Store It Foods

Nesco has traditionally produced round food dehydrators.  One of their most recent dehydrators, however, is now more square in design.  This change, it is said, has added “200 more inches” or “over 40% more drying space than comparable round dehydrators.”

That sounds pretty good, and it is a plus, but when you consider that many round dehydrators can easily add shelf space without any loss in efficiency, then it may not be as big a plus as you might think.

As long as your food dehydrator is doing the job that you want, and doing it well, then you have a good food dehydrator.  Think carefully before you replace it solely because it is round and not square.  Make sure that will make a significant difference in your use of this particular kitchen appliance.

In some kitchens the dehydrator is given its own place on kitchen countertop where it is always ready for use.  In other homes that food dehydrator is kept in a cupboard and brought out just when needed.  In either case, it is wise to give it a little breathing room.

Your dehydrator is going to draw in air to be heated and circulated.  Let it do so efficiently.  A constricted space will not allow it to work properly.

Even if out in the open, pay attention to what is sitting close to it.  Because you are working with lower heat settings, you are not likely to set nearby items aflame, but a nearby margarine container could, for instance, be found to contain liquid margarine if it is benefiting from the full effects of the heat exhaust from your dehydrator.  In short, if you have something that you do not want heated, do not subject it to heating.

Expert dehydrator users are likely to already know this, but if you’re just starting out, there’s a little tip for you that will allow you to avoid these minor problems later on.

Believe it or not, you have quite a tool in your food dehydrator. 

If you’ve got one, you have probably used it for making a little bit of jerky, or perhaps for dehydrating fruit or fruit pastes for snacks.  You may have even put together the ingredients for soups or trail mixes.  If you do have a dehydrator and haven’t tried some of these things, perhaps you should.  After all, you’ve invested in the machine so why not see what you  can glean from that investment.

Your dehydrator likely came with a manual containing several recipes.  Why not try some of them?  You just might like them.  Sound out your friends who are also dehydrating at home.  They may have some great ideas for you.  Internet searches can also be worthwhile.

Here, for example, is a recipe that comes from an on-line blog named Food Under Foot.

Dandelion Flower Cookies

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup soaked cashews
• 1/4 cup agave nectar or raw honey
• 1 cup dandelion petals — Pluck the yellow petals off the green collar and stem
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• 1 Tbsp lemon rind
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• smallest pinch of sea salt

Blend everything except dandelion petals in food processor until smooth.

Mix in dandelion by hand, mix well.

Form into cookies on dehydrator tray.

Dehydrate at 105 for about 6 hours, flip and dehydrate another 2. Cookies will still be a bit moist.

There’s nothing too complex about that, and it may have introduced you to a couple of new concepts in food dehydrator use — you can use them to make cookies, and you can make use of some the wild foods that you have simply taken for granted, not even realizing that they could be used for foods.

Of course the idea of dandelion flower cookies may not appeal to you, but if you do a little looking around, the possibilities are good that you will find something else that you will find both interesting and appealing.  Just try it and see.  It could be worth you while.

If you’re looking into purchasing a food dehydrator, make sure you do your research. Just like with any kitchen appliance, you should look into all the various brands and features before you actually make your purchase. With dehydrators specifically, make sure you check out user reviews to see how evenly the machine dries the food. Some apply heat unevenly, and this can result (not surprisingly) in unevenly dried food.

Look into some of the best known brands, which can include everything from an Excalibur dehydrator to a Nesco dehydrator. Compare prices with features and quality and see what represents the best overall value. Also make sure to check out unconventional products such as solar dehydrators. These utilize the heat of sunlight in order to dehydrate food, and they are a great option for people looking to implement “green” appliances into their lives.

Food dehydrators are simple kitchen appliances that are designed to drastically lessen the amount of water contained in any given food. The water is most often removed by placing the food within the dehydrator where it is exposed to heat over long periods of time. People typically use these food dehydrators in order to keep food that would otherwise rot or go bad in a short amount of time.

