Tim

You should look through the "Whats Cooking" section. There has been a lot written there! I will send you a PM later tonight or tomorrow. I have to go work today so I do not have time now. Amy and I dry all entrees and take no boughten food for dinners.

Watch your P.M. I will tell you about somethings we do when I get home tonight or tomorrow.

Mark

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dunnd1 wrote on Mar 26^th, 2007 at 8:55pm:


You should seriously consider cutting it thinner and/or drying it longer (or avoid it altogether).

"Dehydrated" food that is still moist enough to be "very sticky" can be dangerous if not kept cool.

Other foods that are high in fat, like bacon, can also be dangerous if not kept cool, even after being "dehydrated" - it doesn't work on fat.

-aj

Some foods like cherries, pineapple, and watermelon will "case harden" early on in the drying process if you start at too high a temperature. After that it is very difficult to get them properly dried for room temperature storage. Maybe that's the problem.

I use relatively low temperatures for drying most fruits and some vegetables and only crank it up for meats. I also just leave it go for an extra day, when I don't have time to unload. I found out the hard way that split cherries aren't going to get any better after two days if you start out to hot. Since I lowered my temperature, I can make raisin-like cherries.

I've had gooey batches of watermelon in the past, mostly because I cut it too thick. I now cut in thinner and get it dry enough to crack instead of bend. Still has some stickiness, but not enough to "mind meld" the pieces in storage.

I agree that it and similar dried food (tomato paste and other dried tomato stuff comes to mind) can start to rehydrate from the air when the package is opened and get nasty. Using more and smaller packages helps quite a bit when there is a lot to deal with and the package will be opened and closed many times.

There is hope...

-aj

I know I started this thread. And, with the help of many of you, I'm doing pretty well. Some disasters. But the pea soup I made my wife said was better than what she did without drying it!

I'm not going to have a problem with watermelon. I don't like watermelon off the back of the truck! Probably will get me lots of nasty comments -- but won't be the first time I got them.

And to those who have helped me, both on the site and in personal messages, thanks.

Tim

I have had good luck dehydrating spaghetti sauce.  I use a spray cooking oil to coat the plastic fruit roll-up trays and then dehydrate until it becomes "leather".  Roll it up and vacuum bag it.  Works great and reconstitutes exactly as it came out of the jar.  We mix it with dehydrated hamburger, serve with macaroni, and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.  Big hit with campers.

dunnd1 wrote on Mar 26^th, 2007 at 8:55pm:


Bananas took me awhile to master.   Through many attempts they where just that... "not that great".

By mistake last year I stumbled on the banana bread secret.  If you let your bananas ripen, just about to the point of becoming mushy, but still stiff enough to slice, lay them out on the thinner dehydrator screen, cook on the "mid" fruit setting for 24 hours, they are tasty enough that others you may trip with will truthfully enjoy them as well.  They become "natural" candy that will be viewed as a treat.  though I'd have to agree, for many years and several attempts, my dehydrated bananas' where not that great either.

I'm making up a few batches now to have around through the holidays.  They have become "popular" with my friends and family.  I am looking for an alternative, such as coating them with brown sugar.  It's a thought.

Though I did have a question.  does any-one know how long dehydrated goods keep "Well" in a frozen state, and any tricks of the trade?  I searched a bit, yet perhaps not enough.  If any-one wishes to share... that would be great.  This would be a comprehensive question including all dehydrated goods.

k