With today's concern about healthy eating and avoiding additives and preservatives, some people are exploring alternative methods of preserving food. Home canning and drying methods are not new but they continue to offer a healthy means of saving a wide variety of foods while maintaining most of the nutritional value.
Food can be dehydrated in the oven but the use of food dehydrators has seen a resurgence in recent years and can be more energy efficient. The removal of moisture with its resulting shrinkage, also allows for more convenient packaging -- especially for those who brown-bag it or are active and don't want to pack heavier items.
Why Use A Dehydrator?
Anyone who has priced dried foods like "trail mix" in its various versions knows that it can be very costly. Home-made varieties are much more economical. There is also the advantage of being able to personalize the recipe, excluding ingredients that cause allergies or ones that are disliked. It is can be worthwhile if you are inclined to buy more fruit or vegetables than you are able to consume before they spoil.
As any gardener knows, there are periods when everything seems to bloom or ripen at once. Fresh produce, herbs, even flowers from the garden, can be successfully preserved in a dehydrating machine. In this way, you have a year-round supply of harvest from your own garden. Set some aside to be used later to be attractively packaged as gifts for special occasions throughout the year.
Another advantage of using dehydrated foods is the relatively little effort it takes for preparation. In most cases, all that is needed is the time to cut things up and arrange them on the trays. In hours, the food is ready with minimal fuss. Some people even leave the machine running overnight.
From baking ingredients like dried cherries or cranberries, to dried flowers, to spice mixes, to beef jerky, the versatility is endless. Even pets can benefit from nutritionally sound foods that are preserved in this way.
Facts About Dehydrators
Be aware, however, that there is a difference in caloric intake between fresh and dried foods. It is the quantity that makes the difference. For example, one cup of fresh apricots is roughly the same caloric count as a half a cup of dehydrated apricots. Dried and packed in a bag, it would be easy and fast to consume twice the calories of fresh. This is why distance athletes sometimes pack dehydrated foods for an efficient source of energy.
There are a variety of dehydrating machines on the market. Some offer the convenience of timers and easy settings. Others are designed to dry larger quantities of food at once. A recent perusal of current machines showed a range in price between $48.00 at some discount department stores and $150.00, depending upon features and capacity.
One recommendation by experienced users is to buy a model where the motor is built into the top instead of the bottom of the machine for more efficient cleaning. Also, ensure that the air circulates freely throughout the machine and that somewhere in the specifications it states that you won't have to change trays all the time. (Some models require frequent rearranging of the trays to allow for even drying.)
Every machine should be accompanied by a book with instructions and recipes. Be sure to consult yours for further details. Ensure that all equipment is carefully cleaned before and after use - especially when doing meat-related projects.
Here are some examples of foods that can be preserved in a dehydrator;
- Most Herbs - (4-6 hours) Do not remove the stalks or stems.
- Fruit and Vegetables - (time varies according to thickness of material, ranging from 4 to 36 hours); Thin, uniform pieces dry best. Apples, Apricots, Artichokes, Asparagus, Bananas, Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cherries, Cranberries, Eggplant, Garlic, Grapes, Lemons, Mango, Mushrooms, Nectarines, Okra, Parsnips, Papaya, Pears, Peas, Pineapple, Plums, Potatoes, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, Prunes, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon, Zucchini
- Flowers (8 - 10 hours or until brittle) Half open flowers work best.
- Poultry, Fish, and Meat - (10 hours or until brittle) It is better to use fresh meat, not frozen. Beef, chicken,pork and venison are all used. Some directions will ask you to boil the meat briefly first -- especially when using poultry and pork. The USDA recommends, heating the meat to 160 F. for at least 5 minutes before placing the meat in the food dehydrator to destroy any harmful bacteria
Note: Many jerky enthusiasts prefer to marinade the meat before placing it in the dehydrator for flavour. Refrigerate or freeze after cooking.
For Further Information;
- University Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, FCS 850
- Diner's Journal: The Drying Game
- Dehydrator recipes
- Safe Handling of Beef
- Recipes for Dehydrators
Jennifer Wilson - By the time you've marched around for five decades and earned a few degrees, you've learned a few things about a few things....
