Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Looking into using a dehydrator to preserve meat and vegies, maybe fruit too. Any models/brand names to look for? What about methods of drying, recipes etc? Use vaccum sealer to put the dried meat in - or glass jars? I was considering using a vacuum sealer to place dried meats into sealed bags, then put those bags into sealed 5gal buckets. Thoughts?

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I have an Excalibur, it is an excellent dehydrator.

http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

How about a foil lined cardboard box with a worklamp (with a 100W incandescent bulb) at the bottom of it. Plans for it are about here somewhere.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

The concept that is most critical is, high air volume, cool temp.

You don't want to cook the food, just dry it out. Anything above 95 deg F is probably too high. Especially for meats. Look for the highest CFM and adjustable temps down to 80-85 deg.

Air movement is the critical piece.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

You need to do some research before you start throwing out arbitrary numbers like "Anything above 95 deg F is probably too high", which is not at all the case. Take a look at these temperature ranges that according to your figures would be "probably too high":

http://www.living-foods.com/marketpl...orcompare.html

You're right that air movement is the critical factor, but the temperature ranges in dehydrators don't at all compare to the temperatures in ovens, as you seem to imply.

As for dehydrator models, I've heard a lot of people say that Excaliburs are the best high-end consumer dehydrators on the market, although I've got a dozen dehydrators by Nesco American Harvester that I've picked up on eBay the past few years and I've recommended Nesco to anyone who's expressed interest in dehydrators.

I'm also passionate about quashing misinformation about food dehydration because I'm passionate about promoting food storage and emergency preparedness in general.

Here are some helpful links you should check out:

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/dehydrators.aspx
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/...fety/index.asp
http://www.living-foods.com/marketpl...nfomation.html

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

+1 on the Excalibur. It's the best one out there from what I was able to collect.

I have the 9 tray, it's big, but that's precisely part of how useful it is a getting the job done volume wise.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Ditto ...... Excalibur here also. :smokin:

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

that excalibur looks the biz. I didn't want to know they sell those down under. Pricey but I can see a couple advantages over the round stacker one I have. It is a bit like the nesco one except the controls are off and on only. (mine that is)

The exalibur would be easier to check one tray at a time. The stackers, you have to turn it off, find somewhere to put the fan unit, which is hot, take of the trays to get to the one you want, then put them down somewhere.

The food closest to the fan always dries the fastest. Can you turn the trays around in the excalibur, so you can slide them in otherway round and start drying the stuff that was as the front?

The stacker ones you have to shuffle them around because the trays on the bottom dry slower.

Trying to think of anything else makes one better than the other. Maybe the usability of the space on the tray. Round things are round though so not sure either one wastes more space than the other there. Straight/square things would be much more space efficient in the excalibur.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

The problem with stacking from what I've read is the flavor mixing issue if you do different items at the same time. No such problem with the Excalibur one.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

yep, thats a very good point.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I don't see a reason to do different items at the same time with my Nescos. In fact, it makes more sense to just dehydrate one type of product per dehydrator session so that you can have a more uniform drying cycle. If you're wanting to dehydrate, say, jerky and spinach (which I'm dehydrating at this moment), they have very different densities and composition, and they dry much faster if you keep the jerky in one dehydrator and spinach (or whatever else) in another. No problem with mixing flavors.

And like I said above, I'd rather have a dozen cheaper dehydrators (albeit the best of the cheaper models) and not have to worry if one breaks down than to put all my powdered eggs in one basket.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I have one and I love it


http://herbgardens.about.com/od/prod.../excalibur.htm

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Hands down Excalibur 9 tray. I bought one last year for my husbands Birthday/Christmas present. He loves it...Says you get fantastic results and it's easy to clean.:coolbeer:

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I have a small garden, so the 5 tray Excalibur works fine for me. I just dehydrated sliced, blanched potatoes and ran out of space for the very first time in 3 years -- needed a 6 tray, LOL.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Thanks for the input. I think we have differing objectives WRT dehydration.

I look to preserve the food in its raw state. ESP meats. Heat will alter the protein structure of meats and change the raw texture. I look to remove water from the food without the introduction of external heat. A window fan actually does a great job.

If you are looking for convenience, fast dry times and a relativity acceptable product for basic food preservation, you are correct.

I would use freeze dehydration if I could.

I doesn't alter the food with heat at all.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Is the case on the excalibur made out of plastic?

I tend to like things made from metal a little better...no BPA! also they seem like the last a lot longer usually.

Any advantages to going with the more expensive

TSM Model D10

over say the excalibur? Can you repair the excalibur yourself if something goes bad like the heating element or the fan bearings? does exaclibur sell replacement parts?

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

:coolbeer:Buy a 6 tray...Then you will have 11 trays and should be good to go!!!!:shine:

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

The last time I looked, Excalibur made a 5 tray and a 9 tray, no 6 tray. Darn!

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I find I often end up mixing stuff, because I like to fill the thing to full capacity when it's on ($$$), and the ingredients don't always work out to fill it just right.

It's nice to not have to worry about it, just fill it up with whatever..

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I just bought an excalibur 9-tray from the factory direct site...

They have a deal right now (sounds like its one of those always-on kind of marketing sham deals...) but it was pretty good!

9-tray with timer (could prolly use an external timer for cheaper then the price difference...)

