dehydrating

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I read this thread and this is an awesome way to store just about any food. I have a Foodsaver Vacuum packing system for keeping things best in the freezer but after reading all I can on the Dehydrating it is the best way to keep things you are going eat day to day as well. I love taking dried fruit and veggies as snacks since I spend most of my day on the road and it's really hard to find anything healthy out on the road. I mean really it's embarrassing to see all the really high fat nasty snacks out there. So I just purchased this and it will be here Wednesday. Anyone have any experience with it? Or the brand?

Enjoy all your homemade dried favorites and have them last longer without spoilage

Dehydration is the healthiest, easiest, and most economical way to preserve foods. Load the trays and set the temperature, the dries the contents of all trays evenly so everything's done at once.


UNIQUE HEAT DISTRIBUTION – DRIES FOOD EVENLY
The machine is equipped with a rear-mounted drying fan and air flow circulation technology to promote even drying without overheating, with no need to rotate the shelves.

DIGITAL SET TIMER AND TEMPERATURE
Preset adjustable thermostat and timing helps you choose your right temperature from 95°F to 158°F (with 9 num.increments) you can set at night before going to bed and wake up to the sweet scent of dehydrated fruits and vegetables in the morning

Features
Automatic shut off when timer is done
Transparent door allows you to easy monitor progress
Large capacity with 10 trays you can have more than 13 LB of food dehydrate at once
Overheating safety protection
Drip tray collects any residue from drying process

Includes
☑ 10 Stainless steel height adjustable racks()
☑ 10 fine mesh sheet
☑ 5 nonstick Fruit Leather sheets
☑ 1 set oven mitts

Specifications
♦Dehydrator Type: Shelves
♦Air Flow: Horizontal (back to front)
♦Temperature Range: 95°F to 167°F (with 9 num.increments)
♦Number of Trays: 10
♦Housing: Stainless steel
♦Expandable: No
♦Timer: Yes
♦Thermostat: Yes
♦Wattage: 1000 watts
♦Warranty: 1-year Limited

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817XMUfOpUL._SL1500_.jpg
 
I haven't had any experience with that model Dutch BUT I'll give it thumbs up for being stainless steel!

Also thumbs up for being 1000 watts. The lower wattage units seem to struggle.

Once you start it's addictive and you'll be looking at everything and assessing it's dehydrating potential.
There's a def. learning curve but that's part of the fun of acquiring a new skill set.
 
Tank-Girl said:
I haven't had any experience with that model Dutch BUT I'll give it thumbs up for being stainless steel!

Also thumbs up for being 1000 watts. The lower wattage units seem to struggle.

Once you start it's addictive and you'll be looking at everything and assessing it's dehydrating potential.
There's a def. learning curve but that's part of the fun of acquiring a new skill set.
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Thanks TG... I had no Idea how much i would enjoy the garden and fruits until I really started getting into reading, working the dirt, watching things grow. I've always been a sponge for knowledge and this is something I can really sink my teeth in and it's a never ending learning curve. Keeps me feeling alive and like I am contributing something. Loving every minute off it!
 
Amish Heart said:
Yes it does. I have that book, it's a good one. I don't bother storing citrus or sticky fruits for long, though. Unless I powdered the citrus after I dried it. But vegetables, yes.
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Very cool. I have a Foodsaver Vacuum sealer/packer it just seemed to me even better to store with all the Air removed but didn't know since the food is already once dried it may have an adverse effect or not.....You know how sometimes what seems obvious can be the opposite because you don't know all what it might do?
 
No, it'll be fine. I either use the foodsaver, or put in mason jars, or put in a gallon ziplock with an o2 absorber in an empty #10 can with a lid on it. Three large mason jars equal one #10 can full, so if I have 3 mason jars of dehydrated peas, I transfer to the ziplock in the #10 can because I can stack them on the shelf easier. I store and use a lot of dehydrated food. Zucchini season will be here soon...hooray!!! I shred the zucchini and dehydrate it and use it all year long in breads, stirfry, even brownies.
 
Amish Heart said:
No, it'll be fine. I either use the foodsaver, or put in mason jars, or put in a gallon ziplock with an o2 absorber in an empty #10 can with a lid on it. Three large mason jars equal one #10 can full, so if I have 3 mason jars of dehydrated peas, I transfer to the ziplock in the #10 can because I can stack them on the shelf easier. I store and use a lot of dehydrated food. Zucchini season will be here soon...hooray!!! I shred the zucchini and dehydrate it and use it all year long in breads, stirfry, even brownies.
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OMG! My grandma used to make the BEST Zuchinni bread in the world! God bless her she's making with Grandpa next to Jesus now. I'll never forget all the great food grandma made and their lifestyle is what made me have my love of farmer and self sustenance. They always did the old Canning with the Hot pot, Ball Jars and Thongs! That was hard work, We have it so much easier but Grandma was a very forward woman and i suspect she would have a dehydrator!
 
Dani said:
I am dehydrating patty squash right now. I am up to my arm pits this year. . . Yes it's a good thing :)
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This is my first year with a REAL garden. I had NO idea. I planted 35 Yellow Squash Plants and 10 Zucchini........I am helping a BUNCH of friends and family!! My Dehydrator gets here tomorrow. I'll put it to work Friday Afternoon!
 
Dutchs said:
This is my first year with a REAL garden. I had NO idea. I planted 35 Yellow Squash Plants and 10 Zucchini........I am helping a BUNCH of friends and family!! My Dehydrator gets here tomorrow. I'll put it to work Friday Afternoon!
Click to expand...