For that reason, the most common food items to be placed in a dehydrator are various kinds of fruit. The resulting dried fruit is perfect for storing for long periods of time and placing on oatmeal or cereal in the morning. Dried fruits and nuts also make an easy and convenient mix of snacks to take on hikes or other high energy activities. Dried fruit is a healthy, high energy snack, and this makes it ideal for building up energy before a run or replenishing your energy after some intense trekking.

Dehydrators are good for drying fruits, vegetables, jerky, herbs and potpourri.  They’re also good at generating heat.  They are not going to generate a lot of heat, at least not to the level of space heater or such like, but there will be some.  Meats, for instance, will call for several hours of drying at temperatures of 150 to 160 degrees.

Consequently, if you have the option, the best time to use your food dehydrator would be at a time when you don’t mind a little extra heat in the home.  When outside temperatures are uncomfortably low, for instance, a jerky making time inside might be most welcome.

This may not always be possible, of course, for timing of dehydrating sessions may be dictated by the availability of the product to be dehydrated.  If, however, there is some choice possible, then why not think green.  In other words, there may be a better time to dehydrate than a hot summer day when the air conditioner is already working overtime.

Your food dehydrator will both dry and dehydrate foods. 

Likely, there are many who read that brief sentence who will say to themselves, “Now wait a minute, when you’re dehydrating foods you’re drying foods, so that statement makes no sense.”

Yes, it is true that today those two terms tend to be intermingled, but, in reality, there is a difference.  With dried foods moisture is removed.  When done, that food will have lost approximately 75% of its water content.  The end product remains soft and pliable, and, under proper conditions, will store well for 12 to 18 months.  Dehydrated fruits and vegetables, however, will have that moisture content reduced to 2 to 3%.  The product becomes shriveled and very brittle, but the shelf life is also extended by a considerable amount.

Which is best?  Well, that depends upon what your goal might happen to be.  There are advantages to both.  Dried foods generally make better snack foods. Dehydrated foods may be more appropriate for long term storage.  Whatever the case, your food dehydrator will both dry and dehydrate. The choice is yours.

There are a lot of food dehydrators out there, and sometimes it can seem overpowering when you’re planning on purchasing.  Here are a few simple, and basic guidelines to assist in making your food dehydrator selection.
Entry Level Food Dehydrators.

Entry level food dehydrators still dehydrate effectively.  They are generally characterized by lower price, smaller size, and slightly (and sometimes significantly) longer drying times. Keep it in mind that a lower priced food dehydrator is not necessarily a poorer quality food dehydrator, but it will likely have lower power and fewer features. This might be the type of dehydrator to consider if space is a serious consideration, or if the intended uses will be undemanding and infrequent. Prices of such units are usually very attractive, and are often below fifty or sixty dollars.
Mid Level Food Dehydrators.

The mid-range dehydrators are slightly more expensive than the entry level food dehydrators, but they are also generally more powerful, and have greater capacities.  They tend to be a little more user friendly, and are better for slightly more ambitious dehydrating and food storage projects. Watch for higher wattages which translate into faster drying times.  Expect to be spending in the sixty to one hundred dollar range.

Full Featured Home Dehydrators.

To go to a full featured home dehydrator is not a matter of simply adding “bells and whistles”.  Yes, that dehydrator is likely to be a dehydrator with more features — automatic timers, digital settings, and so on, but those features often translate into faster, more efficient, and more even dehydrating.  These are usually the dehydrators for those who recognize the worth of food dehydrating, and plan to make use of them on a more frequent and regular basis. Their features make it easier for you to fine tune your dehydrating with precise temperature and timing controls.  These are also great machines for those who dabble in food dehydrating, but who want quality, speed and simplicity when they do make use of them.  You’ll likely be spending $100 or more.

Commercial Food Dehydrators.

Here you will find food dehydrators that are built for durability.  Stainless steel construction is common.  As might be expected, they are designed for continuous, heavy duty use.  They may not have many more features than some of the better home models, but their life expectancy is much longer when put to this kind of demanding usage.  These food dehydrators, however, are not inexpensive, generally costing several hundred dollars.