Food dehydrators

[Ben_Hillwalker]

The latest edition of Summit (the British Mountaineering Council's magazine) has been singing the praises of the Excalibur range of food dehydrators.

Do they have any advantages over other makes such as Ezidri or even over doing it yourself with low-set oven?

 

[British Red]

Over an oven? Yes hugely. They are temperature controlled to the right (low) teperature and fan assisted so they only pull a couple of hundred watts through. Much better than an oven (I've done both). I believe the excaliburs also have timers etc. so you can leave them running without constant monitoring etc. The also ahve a large square drawer arrangement so that individual trays can be pulled in and out without "unstacking".

I use a £30 el cheapo stacking dehydrator at the moment since I was reluctant to buy something as pricey as an Excalibur without being sure it wasn't a fad (with me). When this one goes though, I plan to move up to what seems to be the "rolls royce" model of dehydrators since I love making my own Jerky, fruit leathers, dried fruit etc.

Red

 

[andyn]

I believe the excaliburs also have timers etc. so you can leave them running without constant monitoring etc.

Or add in an old light switch timer and you no longer have to remember to turn it off.

 

[Ben_Hillwalker]

So would it be fair to say that the Excalibur range is good but not exactly entry level?

 

[John Fenna]

I have just complted a review of the top-of-the-range excalibur dehydrator (£200 +) and, not to give any secrets away, it is the puppys privates, the rotwielers reproductives, the mutts nuts, the dachunds danglies etc...
Much superior to anything I have used before.
www.ukjuicers.com do a range of dehydrators starting at around £69.00.
No conection with the co. other than they supplied the review dehydrator.
John

 

[British Red]

Hey John,

You can't send it back now its used can you? You lucky bloke

Ben, its far from entry level. £30 gets you entry level - Tchibo and Westfalia are the best places to look.

Red

 

[Toddy]

My £30 special is running just now...you *have* to try drying slices of fresh peaches and nectarines....wonderful, just wonderful, and the little pieces I've pulped and am making leather from.

I don't think ours has been off for more than a few days since we bought it; it's been very much worth every penny we paid for it. To be honest though, I don't think I'd even bother buying a more expensive one if this one dies, just one the same. It's simply fill the racks, switch on and potter about, turn them around when remembered, and we haven't had a bad batch yet

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tadpole]

My £30 special is running just now...you *have* to try drying slices of fresh peaches and nectarines....wonderful, just wonderful, and the little pieces I've pulped and am making leather from.

I don't think ours has been off for more than a few days since we bought it; it's been very much worth every penny we paid for it. To be honest though, I don't think I'd even bother buying a more expensive one if this one dies, just one the same. It's simply fill the racks, switch on and potter about, turn them around when remembered, and we haven't had a bad batch yet

cheers,
Toddy

I know it's a daft question, well daftish, if you dry meat in the dehydrator, does it then require freezing, I've read of lots of peoples meat/jerky going rancid, was that poor drying/jerking or is that normal if you don't freeze it?

 

[mace242]

I have a westfalia £30 special. I've created dried food addicts here. Fruit leathers too. All sorts. Like br I may upgrade to something posher when it dies - at this rate that won't be long.

 

[Toddy]

My brother's dehydrator is the one we use for meat.....I'm veggie and I don't mix pots, crockery & cutlery.....and it too has had a lot of use. Properly dried, and stored, jerky lasts very well. The problem is our relatively warm and damp climate. If it can get damp it will get mouldy.
Having said all that, I don't know anyone who has made jerky and had it last longer than a couple of weeks anyway It seems to be eminently moreish If it's properly dry it ought not need to be frozen, just stored in an airtight jar or the like.
Jerkymeister posted some really good info on making good jerked meat.

atb,
Toddy

 

[thingswelike]

The Excalibur is definitely the top-of-the-range. We built up to it over about 6 years of managing with a Sigg (about £40 round model).
The thing that you really need to invest in is the sheeting that you can buy with an Excalibur or you can get it from an Aga shop (they even had something which looked similar in Aldi last week).
It makes all the difference.
Unfortunately the Excalibur is also rather noisy - in our pokey house it's annoyingly loud at night

 

[British Red]

Tadpole,

I picked up one of my larger bergans the other day. There was a paper bag of homemade jerky in the side pouch. It must be over six months old. Its perfectly fine - no different than the day I dried it. I've never had a batch go rancid yet. Ranidity is a sign of spolied fat - I only use lean cuts and dry them so long there is no fat in them. Mould is a sign of damp, but I don't let it get damp.

No reason Jerky shouldn't last at least 6 months unfrozen

Red

 

[andy_pevy]

Tadpole,

I picked up one of my larger bergans the other day. There was a paper bag of homemade jerky in the side pouch. It must be over six months old. Its perfectly fine - no different than the day I dried it. I've never had a batch go rancid yet. Ranidity is a sign of spolied fat - I only use lean cuts and dry them so long there is no fat in them. Mould is a sign of damp, but I don't let it get damp.

No reason Jerky shouldn't last at least 6 months unfrozen

Red

I wonder if the paper bag is significant here, as it will let the jerky breathe a little bit but not allow condensation on it ?.

I have just made my first batch in the oven at the weekend, my missus now thinks I have really lost the plot .

Andy

 

[British Red]

How does it taste though?

 

[spamel]

Can I use blackberries to make a leather? maybe with some pureed apple in aswell?

 

[Toddy]

Easily, but it might be better to pulp the fruit and strain out the seeds, especially if you're feeding baby spamels.
I generally wash the brambles and then slowly poach them with just the water they've hung onto. Squish through a sieve and mix with some peeled and cored apples.
Slowly poach to remove more water and then spread out on either baking parchment or silicon sheets cut to fit your dehydrator or oven trays. When the stuff is peelable I try and lift it off the sheet and turn it over to dry more thoroughly.
It's lovely stuff

atb,
Toddy

 

[mace242]

My missus now thinks I have really lost the plot .

Andy

The amount of times I get that from my other half..... "You're doing what now?"... "No I'm not trying that - It's a leaf - From a hedge!"

Good luck on the jerky...

 

[Toddy]

Waiting for Son2 to come out of the Dr's I noticed a wonderful crop of thistles just through the fence; absolutely perfect for fire start So I got a small bag and a pair or pruners out of the boot and began to help myself. I had nearly filled the bag when, in long suffering tones, a voice behind me said, "You just can't help yourself, can you? There's always *something* you spot, even here! in a ruddy carpark!".....I kind of got the feeling he was vexed about something It feels very odd being told off by a son, even if he is in his twenties and six foot tall

cheers,
Toddy

 

[mace242]

I wonder if it's worth starting a thread about this?

"Things we do that puzzle/bemuse/amuse our nearest and dearest"

Being in the car with my other half "stop the car" says I. "Why?" says she... Then has to wait whilst I harvest the cat tails I've seen for tinder.... The raised eyebrow of "just you try persuading me..." when I showed the the you tube of Les Stroud living in the woods...

Still she's not so bad - likes the walking and is loads better at fishing than me. Even if I'm the one that gets to do the gory parts....

 

[andy_pevy]

How does it taste though?

Lovely, thanks... Even my rather fussy eater of a son liked it.

Andy