food Dehydrator

[missysid]

We have a large garden and most veggies can be dehydrated very easily. We do banana chips, and onion flakes a lot. Easy way to use up the garden onions and they store for years when sealed in a canning jar.

 

[flying_babyb]

I think my dehydrator says to put plastic wrap down to line the vented trays, then pour in mmixture...is this the way you guys are doing it?

I bought the specally made trays since the lip keeps it less messy.


I Have a nesco f d 27w its a older model and Im in love with it. I put in whatever I want, go to bed and its done by morining!!!

Has anyone made dehyrated patto chips? I was thinking of trying this.

 

[etoiles]

Oh I didn't mention this but I use my special fruit leather tray not the regular tray so that is why I just pour it right on there.

It is a thin plastic cut the same shape as the food dehydrator that you just put on top of one of the vented trays.

Don't put it on the vented trays! It will leak right through.

 

[flying_babyb]

I too have those special trays, Made some of my own with saran wrap too.

 

[OctMtnWoods]

I just got to wondering if this was something I could do in my nice new convection oven. Did some googling. I could IF my oven had the ability to go to about 100 degrees. Sadly, the lowest the digital setting allows is 170 degrees for regular oven, and 325 degrees for convection oven.

I was trying to avoid another gadget in the kitchen.

 

[OctMtnWoods]

Any problems with having the model that doesn't have clear trays to see the food? Do you need to keep turning it off & opening it to check if done?

 

[flying_babyb]

I dont have clear trays. I figure out approxminatly when they should be done then pop it open around that time to check. Honestly when I am alone I dont check it more than once. when the little ones are here, it gets checked ALOT (there fasinated by the process).

 

[ah1126]

Apples are my favorite to dry. My only problem is it seems like a lot of work then wait and we usally eat the results in one sitting!

But reading about this makes me want to pull mine out....

 

[flying_babyb]

I do apple ones with applesauce. works out pretty well and makes the kids smile as they "clean" the leftover from the jar.
I made beef jerky last night, Im pretty proud. it tastes good but I relized why I have a jerky gun (never press jerky in with your hands, it goes into all the little holes and is a pain in the butt to get out).

 

[NeedaVacation03]

I have the Exclaibur dehydrator and love it. I made the big purchase after Christmas and it sits out all the time. I buy fruit and vegs. that the store has as bruised or overstock and put them in. I also dry herbs for later use.
It can also be used for some different craft projects.
I love mine.

 

[DawnM]

This is the one I have as well, the 9 tray.

I used to have a little Nesco.....but it doesn't even compare to the excalibur.

I have this book and when I am being religious about eating raw or close to raw, I use it all the time:

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Live-F...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240074294&sr=8-1

I still haven't made a flax cracker that I really liked, but I love her pizza wraps, fruit leathers, apple slices (I like them really thick and they turn out like the ones at the health food store.), potato chips, endless.......

Dawn

I have the Exclaibur dehydrator and love it. I made the big purchase after Christmas and it sits out all the time. I buy fruit and vegs. that the store has as bruised or overstock and put them in. I also dry herbs for later use.
It can also be used for some different craft projects.
I love mine.

 

[donnabc]

I too have the Nesco...mine is the American Harvest. I also have 3 of the special plastic trays to make fruit leather on.

And someone asked for a recipe...I use the magic bullet large cup...here is mine...
fill cup with strawberries, pour in about 2 or 3 tablespoons of honey and blend :0)
Each large magic bullet cup makes one tray of fruit leather.


Oh and whoever said they used baby food...what a GREAT idea! I'm gonna get some this weekend

 

[mikehn]

Beef jerky in the cabelas commercial dehydrator

Before:

After:

 

[OctMtnWoods]

Because of this thread, I've been buying & eating dried apple slices & loving them.

I finally ordered a dehydrator tonight. Its this model, but I got it from Walmart.com for less money & shipped to the store for free.
Nesco FD-75PR 700 watt

http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-FD-75PR-700-Watt-Food-Dehydrator/dp/B000FFVJ3C/ref=pd_sbs_k_1

The Budget Board is always costing me money.

 

[minnie1928]

Ok, stupid question here....I want to make dried fruit (mango and apples especially), but I don't want it crunchy like apple chips. I want it more chewable. Can that be accomplished with a dehydrator or do I want to look for some other type of equipment?

 

[flying_babyb]

If you dont leave them in as long they come out chewie

 

[minniemair]

If you don't dry them all the way do they get moldy? How do you guys store your dried fruits?

 

[DawnM]

You just have to cut them thicker. I have done both and much prefer the chewy kind as well.

I have a mandolin to slice them....it makes it very easy.

http://www.amazon.com/Borner-V-1001...32QE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1240930091&sr=8-1

Dawn

Ok, stupid question here....I want to make dried fruit (mango and apples especially), but I don't want it crunchy like apple chips. I want it more chewable. Can that be accomplished with a dehydrator or do I want to look for some other type of equipment?

 

[OctMtnWoods]

I bought a bag of dried apple from Trader Joes & devoured it. It didn't have extra sugar added to it. Just some cinnamon I think.

Is that how you do your apples?

I looked at the dried fruit at my grocery store (Dole, Sunkist....) and everything had tons of sugar added. Also didn't even see any apples there.

I'm interested in oranges too. Tips for oranges?

Bananas?

Do I need a jerky gun to make jerky?

 

[RobinFabulous]

I bought a bag of dried apple from Trader Joes & devoured it. It didn't have extra sugar added to it. Just some cinnamon I think.

Is that how you do your apples?

I looked at the dried fruit at my grocery store (Dole, Sunkist....) and everything had tons of sugar added. Also didn't even see any apples there.

I'm interested in oranges too. Tips for oranges?

Bananas?

Do I need a jerky gun to make jerky?

We're making jerky today. We don't use a gun... I buy any type of roast or steak with very little fat, or fat that can be cut away. DH slices it to our liking and we marinate it in Dales (the low sodium kind) and I use the steak seasoning on ours... It's got garlic, corse salt, pepper and onion... We've also done other flavors.... You have to cut the meat pretty thin... No paper thin, but as thin as you can... Thicker takes longer to dry.. We use flank steak, sirloin steak, I believe this was a rump roast (beef not pork) I've also heard that turkey jery is easy to do, but we usually do beef