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Food Dehydrators
Page 2 of 8 • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Re: Food Dehydrators
Do we have the same people on our email or facebook list? :-D Seems so how fun.
:-D

Ha-v-v-
Posts : 1123
Join date : 2010-03-12
Age : 61
Location : Southwest Ms. Zone 8A (I like to think I get a little bit of Zone 9 too )
Re: Food Dehydrators
Could be! Isn't it amazing how the big wide world seems to contract at times

43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Food Dehydrators
soon it will be hot enough to use my car again:D
shannon1- Posts : 1697
Join date : 2011-04-01
Location : zone 9a St.Johns county FL
Re: Food Dehydrators
Today my husband informed me that he would like to get a dehydrator. :scratch: Not like my husband but I am so excited that I just am going to go with it and not ask questions. I have wanted one for a while now! We are looking at getting one of the excalibur dehydrator but not sure which. Any recommandations would be appricated.

mschaef-
Posts : 598
Join date : 2012-03-12
Age : 34
Location : Hampton, Georgia
Re: Food Dehydrators
I'm in my 70's and have used various types for many years ... sometimes only using "solar power" as we didn't have access to electricity.
My suggestion is to get a SQUARE type. Meaning the trays don't have a hole through them.
Yes, the round ones with a hole in them do dry A LITTLE BIT faster, but you can't do fruit leathers on them as easily.
On another note ... in line with the "I don't even know what I don't know thought: Please make it a habit to run your dehydrator in the garage, an out-door shed, etc.
You will never be so sorry as the day you realize that smell from the onions in your dehydrator have premeditated everything in your closet. OR ... that you can't sleep because the smell of that jerky in the dehydrator is making you hungry.
Yes, voice of experience. lol
My suggestion is to get a SQUARE type. Meaning the trays don't have a hole through them.
Yes, the round ones with a hole in them do dry A LITTLE BIT faster, but you can't do fruit leathers on them as easily.
On another note ... in line with the "I don't even know what I don't know thought: Please make it a habit to run your dehydrator in the garage, an out-door shed, etc.
You will never be so sorry as the day you realize that smell from the onions in your dehydrator have premeditated everything in your closet. OR ... that you can't sleep because the smell of that jerky in the dehydrator is making you hungry.
Yes, voice of experience. lol
JeanneRamick-
Posts : 49
Join date : 2012-03-16
Age : 80
Location : West MI (5b)
Re: Food Dehydrators
Back when I was young and dumb I had a half owner ship in a health food store,
we would dehydrate fruit and veg a couple hundred lbs per day in multiple units like
like the one in the instructables link the only difference is we used window screen
for the shelves it worked fantastically.
we would dehydrate fruit and veg a couple hundred lbs per day in multiple units like
like the one in the instructables link the only difference is we used window screen
for the shelves it worked fantastically.
Hoggar-
Posts : 307
Join date : 2011-03-30
Location : Salt Lake City, Ut
Re: Food Dehydrators
I have made jerky in the oven. Haven't tried to dry anything else. But I did consider that I'd want a dehydrator this year, having a garden.
The freezer is only so big!
The freezer is only so big!
AvaDGardner-
Posts : 634
Join date : 2012-02-17
Location : Garden Grove, CA (still Zone 10b)
Re: Food Dehydrators
It would be nice to buy half a sheep , 1/4 of a pig or 1/8 of a cow and a dozen chooks . Then sort it out ourselves as that is the cheapest way to buy the meat , but even with our massive chest freezer out in the garage there is no way we can handle that amount .
So , can you dry cubed/ 10 insh by 1.5 inch slabs of beef ( other than jerky & biltong ) , pork and chicken in the dehydrator .. if so what dishes / recipes do you use the reconstituted meat in ?
