People have been drying food to preserve it for the longest time. Using a little heat and the natural flow of air, food dehydrators help to remove all moisture, hence keeping food from spoiling. Dehydration is an alternative to canning, salting or freezing. Dehydrated food lasts much longer.
Here are some tips and tricks:
- Fan
The best dehydrators don’t have their fan at the top. Instead, the fan should be at the back of the dehydrator. The fans at the back enable much more efficient air flow. Remember, heat releases water molecules from the food and air flow blows the water out. With a top fan, the food will not dry out at the same rate. Some of it will dry first and other bits later. Stay away from dehydrators that have a fan at the bottom. Pieces of food can easily fall into the fan and damage it.
- Even Cuts
Make all the slices of food have the recommended thickness. Different cuts will not dry at the same rate. This means it will be inconsistent.
- Airtight
An airtight container to store the dried out food is absolutely necessary. Dehydrating food is futile if the food will then be exposed to moisture and spoil. Vacuum sealers can do an excellent job. Consider zip lock bags.
- Fats
Watch out for fatty cuts of meat. Fat is much more likely to go bad than lean meat. Choose lean meats only.
- Cool
Allow the food to cool first before storing it. Putting away hot food will lead to moisture condensing and then all your efforts will be in vain. The moisture will cause food spoilage.
- Feel
Feel the dehydrated food before putting it away. Anything that feels soft is not ready. Anything hard is ready to be stored.
- Thermostat
Use a dehydrator that is fitted with a thermostat. This makes your work much more precise because you can decide the exact temperature for the dehydrator.
- Clean
Dont put food into the dehydrator without first cleaning it
- Summer Fruit
Collect tons of your favorite summer fruit and dehydrate it so you can keep enjoying it through the winter.
- Rotation
With a dehydrator that has several trays stacked on top of each other there is usually uneven distribution of heat. Rotate the stack-able trays so that the food dries evenly.
- 95% rule
Food should dry at least to 95% dryness if you are to be sure that the food will last. Any less and the food is ore likely to spoil.
- Shrinkage
Fruit and veg will shrink much more than meats. Fresh produce usually has a water content of 80-90% while meat has much less water.
- Patience
Patience pays. Dont try to dehydrate food faster by turning up the temperature. Let it dehydrate slowly to avoid spoilage. If you try to dehydrate the food too fast, it will become dry on the outside and moist on the inside. Lower temperatures are usually better.
- Nutrients
Dehydration of seeds and nuts might actually make them more nutritious by reducing enzyme inhibitors. Soak them overnight in salty water and then dry them until they are crunchy.
-Yogurt
Your dehydrator can just as easily double up as a yogurt machine.
- Vitamin C
There are some vitamins, like Vitamin C that will be lost in the course of dehydration. Most of the nutrients will be preserved though.
- Fresh
Dehydrate only the freshest and best fruit and veg. Damaged, bruised and overripe produce wont give you the best results - even with the best dehydrator.
- Humidity
The atmosphere around can easily influence the dehydration process. When there is high humidity, the process slows down.
- Cook Potatoes
Dehydrated potatoes turn black. Cook them first to make sure that they maintain their color.
- Shape matters
The shape of the dehydrator makes a difference. A circular dehydrator may be cheaper, but it also offers less space for laying out food to dry,
- Equipment
There are some pieces of kitchen equipment that work very well with a dehydrator. Make sure you have a food grater, slicer, blender, juicer, chopper, and a spice grinder.
- Spice
A little spice can make a significant difference in the taste of fruit. Cinnamon on apples is a great idea.
- Equipment
There are some pieces of kitchen equipment that work very well with a dehydrator. Make sure you have a food grater, slicer, blender, juicer, chopper, and a spice grinder.
- Spice
A little spice can make a significant difference in the taste of fruit. Cinnamon on apples is a great idea.
- Condensation
Put your dried fruits inside a polythene paper while warm. If any condensation forms within a couple of minutes, you know it is not ready. Let the fruit dry a little more.
