What are you DEHYDRATING today?

[urban dreamer]

I got a dehydrator! Apples are drying away! I'm also going to make jerky to send to Afganistan (friend of mine is over there).

Quick question- You know how if you drop your phone in water they say to put it in rice to absorbe moisture? Can you do the same with dried fruit if you are gonna store them in mason jars? Would the rice absorbe any moisture and help keep the fruit longer?

 

[Farmfresh]

I don't know about the rice trick, but I always pasteurize my dried fruit by heating it it the oven for a few minutes at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes AFTER it is dried. This kills any insect eggs or larva that are microscopic and also any mold spores which makes the product last MUCH longer.

 

[murphysranch]

I don't know about the rice trick, but I always pasteurize my dried fruit by heating it it the oven for a few minutes at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes AFTER it is dried. This kills any insect eggs or larva that are microscopic and also any mold spores which makes the product last MUCH longer.

I didn't know that. I've got two sheet pans of dried italian prunes from my tree, and am eating 2 halves every day. A couple have that horrible mold flavor, to which I'm particularly sensitive, palette wise. I'll give it a try with them. THANKS!

 

[Emerald]

I have been dehydrating potato shreds for quick and easy hash browns off and on the last couple weeks, and wanted to find out how hard it would be to make the dried mash potatoes and so I did a bunch of searching online to find that not many had luck with it..
So after some thinking I tried an odd way of drying some "mashed" potatoes and other than a "not as creamy" texture I think I hit on a great way to do it.
My shredder is a spirooli and it leaves this core and end piece when you make the shreds and I just steamed them till they were done and put them thru my potato ricer onto a fruit roll up tray and popped them into the dehydrator along with the steamed hash browns- and when they were done about half way I turned them over and broke them up a bit. As long as you don't mash down the little "riced" bits they dried like tiny little things that looked like cous-cous.
I have added them to things like soups or sauces that needed a bit more thickness and I have also made them like I would have the instant mashed potatoes and while they were not as creamy they still tasted really well. I'm wondering if a russet potato would dry down and rehydrate into more creamy texture. I've only been dehydrating the waxy white type as those are what was on sale.

P/S I love the put some rice in with the dried foods to help them dry-I think I might try that with my jerky as it will sometimes mold.(usually not too much tho-I can't leave it laying around the family eats it as fast as you can make it! lol)

 

[urban dreamer]

Well, the apples didn't last long! Drying some more today! I also dried banana peppers, jerky (note to self- use WAAAYYYY less pepper next time) and zuccinni. Got potatoes and onions in there also. DH asked why we hadn't done this sooner!

 

[VickiLynn]

I got a dehydrator! Apples are drying away! I'm also going to make jerky to send to Afganistan (friend of mine is over there).

Quick question- You know how if you drop your phone in water they say to put it in rice to absorbe moisture? Can you do the same with dried fruit if you are gonna store them in mason jars? Would the rice absorbe any moisture and help keep the fruit longer?

If you're keeping the rice in the jar, and it absorbs moisture, wouldn't you end up with mold on the rice? ...which could flavor the fruit?

 

[AnnaRaven]

2 pounds of potatoes and 2 pounds of fuji apples. First time I've used the thing in years. I'd forgotten how much I love dried apples!

 

[ORChick]

2 pounds of potatoes and 2 pounds of fuji apples. First time I've used the thing in years. I'd forgotten how much I love dried apples!

Apples are good, but pears are even better

 

[FarmerDenise]

I've been drying hungarian paprika peppers on the mantel for the last few weeks, made for some pretty christmas decorations.

 

[Farmfresh]

OOOOOH got some seeds you would like to share?