Who got a great prepping Christmas present? I got a Dehydrator anyone got any tips?

[lighteningirl]

Just that really currently have banana and mushroom slices drying.

[zombiesarecoming]

That sounds like a very useful item

Have watched a few you tube vids of vac packed and dehydrated things in long term storage and I think I may have to add one onto my wants list

Is it easy to use ?

[lighteningirl]

Yes dead easy dh bought me a book on how to use it as well I would have been lost without that. It's a bit noisy so next time I shall put it in the spare room. Apparently garlic and onions taint everything else so I going to do those separately. I am a bit worried about storage the book recommends vacuum bags I was planning on just filling old clean jam jars.

[zombiesarecoming]

I think they will need to be vac packed for long term storage so there isn't any air in there with them

Although they will still have a better storage life being dehydrated and stored in jam jars

Not sure if clip top Kilner jars may be better than jam jars

I think with the jam jars I would sterilise them and try to heat them enough that as they are filled and sealed up they still give a vacuum seal as they cool and the lid button depresses

Keep us informed with your experiments and then I will at least know if when I can afford them I need just the dehydrator or a vac packer as well.

Also worth having a search on you tube as there is a lot on there about long term food storage through dehydrating

[lighteningirl]

Yes I think i need a way to vacuum pack in bags for long term storage

[cozietoesie]

I seem to have been given mostly chocolate. I guess people are reluctant to give me prepping gifts. (Perhaps they think I'll already have them - not entirely true.)

[zombiesarecoming]

Chocolate is an essential in an emergency though

Just remember to keep replacing the stock as you eat it

[cozietoesie]

True.

[redhat]

I use kilner jars with my dehydrated food and they're generally fine. You can get little oxygen tabs to put in them too. I have a vacuum packer but its really for very long term storage and I look to the next year rather than many years into the future.

[gamerchick]

Want did you use the jam jars?

I got a load of prepping goodies for Christmas, it freaked half my Facebook out and I ended up having to delete. I did get my gennie though although it needs either a car battery or car battery charger to get it going which is next on the list.

[cozietoesie]

Interesting. Why did it freak them out?

[gamerchick]

No idea cosie I've been doing it for years so it's my normal. My presents weren't 'normal', I was nuts and a few people wanted to know if I knew something they didn't.. A couple told me they had showed their family who also thought I was nuts apparently.

I don't think people like to entertain a thought that things as they are now may not be in the future. Makes them uncomfortable. Despite me saying it's just a hobby.

[gamerchick]

Learned a lesson though. Don't talk about it IRL

[cozietoesie]

Ach - let them fiddle while things are burning then. They'd probably be the first ones round on the borrow if there were difficulties.

[VertigoNun]

If there is ever a long term problem you won't just get your friends you will have their family at your door.

[gamerchick]

Heh that was the thing, I wouldn't be talking about it if it wasn't just a hobby. There would be a crowd at the door

[zombiesarecoming]

gamerchick if you need a battery for your generator then depending upon your budget and the size of generator I would be tempted with something like the odyysey pc680, it is quite a small compact battery which is powerful for its small size

More importantly if you store it fully charged and disconnected it will last a long time and still start things when you need it, no good needing a battery charger to provide power to start the generator which you need because the power is off so therefore the battery charger won't work

My bike hasn't been used all year and still started up between Christmas and new year with one of these batteries on it, previously I was replacing the cheaper batteries every year

Can't remember exactly but I think they quote a 2 year time in storage from fully charged so if you only use it infrequently and can remember to check on it once a year and give it a top up charge it should be good when you do need it in an emergency

[zombiesarecoming]

How's the dehydrator coming along lighteningirl ?

Any successes or failures to share, have managed to convince my DW we have to have one just waiting for funds to improve a little before I dare order it after she found out how much the one I have decided on costs

[lighteningirl]

Won't be doing much til summer but I did a whole load of Apple's and mushrooms stored in sterilized jars I need the oxygen things for long term storage. Used some of the mushrooms yesterday and they were great. I plan on using it more in the summer when the free energy from our solar panels kicks in am mainly looking at it with a slightly worried expression

[HandFinisher]

I got a water filter... And some funny looks...

Id love to know how you get on with the dehydrater tho... I have one that I've never used (was given it by a friend who couldn't get it to work successfully) because I have no idea what to do with it.

[lighteningirl]

I used some mushrooms today that I dried at Christmas they were great

[Halftruth]

I'd love to have a go at dehydrating food ... Is it really nice to eat ? What's the best meal you prepared? Is it difficult to use ?

[cozietoesie]

I'm still at the giving of prepping gifts stage. A dehydrator sounds fun but I suspect I'd have to buy my own. (I'm not always taken that seriously.)

[zombiesarecoming]

Dehydrator is on my shopping list just can't afford the one I want at the moment, although I probably could have done if I hadn't just bought a pressure canner on eBay

I just figured with the year shelf life of pressure canned foods it was higher up the list than a dehydrator was at the moment

Not sure if I will actually get it though as the seller I bought it off didn't ship to the UK and it was bought through ebays global shipping program so they send it to a U.S. Address who then re send it to me, just that it still isn't marked as sent some 3 days after buying it, hoping it's just an over sight not marking it despatched and it is actually on its way

Just need to find a decent price for the jars and lids in quantity now so once it arrives I can get some ordered and start canning things

[Halftruth]

Id love an aquaphonic pond system too.. I think it's an amazing idea

[redhat]

Lightening How did you use your mushrooms. I've had a dehydrator for a while and find that mushrooms can be tricky to rehydrate. I'm not sure why.

I currently have aubergine on the go.