- Pretreatment
Some fruits need Pretreatment if they are to dehydrate and preserve well. Cranberries for example, must be pretreated by dipping them in boiling water for half a minute and then dipping them in cold water afterward.
Here are some tips and tricks:
- Fan
The best dehydrators don’t have their fan at the top. Instead, the fan should be at the back of the dehydrator. The fans at the back enable much more efficient air flow. Remember, heat releases water molecules from the food and air flow blows the water out. With a top fan, the food will not dry out at the same rate. Some of it will dry first and other bits later. Stay away from dehydrators that have a fan at the bottom. Pieces of food can easily fall into the fan and damage it.
- Even Cuts
Make all the slices of food have the recommended thickness. Different cuts will not dry at the same rate. This means it will be inconsistent.
- Airtight
An airtight container to store the dried out food is absolutely necessary. Dehydrating food is futile if the food will then be exposed to moisture and spoil. Vacuum sealers can do an excellent job. Consider zip lock bags.
- Fats
Watch out for fatty cuts of meat. Fat is much more likely to go bad than lean meat. Choose lean meats only.
- Cool
Allow the food to cool first before storing it. Putting away hot food will lead to moisture condensing and then all your efforts will be in vain. The moisture will cause food spoilage.
- Feel
Feel the dehydrated food before putting it away. Anything that feels soft is not ready. Anything hard is ready to be stored.
- Thermostat
Use a dehydrator that is fitted with a thermostat. This makes your work much more precise because you can decide the exact temperature for the dehydrator.
- Clean
Dont put food into the dehydrator without first cleaning it
- Summer Fruit
Collect tons of your favorite summer fruit and dehydrate it so you can keep enjoying it through the winter.
- Rotation
With a dehydrator that has several trays stacked on top of each other there is usually uneven distribution of heat. Rotate the stack-able trays so that the food dries evenly.
- 95% rule
Food should dry at least to 95% dryness if you are to be sure that the food will last. Any less and the food is ore likely to spoil.
- Shrinkage
Fruit and veg will shrink much more than meats. Fresh produce usually has a water content of 80-90% while meat has much less water.
- Patience
Patience pays. Dont try to dehydrate food faster by turning up the temperature. Let it dehydrate slowly to avoid spoilage. If you try to dehydrate the food too fast, it will become dry on the outside and moist on the inside. Lower temperatures are usually better.
- Nutrients
Dehydration of seeds and nuts might actually make them more nutritious by reducing enzyme inhibitors. Soak them overnight in salty water and then dry them until they are crunchy.
-Yogurt
Your dehydrator can just as easily double up as a yogurt machine.
- Vitamin C
There are some vitamins, like Vitamin C that will be lost in the course of dehydration. Most of the nutrients will be preserved though.
- Fresh
Dehydrate only the freshest and best fruit and veg. Damaged, bruised and overripe produce wont give you the best results - even with the best dehydrator.
- Humidity
The atmosphere around can easily influence the dehydration process. When there is high humidity, the process slows down.
- Cook Potatoes
Dehydrated potatoes turn black. Cook them first to make sure that they maintain their color.
- Shape matters
The shape of the dehydrator makes a difference. A circular dehydrator may be cheaper, but it also offers less space for laying out food to dry,
- Equipment
There are some pieces of kitchen equipment that work very well with a dehydrator. Make sure you have a food grater, slicer, blender, juicer, chopper, and a spice grinder.
- Spice
A little spice can make a significant difference in the taste of fruit. Cinnamon on apples is a great idea.
- Equipment
There are some pieces of kitchen equipment that work very well with a dehydrator. Make sure you have a food grater, slicer, blender, juicer, chopper, and a spice grinder.
- Spice
A little spice can make a significant difference in the taste of fruit. Cinnamon on apples is a great idea.
- Condensation
Put your dried fruits inside a polythene paper while warm. If any condensation forms within a couple of minutes, you know it is not ready. Let the fruit dry a little more.
- Pretreatment
Some fruits need Pretreatment if they are to dehydrate and preserve well. Cranberries for example, must be pretreated by dipping them in boiling water for half a minute and then dipping them in cold water afterward.