So , can you dry cubed/ 10 insh by 1.5 inch slabs of beef ( other than jerky & biltong ) , pork and chicken in the dehydrator .. if so what dishes / recipes do you use the reconstituted meat in ?
plantoid-
Posts : 4061
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 70
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Food Dehydrators
You all have convinced me - a dehydrator is needed for all the brown turkey figs that our tree has produced this year.
Found one on CL (Presto - $5) and am trying my first attempt at drying some of the figs.
Is it safe to leave the unit running over night?? Sure don't want the house to burn down.
Found one on CL (Presto - $5) and am trying my first attempt at drying some of the figs.
Is it safe to leave the unit running over night?? Sure don't want the house to burn down.
Judy McConnell-
Posts : 439
Join date : 2012-05-08
Age : 80
Location : Manassas, VA(7a) and Riner, VA (7a)
Re: Food Dehydrators
I leave mine going until everything is dehydrated. Unless there is a short circuit in the one you have, you should be good to leave it plugged in.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Food Dehydrators
I have tried many methods to preserve my herbs, mainly basil, and saw this post on dehydrators. Does anyone use them to dry herbs?


floyd1440-
Posts : 813
Join date : 2011-06-21
Age : 67
Location : Washington, Pa. Zone 6a
Re: Food Dehydrators
Judy, my dehydrator is very old and I'm not comfortable with leaving it on over night.
I usually plan to start it early in the morning so it's finished that evening before I go to sleep.
I've also taken a tray of unfinished fruit roll ups and put it in the fridge over night, re start the dehydrator in the morning until it was finished. I haven't heard of anyone else doing this but in this case you would never know the process was interrupted with refrigeration.
I usually plan to start it early in the morning so it's finished that evening before I go to sleep.
I've also taken a tray of unfinished fruit roll ups and put it in the fridge over night, re start the dehydrator in the morning until it was finished. I haven't heard of anyone else doing this but in this case you would never know the process was interrupted with refrigeration.
llama momma
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 4911
Join date : 2010-08-20
Location : Central Ohio zone 6a
Re: Food Dehydrators
Yes, I do basil, oregano, marjoram and thyme in mine.@floyd1440 wrote:I have tried many methods to preserve my herbs, mainly basil, and saw this post on dehydrators. Does anyone use them to dry herbs?
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Food Dehydrators
Thanks to Camprn and llama momma for your replies - left the unit on last night and the house didn't burn down - LOL
Judy McConnell-
Posts : 439
Join date : 2012-05-08
Age : 80
Location : Manassas, VA(7a) and Riner, VA (7a)
Re: Food Dehydrators
I have the same one as Camprn, the round one. I haven't used it in many years. I have made beef jerky and it was wonderful! The butcher at the store sliced the meat for me for free. My sister came over and we made all kinds of fruit leather and it turned out great! She also tried dehydrating watermelon. Watermelon is very full of water and the thick enough slices she started with shrunk down to where they were teeny tiny pieces, lol. They did taste good though. I know that the things we dehydrated were finished much faster than we thought they would be. Then we realized if we opened the vent at the top, it wouldn't get as hot and the dehydration process would slow down. I will pre-check the temperature this year so I don't kill the enzymes.
I finally dug mine out of the garage and it is sitting in the kitchen waiting to be washed. I will definitely do onions in the garage or outside! I sure appreciate all the suggestions with this topic and others because it gives me the encouragement to do these things. It sure is rewarding to dehydrate my own things. I haven't done herbs in my dehydrator but I will this year. I have usually put them thinly on a paper towel on a plate and let nature take its course. It has worked for me but does take up counter space. I can imagine the wonderful smell of herbs drying in a dehydrator!
I finally dug mine out of the garage and it is sitting in the kitchen waiting to be washed. I will definitely do onions in the garage or outside! I sure appreciate all the suggestions with this topic and others because it gives me the encouragement to do these things. It sure is rewarding to dehydrate my own things. I haven't done herbs in my dehydrator but I will this year. I have usually put them thinly on a paper towel on a plate and let nature take its course. It has worked for me but does take up counter space. I can imagine the wonderful smell of herbs drying in a dehydrator!
