proud owner of a air dehydrator

[pheniox17]

Yep picked up a dehydrator from auldi (sp) ours is kinda like a prepping Paradise...

Outside it was quite cheap ($40aud) and retail from eBay average out around $100

Was wondering any hints and tips from you guys that dehydrate your own excess food (even resapies (sp) )

Average temps/humidity here, around 30c and 50-90% humidity all in one day

The units max temp is 70c and 19.5 hours run time (then needs to cool)

Its a 5 shelf unit, and according to instruction I can do meat as well (need to cook meat first)

Its a electric unit, with just a fan and heating coil (to what I can gather)

[Inor]

Mrs Inor dehydrates damn near everything. She buys a lot of frozen veggies when they are on sale, dehydrates them, then uses them in soups and stews later. It works great. I do not think she uses a recipe, per se. Mostly she spreads them on the trays so they are not touching each other and runs them at medium heat (around 120-130F or 50-54C) for about 8-10 hours. You will know when they are fully dehydrated. If you bend them, they break in half. Then just pack them into a mason jar and into a cool dark place until you need them.

Good pickup BTW.

[Montana Rancher]

Yep picked up a dehydrator from auldi (sp) ours is kinda like a prepping Paradise...

Outside it was quite cheap ($40aud) and retail from eBay average out around $100

Was wondering any hints and tips from you guys that dehydrate your own excess food (even resapies (sp) )

Average temps/humidity here, around 30c and 50-90% humidity all in one day

The units max temp is 70c and 19.5 hours run time (then needs to cool)

Its a 5 shelf unit, and according to instruction I can do meat as well (need to cook meat first)

Its a electric unit, with just a fan and heating coil (to what I can gather)

I used to make really fine game jerky in one, you do NOT have to cook the meat first.

Sprinkle a good chicken or pork rub on the thinly sliced meat, use nitrates if you want long storage without refrigeration.

Let the meat sit in the refrigerator overnight and then dry it, simple jerky, tastes great, impress your friends.

Hint, the reason you do not have to "cook" the meat is the salts you add chemically cook it for you, no heat required.

Without nitrates you will need to consume it within 2-3 weeks, with nitrates it will keep for 2 months, freeze it and it will keep forever.

I don't use my dehydrator anymore because if you put a volt meter on it, you will find it uses a LOT of power, maybe 20-30 KWH a day.

I went to a propane smoker which will easily work at dehydrating but also gives you the added benefit of working a lot faster (about 4 hours to dehydrate fruit or vegi's) plus if you do meat you can add wood smoke.

Good luck, its a fun hobby.

[pheniox17]

864865

I have popped my dehydrating cherry ;)

Roughly half a dozen apples and a large hand full of mushrooms done @ 50c over 8.5 hours (apples coated in orange juice)

Flavor rating the apples are actually quite nice (a surprise) the mushrooms have flavor + are leathery

(Note different types of apples used and all types tasted good)

One thing is bugging me tho, what's nitrate??

(It has taken me a while, but since sat there has been at least one fire call a day, 2 been major)

[Pauls]

potasium or sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite are the standard "curing salts" that are added to help preserve meats. They are oxidizers that will aid in preserving the meats (and other things) but they are the opposite of antioxidants in your body. They can promote the growth of cancer. I fall short of saying that they cause it because like smoking there are those who consume them who don't get cancer - just like there are people who smoke that don't get cancer or even COPD. The relationship seems to be conditional with a lot of variables.

[RWalls]

we call that pink salt.