Dehydrating food.

[Solidus-snake]

Got a food dehydrator and bag sealer for christmas. What's some good foods you recommend dehydrating? Best for long term storage?

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, there are all kinds. Since the starches are covered w/o need of this (rice, wheat, etc.) I would suggest to start with meat and then go to fruit. Basically, you can make beef jerky with your dehydrator and if you vacum seal it, you'll get a good life from it - especially if you use a preservative added to the jerky mix - I like the ground meat method as it's easier to eat... You can do chicken quite easily too.

Apples and bananas do well dehydrated...

[Solidus-snake]

I've read about pretreating fruits and vegetables before drying. Lemon juice suitable for.this?

Also, what's a good preservative to add to beef and chicken?

Any links would be greatly appreciated.

[Integratedj]

Here, I'll make your life easy when it comes to dehydrating. Follow what this woman says to a T and you'll be happy later. This page is basically the bible for dehydrated food stuffs.

www.dehydrate2store.com


Yeah, lemon juice is suitable.
What kind of dehydrator did you get? Some kinds are ok for doing meat, some kinds aren't even though their directions say they are. Yeah, they can make a piece of Jerky, but it will be one you have to eat quickly and not store due to high moisture content still. Some of my friends wasted a lot of money on meat that ended up spoiling after a month or so.

I would dehydrate a lot of apples and other fruits. If you take fruit and blend them up, you can pour it out on wax paper and dehydrate them into fruit rollups.

Be careful when doing things in shavings, like Hashbrowns and onion strings. They are really hard and sharp when dehydrated and will puncture the bag unless you use the really thick good ones (Get them at a Mormon Cannery)

One of our favorites is apple chips dehydrated with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on. It sucks the spices into them and makes for a tasty trail snack.

[El Jefe]

Here, I'll make your life easy when it comes to dehydrating. Follow what this woman says to a T and you'll be happy later. This page is basically the bible for dehydrated food stuffs.

www.dehydrate2store.com


Yeah, lemon juice is suitable.
What kind of dehydrator did you get? Some kinds are ok for doing meat, some kinds aren't even though their directions say they are. Yeah, they can make a piece of Jerky, but it will be one you have to eat quickly and not store due to high moisture content still. Some of my friends wasted a lot of money on meat that ended up spoiling after a month or so.

I would dehydrate a lot of apples and other fruits. If you take fruit and blend them up, you can pour it out on wax paper and dehydrate them into fruit rollups.

Be careful when doing things in shavings, like Hashbrowns and onion strings. They are really hard and sharp when dehydrated and will puncture the bag unless you use the really thick good ones (Get them at a Mormon Cannery)

One of our favorites is apple chips dehydrated with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on. It sucks the spices into them and makes for a tasty trail snack.

Interesting site, J. What do you use for a dehydrator? If you don't mind me asking. I'd like to make some deer jerky and perhaps some pemican, but I don't want to go to all the trouble only to see it spoil. :) The apple slices sound good too.

[Solidus-snake]

Many thanks for the link J!!

I have a Ronco food dehydrator. Came with a free jerky gun, so im assuming its safe for meat.

[El Jefe]

I just remembered something, the store bought jerky that mt eldest likes so much comes with an oxygen absorber in it. I guess that's how they get the long shelf life.