Triciasgarden-
Posts : 1632
Join date : 2010-06-04
Age : 65
Location : Northern Utah
Re: Food Dehydrators
I do not. I use my toaster oven for herbs in small batches. If a large batch, can include the oven drying or freezer is also an option.@floyd1440 wrote:I have tried many methods to preserve my herbs, mainly basil, and saw this post on dehydrators. Does anyone use them to dry herbs?
Please note, I do not use any heat but only room temperature during summer Texas weather. A batch 100-300 basil leaves dry in 3 to 4 days on their own, although it has been rather dry here lately.
batmap-
Posts : 70
Join date : 2013-06-27
Age : 51
Location : Texas
Advice?
Anyone have input about inexpensive, yet efficient dehydrators? I have no experience with one, but it sounds do-able.

Scorpio Rising-
Posts : 7856
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 59
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Food Dehydrators
I have a BERRON Food Dehydrator. Very satisfied with it but they went out of business. Often dry my own herbs on the lowest setting. Looking forward to growing lots more this coming season.
Re: Food Dehydrators
SR, I would try your local Craig's List for a used one, cheap! Someone gave me theirs, a round one, I think American Harvester, with 5 trays. It also has a fruit/jerky insert. Variable temps for flowers, herbs, fruits and veggies. If you really get into it, you can always sell it and buy a larger, more sophisticated one
Re: Food Dehydrators
I started looking at dehydrators last spring. I have a coworker that has a excalibur and loves it. Since this spring is gonna cost me a bit$ cause my yard is a blank slate, I may wait until fall to get 1. I do not doubt at all though that I would use it. I hate waste, but don't want to keep putting everything in my deep freezer. 1 more year and my fig trees should start producing full amounts. Fresh figs do not last long at all. plus all the other stuff I could dehydrate.
MelF77-
Posts : 29
Join date : 2016-01-13
Age : 43
Location : Central NY, zone 5
Re: Food Dehydrators
@Scorpio Rising wrote:Anyone have input about inexpensive, yet efficient dehydrators? I have no experience with one, but it sounds do-able.![]()
My friend from South Africa makes his own biltong and dries all manner of fruit & veg by placing a 40 watt light bulb in a batten bulb holder screwed down on to a chunk of wood under an inverted glass pyrex dish lid, The lglass id is raised up from the floor on bricks .
Over & around this he put a big home made bottomless barrel made from an 8 x 4 thin sheet of larch ply that has a 1/8 inch set of sticks under the edges to allow air flow .
To get the barrel shape he sprayed both sides of the ply with water and used three ratchet straps , top , mid way & one set low down to draw the sheet in to the barrel shape , done over three or four days , re-wetting and tightening the ratchets a bit more some three times or more a day a day till it was completed .
He then glued and pop riveted the barrel side joint together , putting a large flat washer on either side of the pop rivet hole to stop it tearing the wood apart as he popped then rivets.
He then used a 3/4 hole cutter to set four 3/4 dia dowels in the barrel sides so he can lay a simple stainless steel drying rack ( each of i these racks only just fits in his dish washer ) across two of the dowels , there are four rack levels
Once done he made a simple ply lid , put in several holes in it with the hole saw cutter for the hot moist air to escape , using cut down champagne style corks to plug up the holes as needed to vary the out flow of warm moist air.
When it's set up , any liquid drips are soaked up by the concrete floor or they drip onto the Pyrex lid instead of dripping onto the light bulb thus causing premature failure of the bulb.
Karl said on more than one occasion ...if the session is interrupted for too long and there is still too much moisture in the food don't try to fridge it and reheat it at a later time as the bacteria still in the in the meat will have started to reactivate and could cause toxic poisoning when it gets re dried out .
The idea is to get a long slow continuous drying session for best results .
He's has made some great stuff in it , especially his biltong & apple rings for us guys to eat on our sea fishing trips with him when we're out on a charter boat in bad weather .