1)a Poly screen "pack" (guessing this is screens for each of the trays...) so you can dry smaller things...
2)2 fruit leather "non-stick" inserts for the trays
3) dehydrating tips/tricks and recipe book
4) 10 YEAR WARRANTY!!!
5) free shipping

total $249


If you go to their website and click products...the specials are across the top.

Looking forward to getting it in the mail, I'm bummed I've missed all the farmers markets for this year though!

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Got my dehydrator in the mail yesterday, I unboxed it and cut up a container of strawberries I got at the store the other day and put them on the trays, set it for 135 deg. and to dehydrate for 8 hours.

I cut the strawberries too thin, I had little paper thin wafers at the end of the drying. They taste fine though and I'll prolly eat them in oatmeal or wheat-meal that I make in the mornings. They will be good in that role!

Looking forward to trying other things as time permits...and figuring it out so I end up with sizeable peices!

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

One nice tip is to keep the temps higher at the start (food will not get too hot due to higher water content) then reduce it down to enzyme preserving temps to keep the food alive and whole after a few hours. Reduces the drying time, while not "killing" the food.

Do some searching on ideal temps for various foods.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Kinda scary just how much water was in there, eh?

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I just picked up one of the 9 tray dehydrators that Cabelas has. It was regularly $149, was on sale for $99 and then I got an additional $20 off with a coupon - so it came to $79. I haven't opened it up yet. I was planning on waiting and getting the Excalibur 9 tray - but after looking the Cabelas unit over - it looked very similar to the Excalibur.

Does anyone have one of these units, and have any comments?


http://www.cabelas.com/p-0061371518667a.shtml

http://images.cabelas.com/is/image/c...?$main-Medium$

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I just bought a couple of Nescos. Didn't know if we woud really use them, so we didn't want to put out the cash. Besides, they were available locally when we had some fruit to dry. We couldn't wait for the mail order.

They work pretty well, but one time I tried upping the temp to speed things up and ended with charcoal fruit and had to throw the batch out, so like others have said, you do need to watch the temperature.

--Willie

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I've never had a problem with "charcoal" fruit. Surely it wasn't actually charred, was it? Did you try reconstituting it? What kind of fruit was it?

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

One fruit to not bother dehydrating is oranges....they end up bitter and nasty. The oranges were super sweet and organic as well. Odd.

I tend to do everything (except meat) at 135F for a few hours then reduce temps to 110F for the remainder. Usually takes about 10+ hours depending on how thick you slice.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I think I see an excalibur under the tree with my name on it. Not sure what else would come in a 24" sqare box.

My wife lurks on GIM so maybe she read this thread!

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Solar dehydrators are child's play to build, assuming you have the right climate. Search internet for plans, but though your imagination will suffice.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I think they were pears and peach/plums, both fairly thinly slice--and yes, they were very dark and tasted of charcoal. They were inedible and we had to throw them out.

--Willie

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

The little canned mandarin oranges are GREAT, however. They come out like candy. I gobbled them all down first thing, so they didn't work well for long term food storage.

I also liked drying canned pineapple.

--Willie

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Yeah, I had that same experience with oranges about 10 years ago. It was pretty bad. I haven't bothered to try dehydrating citrus fruits at all since then. I think it might be because of the citric acid that they turn sour when they're heated.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

This i what I purchased 3900 R Excalibur � $159.95 available with Black or White Case - FREE Shipping and 10 Year Warranty

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Food Drying

By Marcella Shaffer
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/shaffer58.html

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Question: Timer or no timer?

I'm trying to decide between the 9 tray Excalibur with or without the timer. Is the timer actually helpful? My inclination is to buy the one without, as it would be one less item that could potentially break. OTOH, if the timer is actually useful, I'd prefer to buy that one.

My only experience with a dehydrator is an old American Harvest that was more trouble than it was worth. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

i have dehydrated in conventional oven,,using the oven light,,,,by changing bulb size you can obtain exactly the temp. you want,,,,it works very well,,,,,a gas oven with active pilot light and oven light on is just about all you need sometimes,,,,

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I bought the exacalibur with the timer because it is less hassle (dont have to get up in the middle of the night to unplug it)

but I think you can go to walmart and buy a timer for lamps and such for like $5 so I don't think it is worth it to get the built in timer. I wasn't thinking when I bought it, you can do the same thing cheaper with the external timers you can get in any lighting section of any store..

Though if your outlets are hard to get to/packed then it may be worth it to pay the extra $20 to have it built in...

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

No timer here on my 9 tray Excalibur. I use the 'living foods' method and it is almost impossible to time.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

http://www.geopathfinder.com/9473.html
check these solar ones out. i have most of the mat'ls but yet to make one. the 'cat's meow' i believe.

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Agreed on the plastic! I try to stay away from plastic whenever food is concerned - especially at high temperatures.

I bought this model and I'm very happy with it:
http://www.kitchengadgetry.com/kitch...1w-p-6976.html

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Question for the group here - the dehydrator i have (link in post above) has trays made out of steel that have good sized holes in them. Can anyone recommend a good material to put over the trays when drying small items (like corn for example)?

TIA!

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

I just found this thread and was dreading doing canning this fall. So getting a dehydrator would be a great addition. Thanks everyone.

To answer your question, I would think wax or parchment paper would work fine. You can get them at any grocery store. NOt sure if this will work, but I think it would.

The Great Ag

Re: Recommend a food dehydrator
 

Relatively simple solar dehydrator made from broken fridge:

http://www.youtube.com/paulwheaton12#p/u/0/5U1JgAkW-xY