Advice Requested

ThatOwlWoman

ThatOwlWoman

Leftist Vermin
I'm considering getting a food dehydrator. I've heard the wonders of these devices sung far and wide but know little about them. I've tried sun-drying veggies and apples with varying results. Herbs are air-dried in paper bags so I don't need a dehydrator for those. I'm thinking I want to preserve mushrooms, tomatoes, berries, various fruits that you can get on sale in season, summer squash.

So please post your recommendations, tips, caveats, whatever. I am your grasshopper. :~)

Thanks!
 
I have a dehydrator. I prefer freezing, pickling, etc. They work well. It is the rehydration that'll getcha. You can get a cheap one at walmart for less than $40. Sometime less than $30 if you want to try them out.
 
ThatOwlWoman said:
I'm considering getting a food dehydrator. I've heard the wonders of these devices sung far and wide but know little about them. I've tried sun-drying veggies and apples with varying results. Herbs are air-dried in paper bags so I don't need a dehydrator for those. I'm thinking I want to preserve mushrooms, tomatoes, berries, various fruits that you can get on sale in season, summer squash.

So please post your recommendations, tips, caveats, whatever. I am your grasshopper. :~)

Thanks!
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All I know is, that you need to soak fruit in ascorbic acid before you dry.
 
Jade Dragon said:
All I know is, that you need to soak fruit in ascorbic acid before you dry.
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Thanks, that's a start. I know I could buy a book but learning from real life ppl who've been there, tried that, thought it was a poor/good idea is better than books even. I did look at some electric dehydrator units on line, and read the reviews, and was surprised that "doesn't make as much noise" is a good thing. What kind of noise could a little heating unit thingie make? Some sort of internal fan? Do the shelves inside rotate?
 
Dehydrators work great for foods where you want to intensify flavors. Dehydrated mushrooms actually have better flavor than fresh. It’s a great method for intensifying the flavors of fruits but it completely changes their texture. It’s great for beef, venison and fish too. Not so much with poultry or pork or vegetables. You’re better off canning or freezing vegetables.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Dehydrators work great for foods where you want to intensify flavors. Dehydrated mushrooms actually have better flavor than fresh. It’s a great method for intensifying the flavors of fruits but it completely changes their texture. It’s great for beef, venison and fish too. Not so much with poultry or pork or vegetables. You’re better off canning or freezing vegetables.
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Thanks! Just what I'm hoping to learn. Do you have one? Or could recommend one?
 
ThatOwlWoman said:
Thanks! Just what I'm hoping to learn. Do you have one? Or could recommend one?
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Well first things first. You need to collect and experiment with recipes in which the flavors and texture of dehydrated foods shine.

For example dehydrated beef is excellent in black bean recipes and dried tomatoes and mushrooms are awesome in pastas and braised meat recipes. Dried fruits are good for cobblers or baked goods or home made breakfast cereals. I used to dry fruits for cycling cause they are calorically dense, easy to chew and digest and you can carry a days worth in your jersey pocket.

After you have a good collection of cooking recipes find and experiment with marinades that improve flavor or the drying /preservation process.

Then go to Walmart and purchase an inexpensive one and learn the process till you get good at it and to determine your needs before researching higher end units. You’ll have a good idea of what you need by then.

Remember that this is a many stepped process where dehydrating is just one step
 
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ThatOwlWoman said:
Thanks, that's a start. I know I could buy a book but learning from real life ppl who've been there, tried that, thought it was a poor/good idea is better than books even. I did look at some electric dehydrator units on line, and read the reviews, and was surprised that "doesn't make as much noise" is a good thing. What kind of noise could a little heating unit thingie make? Some sort of internal fan? Do the shelves inside rotate?
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I haven't done much. We have one but it was stored downstairs for some time. I got it out thinking I should use it to dry fruit for vacation, but Mom elected for me to just buy some, since she says it's more complicated then just slicing up fruit, and throwing it down to dry. So I just bought a pound of banana chips, and a bagful of dried Turkish figs, at the organic market. I really wanted to dry some of my favorite fruits though. Blackberries, white nectarines, blood oranges. It's dried fruit I use to make my extracts.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Well first things first. You need to collect and experiment with recipes in which the flavors and texture of dehydrated foods shine. ...
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Thanks -- precisely the knowledge I'm seeking. We have an abundance of wild foods available here, so that is my main focus -- how to preserve them by drying. Plus Mr. Owl loves jerky and would be interested in making it at home. Well, I should qualify that by "interested in ME making it at home." lol
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Dehydrators work great for foods where you want to intensify flavors. Dehydrated mushrooms actually have better flavor than fresh. It’s a great method for intensifying the flavors of fruits but it completely changes their texture. It’s great for beef, venison and fish too. Not so much with poultry or pork or vegetables. You’re better off canning or freezing vegetables.
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The only mushrooms I use, are usually dried shitake mushrooms. Many other mushrooms I can't stand though. Especially the most basic white button ones, that you see on pizza.
 
