PREP Food dehydration

[Night Owl]

Excalibur is the gold standard, but I have 2 of the same dehydrators for 3 years, use them almost daily. I love them, looked like a square microwave, they have 7 stainless shelfs w/front window, the usual roll up and plastic netting shelfs. They work terrific, I can’t say enough how much I love them. Bought them on Amazon for $127 with free delivery called ‘Magic Mill’. I tried to a picture of it but it said file too large so look it up on Amazon.

Oh I put parchment paper on the shelf’s so I don’t have to wash racks if sticky like apples or grapes.

Save your money for a good sealer or whatever else you need to save your food.

I have Foodsaver - the big one that is $179 on Amazon. Have had that even longer with no issues. And make sure you get the Foodsaver jar sealer kit for vacuum sealer storage 12.92 Amazon, free shipping..

 

[Seeker22]

The only way botulism becomes a problem in vacsealing dried food is if you did not dry it enough. There's a proofing step where you check. I have yet to have any problems with vacsealing dehydrated foods.
I have had to further dry some commercially sold dehydrated foods because they still contained too much moisture.

Fruit, which is naturally acidic may feel flexible and sticky from natural sugars. The increased acidity from dehydration will prevent botulism.

Vegetables will dry to a crisp state, leaving no moisture for botulism to live in.

Desiccant packs won't hurt anything either way.

Once finished drying, I turn off and leave the front off of my Excalibur or unplug and remove the motor head of the Nesco so food will come to room temp and not sweat. Once food is cool, I break a piece in several trays to make absolutely sure it is crisp. If not, more drying time.

Sometimes, if I'm in a hurry, I pour dried food into a plastic bowl or tote and lift it up in my clean dry hands, letting it fall back in the container until it feels absolutely cool. Condensation moisture is not your friend and if it is allowed to happen, you are in for more drying time. I over dry, so botulism isn't a concern. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Bad Hand]

I made racks out of scrap lumber and fiber glass screen, there is a screen that covers them so the bugs can't get in and they are stackable. I the summer I set them out with the sliced veggies and fruit to dry, I bring them in a night. Easy cheap and the stuff dries in 2 or 3 days.

 

[blindhog]

My idea would be to use the veggies with a pasta, or rice. Or added to a grilled dish like fajitas.


Another question: These survival companies, what are they doing that makes them claim a 25 year life? I wonder if SHTF in 10 years and I go to eat it, and it's spoiled, they will be long gone......

 

[bluelady]

My idea would be to use the veggies with a pasta, or rice. Or added to a grilled dish like fajitas.


Another question: These survival companies, what are they doing that makes them claim a 25 year life? I wonder if SHTF in 10 years and I go to eat it, and it's spoiled, they will be long gone......

It's freeze-dried, and commercially packaged. They have machinery and techniques that can't be duplicated at home; I don't think home freeze dryers are even the same as commercial. But if you dehydrate regularly, use it, and rotate it, the end result (until you run out of things to dehydrate! ) is always having edible food in storage.

 

[WalknTrot]

Another question: These survival companies, what are they doing that makes them claim a 25 year life? I wonder if SHTF in 10 years and I go to eat it, and it's spoiled, they will be long gone......

The food is sealed in #10 (large) cans. It lasts a long time.

That's the storage food I have for real SHTF. Wheat, oatmeal, rice, beans, refried beans, lentils, dried pasta, potato flakes, dried apples, strawberries, banana chips, orange drink, carrots, peas, cheese and tomato powder, dried garlic and onions, peanut butter powder...even Pilot crackers. They will be there and good to eat probably long after I'm dead.

 

[blindhog]

The food is sealed in #10 (large) cans. It lasts a long time. That's the storage food I have for real SHTF. Wheat, oatmeal, rice, beans, refried beans, lentils, dried pasta, potato flakes, dried apples, strawberries, orange drink, carrots, peas, cheese and tomato powder, dried garlic and onions, peanut butter powder...even Pilot crackers. They will be there and good to eat probably long after I'm dead.

I'm looking at that type of prep item.

 

[kyrsyan]

They also replace the oxygen in the cans, as much as they can, with nitrogen to prevent oxidation.

 

[summerthyme]

I find that zip lock bags are too porous nowadays. Not made like they used to be. I'd be nervous that they would allow moisture to enter.

Yes! They are awful... plus, they are clear, and light is an enemy to dried foods. But use canning jars (or reuse commercial jars and lids, scrubbed well)

But back to Ziploc bags... I used to but them by the 152 bag "case" of three boxes (for 10 bucks!), but their quality got worse and worse. We were selling cut, packed and frozen chicken, and I ended up buying a case of commercial 4 mil ziplock bags. OMG, the difference !

Any way one day I was sorting stuff in my herb room, and I found some old herbs in a ziploc gallon storage bag,mand couldn't believe how thick and supple the plastic was! It was thicker than the current freezer bags!

I large found a quart sized freezer bag from the same era ( about 2005, IIRC) and my son measured it and a modern POS, and the newer one was 2.5 mils lighter! No wonder stuff freezer burns in them!

They make ziplock mylar bags... they can't be sealed tight enough to pull a vacuum (I don't *think so, anyway *) But you can heat seal them above the ziplock, and then cut open and the zipper used for revealing.

Although I agree it's potentially unsafe to use O2 absorbers on any low acid dried foods, UNLESS you have a way to ascertain the moisture content after conditioning (mixing all batches together and putting in a glass jar or heavy clear plastic and watching carefully for any hint of moisture... set it in the sun for an hour (/the only exception to the "always store in the dark) and check the inner surface of the glass for any condensation) is under 10% moisture.

Botulism can't grow at such low humidity..

Summerthyme