What do you dehydrate

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Kya D

Active Member
I was wondering what Y'all dehydrate or if you own a dehydrator.:)
How you use the stuff after it is dried:confused:
 

Kya D

Active Member
Cool idea, jerky. I have made venison jerky
I dry lots of stuff like
celery
tomatoes
herbs
summer squash
carrots
corn
bell peppers
onions sometimes
I tried melons but sure didn't like them
I dry lots of fruit
I buy alot of dried canned veggies from a lady out here they are much cheaper than I can dry stuff but I still like my own
 
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Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have dried fruit, but my brother down in California dries fruit and vegetables. I tried drying blueberries one year, but I let them go too long and wasn't happy with the result. The pears, plums, and apples all turned out well. I use the dried fruit as an afternoon snack. I weigh out one ounce of dried fruit and one ounce of almonds and put them in a small plastic bag. That gives me a carb shot and a protein buffer if I go too long between meals. As a diabetic, we are not supposed to go more than 4 or 5 hours between meals without having something for keeping our blood/sugar balanced.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
I paid full bore for mine about 8 years ago and I bought the maximum number of trays I could put on it (12). If I didn't have it though, I could use the oven and turn it down on low. That's probably more expensive than using the dehydrator though.
 

Kya D

Active Member
I have a big 12 shelf one also but I found that the trays have to be rotated for the stuff to dry well. Thrift store find that cost 5 bucks. I know this one cost about 300 dollars when it was new. This machine is about 12x18 inches
My 6 shelf round one dries really evenly and it only takes overnight to dry. I paid about 20 bucks for it about twenty years ago
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
Yes, I should have rotated those blueberries and I think they would have been all right. I did save them though with the anticipation of using the dried ones in pancakes and/or muffins, but I think they are lost in the dim dark recesses of that one-way freezer. That's the one we put stuff in, but don't take stuff out.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
Then you know exactly what I mean. I tease the womenfolk here about that freezer, but nothing ever changes. I can't throw too many rocks though.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have another batch of pears in the dehydrator now. I didn't do as many as I did the other day though. I did enough to fill eight of the trays and that took me 2-1/2 hours to peel, core and slice the pears. It's working behind me and the basement smells like pears.
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
I do alot. Fruits and some veggies . Not as much anymore now that I don't have the parrots. When I want to shell peas I put them in the dehydrator and it makes them so much easier to hull, especially if I want to store them. It dries them perfect
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
I thought about puttin some of my green beans in the dehydrator like that too. I would turn the heat down though. I save beans for next year's seed.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
I did a load of apples today. I loaded up 11 trays and part of the 12th tray. The basement smells like apples now.
 

grammat

New Member
We inherited a big old monster size dehydrator from hubby's parents a couple of years ago. I finally got it out this week and dried some hot peppers---gonna grind them to try to make chili powder, Seems like it took too long. It's old and the book is missing. Maybe it does just take almost 24 hours? I'm anxious to try other vegetables and some fruits. Oh--also dried onions, cut into small pieces. They also took nearly 24 hours. Do I just need to spring for a newer dehydrator???
 


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