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.

So how would u make a moussaka dehydrated? would u cook it and dehydrate the whole meal or would it be each individual ingredient dehydrated then rehydrated and made into thr meal ?

Depends on what the meal is really. If I was using dehydrated aubergine in a moussaka I would either make it in advance and let it sit in the fridge before cooking so that the aubergine could rehydrate using the sauce (which I would make slightly wetter than usual) or I would partially rehydrate them first. Aubergine rehydrates easily though.

The main point is very very extended storage of ingredients IMO rather than being able to use the ingredients directly from their dehydrated state (unless you're talking dried fruit/meat jerky which can be eaten dried). You can of course chuck dried veg etc into soups and it will rehydrate as it cooks.

If you want to dehydrate whole meals then the usual thing to do is to cook the food and then dehydrate by spreading it thinly on a dehydration tray. You then crumble it up when its completely dehydrated, seal it by vacuum packing or canning in a jam jar and then add water to eat it.

Of course then what you get at the other end is moussaka flavoured mush rather than anything vaguely resembling a moussaka - but if you're at the stage of eating dehydrated moussaka I suspect you wouldn't be bothered.

Thanxs for the explaination...and true. I'd eat the mush ... But i was just wondering ... I saw this women on youtube and she made some amazing meals ...

You could certainly use dried ragu mixture, dried potatoes, dried aubergine and dried cheese, rehydrate the lot and then assemble a moussaka type dish

Sound's great ...

So if you could prepare a meal that could show people the benefits and the creativity. Involved in rehydrating meals what would it be ...? That to all of you ... And what is going to be your most important and favorite foods to prep

Personally I wouldn't ever make a complete meal out of rehydrated food. For me it's about long term storage of ingredients. I use certain ingredients when cooking (most frequently onions, aubergines, tomatoes, courgettes) and I eat masses of dehydrated pineapple and use lots of berries but would never make a whole meal unless I absolutely had to.

I use it the most when I have excess food (mainly fruit and veg) that will go off and I don't want to use up freezer space. It shrivels down to nothing at all once the water is extracted.

I love the whole idea of prepping it amazes me how dedicated people are , how inventive and ingenious they are with there style's of prepping . thanxs

Could I ask what a "prepper"is?

Type it in on you tube 'doomsday preppers' its great ...wish i could upload my assignment

I wasn't aware we were being used for an assignment. I think you're on the wrong site if you're looking for information for your assignment. None of us are even vaguely doomsday preppers, we just like to have useful stuff in the house "just in case". It's less about secure compounds and 3 years supply of food and more along the lines of have you got gloves, a blanket and a pair of shoes that aren't stilettos in the car if theres a chance it might snow tomorrow...

I never used you for an assignment .... It was part of my english exam ... Which is part of my joinery course ... I'd already handed it in way before i see these threads... I actually really am interested ....home made pepper spray, buses that run on combustion engine's ....bunker's communial living... I actually find it extremely interesting .... And maybe if i had seen this on here before i would have had no problem posting asking for people's help ... I would have wrote' asking for help ...how would you describe prepping' then i would of explained why ... I think to be honest i am a very practical person , and i always like the sef-sufficient life still (the good life) prepper are just more evolved.... I'm just fascinated with the subject ... I didn't think it was a crime

And i take offence that you think i'm someone that think's an emergency is not having the right shade of lipstick on hand ... I'm such a trackie and steel toe cap boot lady that's covered in tattoos... Actually i take the offence back ... I feel quiet privileged ...never been called a hot girl before .

Oh calm down. If you'd actually read what I wrote (which might be useful if you're taking English exams) I was referring to myself and other very normal people on the board.

I was saying that we are not "doomsday preppers" on this board. We are (on the whole) people who just like to be prepared for any eventuality.

Today it is snowing here. My prepping yesterday consisted of bringing more wood in so that I don't have to lug it up to the house in the cold and making sure I had flats in the car since I will be in very high stilettos (plus fairly decent amounts of lipstick) for most of the day.

I read your post half asleep so i admit i didnt read it right...... My bad

Hahaha just checked this thread resist love that a dehydrator discussion has turned into stilleto's in the car!
I've used some of the dried apples and bananas great in my magic porridge (oats yogurt and fruit soaked overnight) and I used the dried mushrooms on pizzas and in spaghetti bowl all seems fine and great taste. BJust checked the rest I stored in Jan in sterilized jam jars and it's all looking good. I have a fabulous crop of purple sprouting broccoli on my veg patch so today's task is to strip off the leaves slice up for spring greens freeze some dry some. I am a bit concerned at the cost of running the dehydrator it needs to run for up to 12 hours so I might prep everything this afternoon and switch it on early tomorrow to use solar power to run it.

Resist = redhat I never resist love

Which dyhydrator do you recomend, it would just be for some fruit, really as we already have a good store for our potatoes and veg that holds them for a year.

Do any of you have a smoker for meat and fish, idelaly one that uses normal wood raher than speciallybrough wood chips?

I got it as a Christmas present mine is round with five shelves you can get tray ones as well.

Just found this thread as i was having a browse through all the different topics.

I have the Andrew James rectangle tray dehydrator and would definitely recommend. You can get baking sheets to fit it as well to dehydrate purees.

I'm currently using it a lot to make dehydrated baby food using whatever veg i can pick up reduced.

Seriously one of my favourite present ever!

Oh that's inspiring I must crack on with it I never did do the spring greens

So I sliced and dried strawberries (home grown) and bananas. Took ten hours five yesterday and five today using free solar power. They taste amazing so dh is building me a special shed in my kitchen garden so I can fill the shelves. My two year old dgc thinks they are sweets so I'm not sure they will last long. I'm going to have enough rhubarb in a few days so I'm ill do rhubarb and strawberries later and blackberries later in the summer. I've used all the mushrooms so I need to do more of those as they worked really well. Best Christmas present ever (and I had a boyfriend give me a car, taxed insured and petrol allowance for a year).