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Farm Kitchen:  Canned, froze, now Dehydrating! :)  |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 20 2014 : 7:13:59 PM
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So I've been canning, and freezing, and the other day I got a dehydrator from a friend and Farmsister that wasn't using it. I've wanted one for awhile. I've had it three days and am loving it! I've dehydrated lemons, apples, and oranges and dried chives, mint, oregano, and sage.
Any tips/pointers? Mine is a Ronco.
Farmgirl hugs,
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
Chapter Leader, Connecticut Simpler Life Sisters
Farmgirl of the Month, January 2013
Suburban Farmgirl Blogger
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
7483 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
7483 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2014 : 02:12:41 AM
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My de-hydrator with controls has two trays but only one liner. The other de-hydrator has no liners. I make liners out of wax paper. Easy & no clean up.
Sara
Walk in Peace - Live with Joy
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 25, 2014 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2014 : 07:00:38 AM
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Hi girls!
I use parchment paper instead of waxed paper, but I like that option, Sara! That would be much less expensive! Awesome!
I also line the bottom of my dehydrator with a sheet of parchment (now, probably waxed paper) in order to catch any sticky drippings. I got real tired of scrubbing the bottom. Now with the paper lining, cleaning is a breeze!
Nicole - I also know that there are a lot of veggies and fruits that require blanching before dehydrating. I have not done this for all of those that require it, and they have rehydrated just fine. BUT, the premise is that by blanching you open up the cells to release the moisture much easier, and to accept moisture better when rehydrating. For example, I know if you don't blanch onions first, the end up being best ground up and used as onion powder.
Oh! And if you're going to dehydrate onions or garlic, trust me: they will stink up your entire house in a matter of minutes. Your eyes will be watering, your throat will be choking... eghads, they're a killer. A lot of people put their dehydrators under their covered porch or in the garage to do so. No matter what, though, they turn out delicious and are great whole or ground. If you grind them, you definitely need to use a lot less in your recipes. They are much stronger than store bought! :)
One really neat thing to dehydrate is baby carrots. You just need to rinse, dry and pop into the dehydrator until they become shriveled up little sticks. Seems impossible that they would rehydrate well, the way they look. But plop them in a crockpot of stew or boil them up in a pan of water - wowsa! They are miraculous! :)
We also love dehydrating corn. It rehydrates beautifully, of course; but I have to be real careful to get it right from dehydrator into a jar. If I don't, my son and his friends will gobble them up like candy!
Potatoes... If you slice them, you need to parboil them first so that they are not too firm on the inside. Otherwise, they'll turn black. Nobody wants to eat that! But if you dice them, all you have to do is dice and blanch them before popping them into the dehydrator and they will turn out great!
Grapes... If you want raisins, these will be the best danged raisins you've ever had. You need to blanche the grapes first, and then the drying time could take over 48 hours. But really, there is nothing like homemade raisins!
Frozen veggies and fruit do not require blanching at all. Simply pour them on the trays and dehydrate! Voila! Goodness compacted into a jar!
You can also dehydrate canned goods and those that are soon-to-expire, such as canned fruits, pineapple, kidney beans, tomato products... even things like canned pumpkin, refried beans! LOTS of things! Anything that is mashed can be dried on parchment (waxed paper) then ground into powder later. This can even be done with other super-dry foods. Reconstituted, it's fabulous!
I have to run, but if I think of anything else, I'll let you know. If you start experimenting, you're going to fall deeper in love with your dehydrator, truly. You can do everything: cheese, sauces, fruit roll-ups, pineapple (tastes like candy!)... meats... herbs... My next project is making homemade potato starch... Imagine that!
Good luck and have lots of fun!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Sep 21 2014 3:48:08 PM |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
7483 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
7483 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2014 : 07:25:44 AM
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Nini, you have a wealth of drying knowledge - I will copy & put in my drying book so it will be handy.
Another thing I use wax paper for is to cover my cutting board which is left out on the counter. Saves washing it before & after using it. When preparing a lot of vegetables I may change the paper several times.
Sara
Walk in Peace - Live with Joy
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 25, 2014 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2014 : 3:47:20 PM
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Awww...thanks, Sara! Actually, I got my dehydrator last year, and once I figured out how to prepare the food and use it properly, I ran with it. It's just so much fun. I'm always amazed at how tasty things are when dehydrated - AND how awesome they are rehydrated!
Nicole - one thing I thought of is to tell you that you can never, ever over dehydrate something. You can cook it, which won't happen if you're using the correct recommended temperature, but you can't dehydrate it to death. Whenever I'm not sure if something is "done," I err on the side of caution and leave it in longer. No problems yet!