Grate them, put them in a clean dish towel and rig out the moisture before spreading them out on the dehydrator trays.
If you find that the shreds fall through the trays go to the hardware store and buy a roll of fly wire and cut squares to fit your trays.
Fly wire or fabric mesh called tulle works better than grease proof paper because the fly wire and tulle allow for air flow and the food will take a shorter amount of time to dehydrate that using the paper.
I learned that the hard way.
 
Dutchs said:
Very cool. I have a Foodsaver Vacuum sealer/packer it just seemed to me even better to store with all the Air removed but didn't know since the food is already once dried it may have an adverse effect or not.....You know how sometimes what seems obvious can be the opposite because you don't know all what it might do?
Click to expand...

You can get the jar attachments for the food saver. I have wide and regular mouth ones. You need to use an extra lid with the regular mouth one though. They are made a bit to big and won't get a good seal with just one lid. I use the mason jars because we have had mice chew through Mylar bags and even the plastic lids on peanut butter jars.
 
Terri9630 said:
You can get the jar attachments for the food saver. I have wide and regular mouth ones. You need to use an extra lid with the regular mouth one though. They are made a bit to big and won't get a good seal with just one lid. I use the mason jars because we have had mice chew through Mylar bags and even the plastic lids on peanut butter jars.
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Just to clarify, the extra lid doesn't stay on the jar. Its just a spacer..
 
Dutchs said:
This is my first year with a REAL garden. I had NO idea. I planted 35 Yellow Squash Plants and 10 Zucchini........I am helping a BUNCH of friends and family!! My Dehydrator gets here tomorrow. I'll put it to work Friday Afternoon!
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Hunny I'm swimming. . . I think you maybe drowning.;) Hmm, maybe a thread of different recipes to use squash is in order. I know lots of us love it, but to be honest I have to be sneaky with it for my hunny to eat it. Grating first before dehydrating is one of the ways he will not see it.
 
This is the best squash casserole I have ever had! If one was blindfolded, they wouldn't know there was squash in it!

https://hubpages.com/food/Worlds-Best-Squash-Casserole

You may have to cut and paste link. Not sure if it works to click.


Dani said:
but to be honest I have to be sneaky with it for my hunny to eat it. Grating first before dehydrating is one of the ways he will not see it.
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Terri9630 said:
You can get the jar attachments for the food saver. I have wide and regular mouth ones. You need to use an extra lid with the regular mouth one though. They are made a bit to big and won't get a good seal with just one lid. I use the mason jars because we have had mice chew through Mylar bags and even the plastic lids on peanut butter jars.
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That a damn good idea. I do occasionally have the little nasty critters in my camper and occasionally they make it a little while before eating the poison......:confused:
 
Dutchs said:
That a damn good idea. I do occasionally have the little nasty critters in my camper and occasionally they make it a little while before eating the poison......:confused:
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That's where we have the biggest problem. We had one wet year when they were a problem in the house too. Nothing like opening a box of manicotti noodles and having a mouse staring back at you from inside a noodle.
 
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We had a problem one year with mice and it really was all my fault for bringing them in. I climbed up to the loft of the shed to bring in Christmas decoration. Opened a box kid and had babies pouring out. The boys and I went scrambling around trying to catch them all. Even the dogs joined in. We only thought we had them all. At least a couple made it into my stock cabinet in the kitchen and lived long enough to be fat & happy until I went into that cabinet to restock canisters. It was a mess. . . They chewed thru things I didn't even know was possible. A hard and expensive lesson learned. After that it was glass jars, food grade heavy duty buckets and coffee cans.
 
We have two cats, so no mice in the house. They also sleep where I store food. They can catch small snakes, too. We do have lots of mice outside....I flood the chicken runs on the weekend, and the hens wait to see if any mice run out so they can catch them. The Rhode Island Red hens are great mousers. The turkeys on the other hand, won't go after mice. I flood the mouse holes in their runs and the grandkids smash the mice that run out with a big rock. Weird game, but we compete for numbers.
 
Amish Heart said:
We have two cats, so no mice in the house. They also sleep where I store food. They can catch small snakes, too. We do have lots of mice outside....I flood the chicken runs on the weekend, and the hens wait to see if any mice run out so they can catch them. The Rhode Island Red hens are great mousers. The turkeys on the other hand, won't go after mice. I flood the mouse holes in their runs and the grandkids smash the mice that run out with a big rock. Weird game, but we compete for numbers.
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Not really weird. Dual purpose. Kills the mice and keeps the kids eye/hand coordination sharp! good stuff IMO.....
 
I wish the cat I had would be a mouser, but she has no front claws. The people who had her left her when they left our rent house. Have no clue how they thought she could survive outside all alone. So I brought her home. She never goes out of the master bedroom/bath area. S he's just lazy and sassy now :).

BIL stopped by today wanting to pick up some patty squash on his way home to grannys. . . Opps. Had I known he was wanting a couple I would not have slices them ALL up for the dehydrators. So I sent him on his way with a zucchini & 3 yellow squash instead. Since I was saving those for my dinner tonight, I pulled out some of the patty squash that still had a way to go to sauteed with some onions garlic and leftover ham. So good. .

today was my first day off and I had about a dozen staring me in the face. He says i m too efficient. . . I say it needed done before I lose them.
 
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