for an okra stew recipe i found in an old canning book.

 

[Mini Horses]

Mine doesn't even have a fan! 🤣. Heat rises, you adjust openings on top cover.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

I don't have one, but it is on my list so I am watching for replies So exciting

 

[FarmerJamie]

I just got a New dehydrator!🥳
Does anyone have any tips?
Where should I start?
What's the easiest thing to start with? 😁

Start with what you have available and what you like.
Dried fruits are easy, get some firm crunchy apples, kiwi, or strawberries are easy first attempts. And easy to taste test. 😀

Jerky is awesome, but can be intimidating to start with.

Stuff like onions, herbs, etc are easy too, just do them outside of the main living space, if possible. Lol.

Did your unit come with a recipe book? Sometimes I find something unique to attempt.

 

[Manda_Rae]

Hmmm.... I've been making soups and stews with dehydrated veggies for years! I generally rehydrate them before I add them to the pot and it works well for me.

I like the idea of having soup options other than my canned soups