Starting out in Dehydration

[Countryman]

I received a Charles Jacobs food dehydrator for Christmas. I know a lot of people on here dry food.

What would you start with?

Any favourite recipes to share?




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[John Fenna]

Fruit leathers - my favourite is banana and strawberry...
Blend 2 'nannas and a tin of strawberries (or similar amount of fresh in season fresh) and spread them about 3mm thick on the non stick sheets.
When dry and leathery dust with icing sugar, roll up and slice into 1/2" pieces.
Jerky - invent a marinade to your taste (soy sauce, Worcester Sauce, garlic paste, ginger powder, black pepper, tomato paste is one of my favourites), slice skirt beef into thin pieces/slices marinade overnight then dry until like leather. Resist eating it all in one go.
Veggies - almost any work - slice thinly and dry until bone dry. Celery is great dried and then powdered and then used either as a condiment or added to soups etc. Drying celery will amaze you as it consists of almost nothing but water and you get very little bulk but a lot of flavour when you dry it.
Fruit - Pineapple is on of my favourites - slice into 1/4" rounds dry until it is like a toffee. Delicious.
Strawberries - unbelievable flavour! Slice big ones into 2-3mm pieces.
Tomatos - slice cherry toms in half and dry cut side up.

That should start you off

 

[Countryman]

Brilliant John! Many thanks


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[decorum]

For ideas or inspiration I dip into backpackingchef.com

 

[British Red]

There's half a dozen pictorials of mine on the site. Easy things I do a lot of are apple rings and strawberry slices. Both use up gluts. Strawberry slices are a taste sensation on cereal.

 

[rik_uk3]

Hamburger rocks.

 

[Rabid]

Anything that they are selling off at the market or is on special offer at the supermarket.
Mushrooms mangoes apples bananas all very easy to do and a great way to start your dehydrating adventure.

 

[Jonbodthethird]

If I was you mate I'd do spag Bol. Its a good one to start with. The inputting you need to do is drain the fats and wash the mince when you've browned it other than it's the same way. I also cook the pasta and dry it so all you you need to do is rehydrate it. It's a good meal that works well. Just be careful not to dry it too much or they turn into bullets and hydrate a lot slower. I find with mine 9 hours is perfect. You might need more or slightly less depending.ive also done a few other things like stews but you need to keep the vegetables thing and the meat in to small pieces. Check out the hunger hammock hanger.


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[Countryman]

All sounds good!


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[Countryman]

My first lot of apple and banana chips is on. Is it really necessary to dip it all in lemon juice. Make the process a PITA.

Just defrosting a lump of Roe rump to try for jerky.

Suspect a trip to the shop coming on for a marinade.


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[decorum]

... Is it really necessary to dip it all in lemon juice. Make the process a PITA.

Try a batch without

You know how apple flesh browns when exposed to air? The citric acid prevents that process . Gives it a nice tang too ~ but you can get unflavoured powders if you don't want the additional taste.

Try pear as well. Dehydrating gives it an 'odd' texture

 

[Monikieman]

Persimon fruit are great and kiwi. Both sliced thinly and they are like crisps when done.

Oranges. Tried some sliced oranges for Christmas decorations and ended up eating them. The skin is not as bitter as when fresh but.......

Stud the orange skin with cloves and you've got Christmas decorations!

 

[Countryman]

Well the bananas and apple are drying nicely with no discolouration. Meantime I hit our local butcher and scored a good couple of pounds of some obscure cut of beef from the hind quarters. Very lean and seemingly ideal. Have now realised that's a lot of beef and a lot of work!

Marinades made on the fly from things in the fridge and cupboard as I went along. Based loosely then on beer, Laphroigh, barbecue sauce, Ancona hot sauce, soy sauce with ginger and garlic and a bottle of reggae reggae sauce. Made about half a dozen different batches. Was given a pot of sea salt garlic and chilli by Santa that has been used liberally.

Have now taken over a good portion of the fridge to let my concoctions infuse.

Roll on this evening!



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[rik_uk3]

Well the bananas and apple are drying nicely with no discolouration. Meantime I hit our local butcher and scored a good couple of pounds of some obscure cut of beef from the hind quarters. Very lean and seemingly ideal. Have now realised that's a lot of beef and a lot of work!

Marinades made on the fly from things in the fridge and cupboard as I went along. Based loosely then on beer, Laphroigh, barbecue sauce, Ancona hot sauce, soy sauce with ginger and garlic and a bottle of reggae reggae sauce. Made about half a dozen different batches. Was given a pot of sea salt garlic and chilli by Santa that has been used liberally.

Have now taken over a good portion of the fridge to let my concoctions infuse.

Roll on this evening!



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Port or Sherry make a good base for a sauce.

I (as I'm not a veg grower) dry frozen veg with great success, they come peeled, sliced and are often 'fresher' than some bag of veg thats sat on a shelf for a few days.

Peas, Sweet Corn, sliced green beans, carrots dry really well. When you dry fresh mushrooms and come to use them, the water you've hydrated them in seems to have a really intense mushroom flavour and works as a great soup base

Have fun.

 

[Countryman]

Mushrooms definitely on the agenda!


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[decorum]

Mushrooms definitely on the agenda!

My personal preference for dehydrating mushrooms is on a dry day ~ so the drier and therefore the smell, can go outside

Same goes for cruciferous veg

 

[Countryman]

Yes I can see how that musty mushroom smell could be an issue. Especially as the wife won't eat mushrooms!


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[decorum]

Oh ... and any bread which is past it's best but isn't put to toast can be dehydrated too. Turn it to crumb for stuffing mixes

 

[Countryman]

Garlic croutons should be do-able by the same measure.

😊


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[decorum]

Won't get hot enough for the oil to cook the bread. Or do you have a non oiled recipe?