Yesterday we stopped off at Factory Seconds and had a look at the food dehydrators. There was just one model to choose from, a Sunbeam and that was good enough for me, and not to expensive. So now I am a very happy girl. No more not knowing what to do with the fresh produce, nice giving your friends fresh produce but what is the point of growing food and giving it away all the time, and then not preserving it. Preserving in bottles has never really been my thing although I have done some in the past.
I have prepared some veggies, carrots, onion, sweet potato (kumera) and tomatoes quartered. It's still going atm so can't show you the end result. Next I try some herbs. At least I will really be able to do the onions now.
Good spotting you :-) I have been keen on getting one for awhile. I seen a Folwers one yesterday way to pricey for this girl, I am looking forward to seeing/hearing how your first batch of tomatoes comes out...
ReplyDeleteHave fun with your new dehydrator, I use mine all the time for excess fruit and vegetables. Being dried they take up far less room in the pantry and keep for ages.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the dehydrator. I borrowed one from my son and his wife to try my hand at it. I made several quart jars of dehydrated apple slices, and some excellent beef jerky! I had a hard time finding a jar of citric acid for preparing the apples. Citric acid helps prevent discoloration and spoilage for fruit, and it's natural. After going to many grocery stores and health food stores, I found it at a hunting supply store called Outdoor World. A store that sells hunting, fishing and camping gear in your area would probably sell citric acid in plastic bottles/jars. It's a powder, and you just follow the directions, which are simple. 1 or 2 spoonfulls in a couple quarts of water and soak the fruit slices in it for 10 minutes before putting in the dehydrator. I don't drain it at all. I pick up each individual slice and place it on the dehydrator tray. The apple is spiral sliced, so you make 1 cut down opposite sides of the apple after it is peeled, and you get half moon shaped slices. Then, I run the dehydrator for 5 hours, then turn over the slices, and run it for two more hours. The fruit comes out great in my opinion! I also use an apple peeler,slicer, corer device that I bought from Bed, Bath and Beyond for just under $20. It even has a lifetime warranty, no questions asked! I was very skeptical that it would work well, but it was GREAT! I highly recommend one that performs all 3 functions. It works so fast and easy that you just won't believe it!
ReplyDeleteWell, now. That was a mighty long comment, but it was all worth saying.
P.S. I store my dehydrated products in Ball canning jars, not plastic bags. I want to make sure air doesn't get in after doing all that.
You can also use lemon juice instead of citrus acid. I use it all the time when dehydrating fruit. Just dip the fruit in the lemon juice before you put it in the dehydrator.
ReplyDeleteI have an apple peeler but I really don't like it. It doesn't core my apples like it should, they just break instead.
Dehydrating food can be fun. Daughter Catherine received one from a boyfriend a few years ago and we all had fun using it. When we get home this time I'll have to see if I can find where we have put it away. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteAren`t those dehydrators handy little things? We love the dried fruit!
ReplyDeleteHey! I couldn't get by without my dehydrator. I use it dry my summer herbs. I dehydrate cherry tomatoes to drop down into winter soups and stews and of course our deer jerky!
ReplyDeleteGreat find!!
I have a dehydrator, but don't use it very much. That needs to change.
ReplyDeleteWow great comments everyone, Thanks. I did the tomatoes, and was pleased with them, they sitting in olive oil atm. I want to get Tanya to make us a pizza with them. Otherwisw we will have to go bake to the bake in the oven method for semi sundried tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteCarrots could have been more same sized cuts but dried well.
Onions I think need to be blanched as per Becky's link, They were still a floppy
anyway I just use it in some stew tomorrow. Also I don't think I had it on the right temp, so we're going with the tomatoes again overnight this time. Check it at 4.30am lol
Thank you because you have been willing to share information with us. we will always appreciate all you have done here because I know you are very concerned with our. Air Fryer
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