Ah, the joy of dehydrating!

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booger

Inactive
I'm still waiting for DH to get me some screen for the solar dehydrator but...

My new Excalibur arrived a few days ago! Woo hoo! We've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to use it until last night. It's been going non-stop ever since. :D

I did peppermint, spearmint, several types of basil, and rosemary last night. First, the house smelled like an Italian restaurant, then it smelled like sausage. Yum!

Then, last night/this morning (didn't sleep much so who knows when it was?), I started all 9 trays full of Roma tomatoes. The house smells like tomato juice now. How cool! They're still going in there so I haven't had a chance to taste them yet--can't wait!

As soon as the maters are done, the kids want to try some yogurt leather. :)

This is fun!! And so much easier and cooler than canning!
 
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funnyfarm

Member
I've decided to do dehyrating. There are alot of dehydrators to choose from. Why did you choose the Excalibur? Are there any models to avoid. I'm a newbie in prepping etc. and would appreciate imput. Thanks
 
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booger

Inactive
Thanks, Goatlady, for the warning. I'll make sure to keep my eyes closed when the next electric bill comes. I'll probably be running it quite a bit until the novelty wears off and the garden slows down for winter. Until then, though, hubby gives good mouth-to-mouth. :lol:

Funnyfarm, I'm so very new to dehydrating that I hope others chime in with their advice for you. I chose the Excalibur because just about everyone everywhere thinks that Excalibur is THE one to get for quality and reliability. I've been drooling over dehydrators for years but didn't cough up the $$ until just a couple of weeks ago.

I have vanilla yogurt and banana chips in there now. :D
 
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booger

Inactive
YS, they are yummy!! I had to stick the bag in the freezer so I wouldn't sit and eat them all. :D

For now, I'm putting everything in plastic baggies which are kept in the fridge.
 
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funnyfarm

Member
Thanks Booger. What company sells the Excalibur. Sounds like you're having a good time. Vanilla yougurt & banana chips? Forgive my ignorance, but is this a fruit leather thingy or two seperate products dehydrating at the same time?

YS, do you love your Excaliber too?
 
yellowsprings

yellowsprings

Inactive
Funnyfarm,

I love my Excaliber! I have had it about three years now. I had a round dehydrator that had the heating element on the bottom. The trays were too small and I had to constantly rotate the trays from top to bottom.

The Excalibur has a fan in the back and circulates the air freely. I have to turn the trays once during drying. I have the nine tray version. They are huge trays and hold a lot! I love it so much, I gave my other dehydrator away!
 
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funnyfarm

Member
Yellow Springs,
Thanks for the heads up on round dehydrators. I've been looking at them. I want the grandkids and I to have fun, not be a slave to the dehydrator. Where is Excalibur sold?
 
closet squirrel

closet squirrel

Veteran Member
can potatoes be dehydrated? There is someone at work who has a machine I can borrow, and I have potatoes coming out my ears (that sounds pretty gross).

I thought maybe I could slice them and they would come out like the betty crocker scalloped potatoes in the box type thing???

How would I store them? In plastic bags in a big bucket maybe
 
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Deemy

Veteran Member
Heres a site that sells them Emerency Esentialshttp://65.247.101.118/default.asp?sid=eei081704&EID=E081704
 
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Gingergirl

Veteran Member
closet squirel,

the potatoes can be dehydrated, but they have to be sliced (or shredded) and steamed first. I have found it easier to can them, but not all varities can well.
 
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Lynn

Veteran Member
I did sliced potatoes and they turned real dark. I didn't steam them first.Someone said something about using something to prevent the discoloration.
 
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goatlady2

Deceased
If you just blanch the potatoe slices first then dry them they stay white and nice. I use the discolored first batch for dog food.
 
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blue gecko

Inactive
I got an excalibur about a month ago and have really enjoyed it...Mr B hasn't complained about the electric bill...yet. I've been drying tons of tomatoes mostly plus some herbs, peppers, tomato sauce leathers, and the major family favorite, pears. The crew is bugging me to make jerky but they'll just have to wait for a good sale. I've been so busy this summer that drying has become a true godsend....now for that vacuum sealer...BG
 
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Mushroom

Opinionated Granny
I have had both types of dehydrators and both have their uses. I found the big square one to be a bother to have to rotate the trays and as my family shrunk, it was too big for just the two of us. I have the American Harvest dehydrator sold at Wal Mart for about 30 bux. It has a thermostat and a fan, both of which I consider essential. The trays at the bottom do dry faster than the ones farther up the stack, but I just take them out sooner than the others.

I have used my dehydrator when my garden wasn't producing by getting the huge bags of frozen mixed vegetables from Sam's. They are great soup starters. I keep them in pint jars vacuum sealed and they keep a very long time. I do dump them into a large container to condition before jarring them, tho. It makes sure that they are all completely dry and prevents mold from ruining the whole jar. I have also done green beans and broccoli as well with good success. The green beans need to be frozen before dehydration to make them easier to rehydrate.

Mushroom
 
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momof23goats

Deceased
you know I used to dry lots of stuff, then the last few yers, I just canned. well, hubby was in the basement a couple of weeks ago, and asked me what you want done with your food dryers? So I had him haul them up, and have been drying onions, green peppers, grean beans, and everyting elase, I can get my hands on. a bushel of green beans, in three quart jars, oh it is so much easier, why did I foreget about drying? I have made tons of jerkey in passed years, and I think we will this year, I am drying blackberries right now, to put with dryed cranberries, and pecans, for a snack food. It is mighty tastey. so I am back to drying lots of things again, and very happy about it.
 
marsh

marsh

On TB every waking moment
I dehydrate, bag and freeze. It is amazing how much one can reduce the storage volume ongarden harvest. I just did zucchini and yellow squash. They can be added to soups later. They aren't bad as chips either.

Today I am working on homemade beef jerky. In our area, now is the time when they butcher after the County fair. All those big flat steaks are relatively inexpensive.
 
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Pogonip

Membership Revoked
Scored a 5-tray Excalibur at a garage sale for $8, and the -big- one yesterday for $50! Happy camper, here. I set up a heavy-duty extension cord and run them outside rather than have them running in my food storage area and adding moisture to the air there.

Want to try drying pumpkin this fall--canned pumpkin has a short shelf life....
 
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Sarrah

Contributing Member
Anjou I don't have an electric dehydrator. I do my big garden stuff in the sun. I have a really big solar dehydrator DH made. I can do large amounts in a day or so depending on what it is. I know some societies dehydrate on the ground. My experience is you have to be careful of bugs and especially ants invading so I don't think I'd do it that way.
Herbs I usually tie and hang to dry or even just leave them in an the kitchen in a spot they get lots of air. Works for me.
Jerky I do in the oven. Once again we are in an area of low humidity so that makes a big difference in how to do things.
 
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