Also - meant to say that grapes can take over 48 hours to rehydrate. It will definitely take longer than 24 hours. I'll adjust my post. 'Sorry about that! :)
One thing I did try dehydrating which really surprised me is broccoli! I thought it would be weird or something, but it turned out really great! When it's dehydrated it kind of smells like cooked broccoli, but when it's rehydrated, it's just so good! The thing I like about dehydrating broccoli and spinach is that you can always chop them up and use them in your favorite dips. Mmmm-M!
And I haven't done this yet, primarily because we rarely have leftovers in this house, but I have read several people advise to dehydrate your leftover vegetables and lettuce before it turns. When dry, you can grind them into a powder. Keep all your powdered veggies in a jar, and it's a great boost when added to soups, gravies and stews. Apparently, you can add boiling water to it along with a little salt and it makes a great vegetable stock, too!
Another thing I tried recently is to dehydrate frozen hash brown shreds. They worked beautifully. Thing is, it's a little tricky to rehydrate them without them becoming all mushy, but with some trial and error, this definitely can be accomplished! These are not only great as a side dish, but you can add them to soups, gravies and stews as a thickening agent - even to chicken pot pie! MUCH better than corn starch!!!
That's all for now. Hope I'm not driving you nuts. There is just so much you can dehydrate and so many different ways to use things! I hope you'll become as excited about it as I am! :)
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2014 : 07:51:36 AM
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Oh my goodness, I just remembered this one, too! Audrey might REALLY enjoy this one! Did you know you can dehydrate marshmallows? Yep! Some people tout them as being akin to the "sweet marshmallow surprises" you can find in that famous cereal box from the Leprechaun, but they are not chewy. When you dehydrate them, they come out the same size in which they originally entered the dehydrator, only they are quite firm. When you bite into them, they turn quickly to a creamy dust in your mouth, but taste similar to the inside of a roasted marshallow! Yummy! The kids just love them! We made up a whole bunch to add to our homemade cocoa recipe for gifts this Christmas. Super cool! (My husband tosses them in with his o-shaped cereal for an extra sweet little treat.) We even made some with those colored, flavored marshmallows, as well as in red, white and blue star shapes. By purchasing end of season clearance on the specialty marshmallows, we'll have lots of cool ones on the shelves to use. I am dying to find out what the chocolate ones taste like! :) I have no idea if they rehydrate well or not, but they might still be good in other recipes. I will be trying them in a small batch of ambrosia over the holidays. If they work, we're golden! :)
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Sep 22 2014 07:52:30 AM |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2014 : 1:49:23 PM
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Hi Nini!
Oh my goodness!!! You are amazing!! I am so impressed with all your knowledge!I actually joined a dehydrating group on facebook, but no one really answered my questions. You just answered every one! My herbs turned out really great - already used some in cooking. I am envisioning my Thanksgiving turkey covered in my home-grown sage...
Love the ideas. I did the fruit to add to homemade potpourri and decor, but we may eat the apples! Yum!
I have a 'Ronco". It has one setting and five trays. Love the idea of parchment paper/wax paper. Have you made beef jerky before?
Sara, I am a biiiigggg fan of wax paper too. I use it to wrap our sandwiches in instead of plastic bags. Cheaper, works great, and better for the environment. I never thought of the cutting board idea - awesome tip. I also use it to keep my counter clean when baking.
Thanks for all the info, farmsisters!
Farmgirl Hugs,
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
Chapter Leader, Connecticut Simpler Life Sisters
Farmgirl of the Month, January 2013
Suburban Farmgirl Blogger
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
7483 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
7483 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2014 : 2:04:50 PM
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Nicole, we used wax paper for our school sandwiches in the 1940s & 50s. I had no idea it was still being used that way.
Sara
Walk in Peace - Live with Joy
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 25, 2014 |
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Country Yankee Gal
Farmgirl in Training
22 Posts
Rosemarie
Charleston area
South Carolina
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2014 : 2:24:29 PM
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I love my dehydrator! I've used it to dry apples, bananas, chili peppers, carrots, and celery so far. There's a great book I use to help me know how to dehydrate different foods AND how to rehydrate and/or cook with dehydrated food. It's called "The Dehydrator Bible" by Jennifer MacKenzie, Joy Nutt, & Don Mercer. I love that book!!
Rosemarie, Farmgirl #6055
~ Planting Yankee roots in Southern soil
www.sanctuarygardener.com
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2014 : 3:46:33 PM
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Nicole! I use waxed paper to pack sandwiches, too! Great minds think alike! I never got around to making the reusable ones made out of cloth and beeswax this past summer, but it's still on my to do list, for sure!
No...no jerky yet. I'm not a big fan, but it's on my list to try. My foster son and daughter and their family love it. I might give it a whirl to make some for them at Christmas! I'll let you know if I get to it. Please do the same!
I'll have to look for that book, Rosemarie! Thank you for the recommendation!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Farm Kitchen: Canned, froze, now Dehydrating! :) |
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Canned, froze, now Dehydrating! :)
