Dehydrating.

[Hedgehogblues]

Heya. I have an Andrew James dehydrator which I use a bit but I've pretty much only done sweet potatoes, beetroot, parsnips and apples in it.

I'm low key prepping for Brexit and thought it would be useful to use it more for this

Does anyone know of any good books or websites or have any hints and tips for preparation, actual dehydration, and then storage of the finished product?

[bagpiss]

I started with these two books, found them both very informative.
I do my Mushrooms in the shed though, as much as i love to eat them, I can't stand the smell of them dehydrating!



Jeanette Hurt
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dehydrating Foods (Complete Idiot's Guides


Henry Hill
Prepper's Survival Pantry: The Ultimate SHTF Preparedness Guide To Canning, Dehydrating And Emergency Water And Food Storage

[bagpiss]

I think @bellinisurge is much more experienced than I, but upon their recommendation i use food grade oxygen or moisture absorbers, in clean sterile jars, that i got on amazon. I just bought ones with decent reviews at a decent price.
I don't have that brand dehydrator so can't make any comment on that though.

[bellinisurge]

I just got the second cheapest with the best reviews on Amazon- I think the make is Carrow - not at home at the mo. I use oxygen absorbers that I bought off Amazon and either vacuum seal or put in a sterilised jar.
I basically experiment. I bought a Dummies guide type book - again, I will check and provide actual name when I am back home . I also got another book which has some recipes in used off Amazon - again , I can't remember the title and am away from home.
I basically keep an eye open at Aldi for half price but still very fresh stuff and dehydrate it on the day. Or I buy super fresh and dehydrate shortly after. Or I pick from my little garden when stuff is fresh.
Stand out success for me: home grown kale and spinach; watermelon; mushrooms; turkey mince.
My next plan is to dehydrate some frozen veg to avoid having bulk in my freezer.
1960HikerDude on YouTube has loads of dehydrated back packer meals ideas. He seems like a genial chap too.

[bellinisurge]

Oo and fruit leathers- I can't store them because my fussy dd demolishes them within a week!

[AwdBovril]

I have made pineapple slices, pear, apple - all of which DD loves & she keeps trying to figure out where I store the dried foods I've done in the dehydrator.

Spinach, spring onions are very useful as well. Spinach needs to be done in a single layer or it takes ages. Spring onions - definitely recommend you slice them down the middle before slicing into half rings, otherwise they also take ages. I use the spinach & spring onions in miso soup or thai curry curry soup, which I eat a lot. They rehydrate really well. I managed to fit about 12 or 15 bunches of spring onions into a 1l jar, once trimmed, chopped & dehydrated. (Got them cheap!)

If you do any citrus, i definitely recommend you should use a liner or you will mark the plastic trays of your dehydrator. Permanently.

For small items that are likely to drop through the gaps, I have now made a set of liners from some reusable silicone baking liners.

Unfortunately the silica sachets have quadrupled in price since I bought mine, they do have some similar ones on though, just makes sure you get ones that are marked food safe. These ones are reusable. I got the same dehydrator as Bellini, it's a Callow, currently on Amazon at £52.99. Pretty decent so far.

[bellinisurge]

A Complete Idiot's Guide to Dehydrating Foods - Jeanette Hurt
Making and using Dried Foods - Phylllis Hobson.
I got them both second hand off Amazon and they are both my stand bys.

[cloudtree]

pineapple is the best thing to dehydrate. it is amazing.

[AwdBovril]

I agree. I basically spent a week buying giant pineapples & dehydrating them, when the supermarket had them on offer a while ago. DD is obsessed.