One tip he did give that has helped me to make jerky in our electric fan oven at 50 o C over night ( 21.00 hrs . to 0730 hrs. ) with a kebab stick nipped up by the doors top edge to keep it ajar to allow fresh air in and moisture out ...... is to pop the uncut meat in the freezer for two to thee hours so it forms ice crystals & part solidifies ..it makes it so much easier to cut than room temp fresh meat .
I cut our iced meat it into these easy to cut 1/4" thick uniform strips/slices with a boning or carving knife , let the slices de frost fully for a few minutes laid out on a big plate ice , then dry them off individually with kitchen towel before giving them a 24 hr marinade session .
I then use cocktail sticks to hang the marinaded strip across the bars of the oven rack (set to the highest height ) with some aluminium foil laid over th big meat dish in the bottom of the oven to catch the drips , as these are a nightmare to remove from the oven floor when you have finished making your jerky .
plantoid-
Posts : 4061
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 70
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Food Dehydrators
@MelF77 wrote:I started looking at dehydrators last spring. I have a coworker that has a excalibur and loves it. Since this spring is gonna cost me a bit$ cause my yard is a blank slate, I may wait until fall to get 1. I do not doubt at all though that I would use it. I hate waste, but don't want to keep putting everything in my deep freezer. 1 more year and my fig trees should start producing full amounts. Fresh figs do not last long at all. plus all the other stuff I could dehydrate.
As the flies that gives forth a type of thread worm just love ripe figs on the tree to lay their eggs in.
You might have to spray the dried figs with liquid paraffin or similar to kill any thread worm eggs off , for on reading yourn post I've just recalled that my pal Tarrqui had said "( whilst we were scoffing some fresh just of the tree figs we'd picked ) that they are a major source of thread worms when fresh & that simple dehydrating them does not kill the eggs off .
Perhaps checkout a pack of dried figs to see what they use on their figs .
Last edited by plantoid on 1/15/2016, 7:46 am; edited 1 time in total
plantoid-
Posts : 4061
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 70
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Food Dehydrators
thanks for the tip. I will have to look into that. I'm sure what we get this summer, because the trees are still small, we can handle eating fresh. I could eat handfuls of fresh figs at a time. Following year, we may not be able to keep up and I don't want the figs to go to waste. I could just make a fig jam though I guess?@plantoid wrote:@MelF77 wrote:I started looking at dehydrators last spring. I have a coworker that has a excalibur and loves it. Since this spring is gonna cost me a bit$ cause my yard is a blank slate, I may wait until fall to get 1. I do not doubt at all though that I would use it. I hate waste, but don't want to keep putting everything in my deep freezer. 1 more year and my fig trees should start producing full amounts. Fresh figs do not last long at all. plus all the other stuff I could dehydrate.
As the fly that gives forth a type of thread worms just loves ripe figs onth tre to lay thir eggs .
You might have to spray the dried figs with liquid paraffin or similar to kill any thread worm eggs off , as I've just recalled that my Tarrqui had said whilst we were scoffing fresh just of the tree figs that they are a good source of thread worms when fresh & that dehydrating them does not kill the eggs off .
perhaps checkout a pack of dried figs to see what they use on theirfigs .
Sorry for going off topic.
MelF77-
Posts : 29
Join date : 2016-01-13
Age : 43
Location : Central NY, zone 5
Re: Food Dehydrators
Yes, I think I will put something up at work, I bet someone has a dehydrator they aren't using! Cheap. Thanks, all!
Scorpio Rising-
Posts : 7856
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 59
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Food Dehydrators
We've got one of the big Cabela's commercial types (read: pricey!). LOVE it.
I've seen that our local Walmart is carrying the Excaliber now. Either that or American Harvest is what I would buy if looking for a small one.
I've seen that our local Walmart is carrying the Excaliber now. Either that or American Harvest is what I would buy if looking for a small one.
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