Jade Dragon said:
The only mushrooms I use, are usually dried shitake mushrooms. Many other mushrooms I can't stand though. Especially the most basic white button ones, that you see on pizza.
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I’ve never tried using dried button mushrooms but fresh button mushrooms are a good product for soups, stews, sauces and braising recipe. I also chop up button mushrooms and mix them with other ingredients to make a ravioli filling that’s excellent. I’ll boil the ravioli till tender and make a sauce in which I sauté some shallots, garlic and diced button mushrooms in some butter add some red or white wine (both work well) and reduce while stirring by about half till the sauce comes together then stir in a tablespoon or two of cold butter...the butter needs to be cold...to finish off the sauce then spoon the sauce over a portion of the mushroom ravioli.

I’ve used dried shiitakes, criminis, portabalas, woodear fungus and best of all morels. The biggest mistake made in using dehydrated mushrooms is people throw out the dehydrating water. Your throwing away half the flavor. Just strain it and use it.
 
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anatta said:
consider an airfryer. they work as a dehydrator as well. get an oven style one -I sell these from infomercials

Airfryers are awesome- no oils , and they are quick. you would use the oven as well
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Thanks, but am trying not to use the oven much in the summer since we don't have a/c. I'll check out your link though... I've heard great things about the air fryers.

So many wonderful kitchen gadgets.... so little kitchen space. lol
 
Mott the Hoople said:
I’ve used dried shiitakes, criminis, portabalas, woodear fungus and best of all morels. The biggest mistake made in using dehydrated mushrooms is people throw out the dehydrating water. Your throwing away half the flavor. Just strain it and use it.
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Yes! I harvested lbs of chanterelles last summer. All the preservation stuff I could find on line said that they do not dry well... they turn bitter. So I sauteed them gently till half-done, and put them in small jam jars along with the lovely juice they make while cooking, and froze them. They smell and taste just as good as when fresh-picked.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
I’ve never tried using dried button mushrooms but they are a good product for soups, stews, sauces and braising recipe. I also chop up button mushrooms and mix them with other ingredients to make a ravioli filling that’s excellent. I’ll boil the ravioli till tender and make a sauce in which I sauté some shallots, garlic and diced button mushrooms in some butter add some red wine and reduce while stirring by about half till the sauce comes together then stir in a tablespoon or two of cold butter...the butter needs to be cold...to finish off the sauce then spoon the sauce over a portion of the mushroom ravioli.

I’ve used dried shiitakes, criminis, portabalas, woodear fungus and best of all morels. The biggest mistake made in using dehydrated mushrooms is people throw out the dehydrating water. Your throwing away half the flavor. Just strain it and use it.
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We've had morels growing in our yard at times. We never knew until or neighbor asked to take a few.
 
ThatOwlWoman said:
Yes! I harvested lbs of chanterelles last summer. All the preservation stuff I could find on line said that they do not dry well... they turn bitter. So I sauteed them gently till half-done, and put them in small jam jars along with the lovely juice they make while cooking, and froze them. They smell and taste just as good as when fresh-picked.
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That’s a mistake people make when cooking button mushrooms. When you sauté them you need to cook them till they give up their liguid then cook off the liquid and start to caramelise. Otherwise they end up with that slightly bitter tasting and squishy texture that most people find repulsive.

Another simple mushroom pasta recipe is to sauté 8 oz of sliced button mushrooms in a little olive oil till the give up their liguid and begins to caramelize. Then add shallots and garlic and sauté till shallots are translucent add a cup of wine and cook off the alcohol then add a cup or two of your favorite ragu or meat sauce recipe and heat through. Then add about 8 oz cooked linguine and toss then garnish with Parm.
 
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ThatOwlWoman said:
Thanks, that's a start. I know I could buy a book but learning from real life ppl who've been there, tried that, thought it was a poor/good idea is better than books even. I did look at some electric dehydrator units on line, and read the reviews, and was surprised that "doesn't make as much noise" is a good thing. What kind of noise could a little heating unit thingie make? Some sort of internal fan? Do the shelves inside rotate?
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I have never seen one advertised that had rotisserie shelving LOL. They do make noise, but unless you sleep in the kitchen, it shouldn't bother you. It is more comparable to the noise a cheapo box fan makes when running on low.
 
Just home from the lake and just now seeing this post. I have your basic Walmart .... probably a Sunbeam brand dehydrator. I don’t dehydrate many things but we love dehydrated apples and pears. I also like making homemade fruit roll ups out of pear purée. I don’t use ascorbic acid on my dehydrated pears or apples...just slice and put them in the machine. I dehydrate peppers...sweets and jalapeños. Love them. Just dry them in the machine and store them in mason jars in the cabinet. Great for using in cooking. And I make jerky...deer jerky. That’s all I use one for ... but I do use it. If I could harvest wild mushrooms I’d definitely use it for that as well. Morels are super scarce here and I can’t safely identify any other types.
 
Kacper said:
I have never seen one advertised that had rotisserie shelving LOL. They do make noise, but unless you sleep in the kitchen, it shouldn't bother you. It is more comparable to the noise a cheapo box fan makes when running on low.
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Thanks. Our bedroom is upstairs and at the back of the house behind the loft area, so don't think that will be a problem then.
 
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