I was hooked after my Master Food Preserver Class. I tried dehydrating years ago with unpromising results, so I gave it up. Now, with the new dehydrators, that they say use only as much energy as a crock pot, I'm experimenting up a storm.
Only 2 models of dehydrators were recommended for taking enough humidity out of the food. The Nesco Gardenmaster, and the Excalibur. I found a Gardenmaster to start, (about 1/2 the price of the Excalibur) and what fun I am having.
The top 3 foods so far according to family: plums with a smidge of sugar on them, (this was
#1 - who'd a thunk) pineapple, and the beef jerky. All are long gone, so no pictures, sorry. I've also done carrots, strawberries, (granddaughter Gracie's favorite) and apples (skins on, skins off, thin, & chunky). When the grandkids ask for a snack and I suggest the dehydrated fruit, they are all for it! Fruit leather is going to be tried with my Wolf River apples just coming ripe.
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Organic kale and my first crop from my Honey Crisp apple tree.
I think there were only about 20 apples -- but are they yummy! |
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| My organic sweet potatoes that I grew! |
Today I tried kale, sweet potatoes, and more chunky apples (which has turned out to be our favorite way with the apples). I've heard good reviews about kale chips -- that kids will eat them. I took out the main vein, shredded it into big pieces, drizzled some olive oil and sea salt. Mixed it up real good so everything was coated, and layed them on the trays. My "organic guy" at the farmers market only had curly kale, I have no idea the pros or cons of curly vs. regular. Caution! They dry fast :-). The sweet potatoes I did the same thing with olive oil and salt -- never heard of anyone doing that -- told you I was experimenting.
I've done the apples with an apple peeler and layed out the "rings". It works good. But, I'd like to keep the peels on. Just under the peel is where the pectin is. Pectin is good for sweeping out extra cholesterol. So, I used an apple corer. Sliced the sections in rather chunky pieces into lemon water, drained it, put them on the trays, and sprinkled some cinnamon. It takes a lot longer to dry them in chunks, but I so enjoy them -- there's more "chew" to them. .....and Rick will eat them...go figure!
The results:
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The kale dries very deep green, and crunchy. I like it.
There is a bit of a "green" taste at the end. I salted it a little too much.
So, I figure I might not even taste that "green" if I was drinking a glass of wine with it :-)
On one piece I tasted sand! Wash it good before dehydrating. |
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| Yum organic apple chunks. |
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Organic sweet potatoes. .....won't be eating them like a chip. Didn't like them.
They were way tough. Unless I throw them in some soup, I'm thinking
they will become dog treats. Billy and Butsch both approved wholeheartily! |
.....dr momi
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(Where's the "cure" you ask? If that's the main reason you haven't been making jerky, well, come on down! I hate sodium nitrite. Imagine my surprise when at my Master Food Preserver Class, Barbara Ingham, Wisconsin's Extension food scientist and our teacher, said I didn't have to use it! There was a catch. Without cure in it, you will store it in the refrigerator. If you are going on a camping trip, etc., it will keep for 2 weeks out of the refrigerator, but not indefinitely. This more than covers me for a day long shopping trip, or Rick for a day of pheasant hunting.)
