Comments on: Basics of Food Dehydration http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/ Ten simple babysteps to food storage success! Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jodi - Food Storage Made Easy http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-40339 Jodi - Food Storage Made Easy Fri, 21 Oct 2011 01:50:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-40339 The article was actually written by someone else as referenced in the beginning. This was written before we had any experience at all and have since tried more. Dehydrating is great. The article was actually written by someone else as referenced in the beginning. This was written before we had any experience at all and have since tried more. Dehydrating is great.

]]> By: Bdadfdjkl http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-40323 Bdadfdjkl Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:03:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-40323 I like that the research says that dehydrating foods will never replace canning because it doesn't retain the appearance and nutritive value as well as canning... pretty sure dehydrated foods retain MORE nutrients than canning.  I've found that dehydrating has worked a lot better for me and my family. This article seemed pretty negative and would have discouraged me from dehydrating if I hadn't already been doing it. I'm actually disappointed in a Post from you guys... that may be a first!  I like that the research says that dehydrating foods will never replace canning because it doesn’t retain the appearance and nutritive value as well as canning… pretty sure dehydrated foods retain MORE nutrients than canning. 

I’ve found that dehydrating has worked a lot better for me and my family. This article seemed pretty negative and would have discouraged me from dehydrating if I hadn’t already been doing it. I’m actually disappointed in a Post from you guys… that may be a first! 

]]> By: Ddthdfoster http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-39763 Ddthdfoster Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:37:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-39763 Hi Connie -- we love our dehydrator, my next step is doing leathers. Though I have dehydrated many things, don't have enough experience yet with the rehydrating. Most things we are just eating, and love it! Yes, experimentation is key! Hi Connie — we love our dehydrator, my next step is doing leathers. Though I have dehydrated many things, don’t have enough experience yet with the rehydrating. Most things we are just eating, and love it! Yes, experimentation is key!

]]> By: Ddthdfoster http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-39762 Ddthdfoster Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:35:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-39762 Hello - We purchased a dehydrator about a month ago, and we love it! We have dehydrated onions, zucchini, cabbage, peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, bananas, tomatoes, strawberries,,,,hmmm have I left anything out? I have to tell you we are wonderfully pleased with the taste of everything. My husband is a very good eater anyway, and loves the dried tomatoes just out of the bag! Everything has a more concentrated taste. The watermelon was amazing....just like taffy.... Hello – We purchased a dehydrator about a month ago, and we love it! We have dehydrated onions, zucchini, cabbage, peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, bananas, tomatoes, strawberries,,,,hmmm have I left anything out? I have to tell you we are wonderfully pleased with the taste of everything. My husband is a very good eater anyway, and loves the dried tomatoes just out of the bag! Everything has a more concentrated taste. The watermelon was amazing….just like taffy….

]]> By: Connies Nic http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-39141 Connies Nic Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:55:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-39141 I dehydrated a lot of tomatoes last year and developed a routine where I collected the juice and odd bits and pureed that for a leather. Some of the leather and some of the "perfect" tomato slices got dark--they were burned! I didn't think it was possible to burn anything in a dehydrator but it is, take my word for it--even at a low temperature. I like the flavour of slightly burned tomatoes so I didn't sweat it--I just used them up first. I had heard that it's impossible to dehydrate anything TOO much, and better too much than not enough, but I've learned that with some things you do have to be more careful. Now I know that tomatoes are one of those things. I don't think all rehydrated stuff tastes just as good as the fresh stuff. Some tastes even better (pineapple for example). But I haven't enjoyed dehydrated apples as much, and I've had problems getting green beans to properly rehydrate--they seem to be one of those things you CAN dehydrate too much, but it's also possible it didn't work well because I didn't blanch them first. This year that's what I'm testing. I love, love, love the convenience of dehydrated sweet potatoes/yams. Just pour some boiling water on some broken up yam leather and voila, ready-to-serve! And they do taste just the same. I think you just have to experiment until you find what works for you, and what works and what doesn't.  I dehydrated a lot of tomatoes last year and developed a routine where I collected the juice and odd bits and pureed that for a leather. Some of the leather and some of the “perfect” tomato slices got dark–they were burned! I didn’t think it was possible to burn anything in a dehydrator but it is, take my word for it–even at a low temperature. I like the flavour of slightly burned tomatoes so I didn’t sweat it–I just used them up first. I had heard that it’s impossible to dehydrate anything TOO much, and better too much than not enough, but I’ve learned that with some things you do have to be more careful. Now I know that tomatoes are one of those things.

I don’t think all rehydrated stuff tastes just as good as the fresh stuff. Some tastes even better (pineapple for example). But I haven’t enjoyed dehydrated apples as much, and I’ve had problems getting green beans to properly rehydrate–they seem to be one of those things you CAN dehydrate too much, but it’s also possible it didn’t work well because I didn’t blanch them first. This year that’s what I’m testing. I love, love, love the convenience of dehydrated sweet potatoes/yams. Just pour some boiling water on some broken up yam leather and voila, ready-to-serve! And they do taste just the same.

I think you just have to experiment until you find what works for you, and what works and what doesn’t. 

]]> By: Queenofkeyboards http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-38507 Queenofkeyboards Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:58:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-38507 I bought a dehydrator last summer and did apples, tomoatoes. strawberries, blueberries, and jerky. However, I have a question about my tomatoes. They turned out really dark and they taste different than regular tomatoes. I used them in chili and ended up adding some brown sugar to make the chili taste like my regular chili. What did I do wrong to make them taste so "dark" for lack of another word? I just broke them up into chunks and threw them in the chili. Am I wrong in thinking that the rehydrated stuff will taste as good as the original before I dried it? Thanks for any help. I bought a dehydrator last summer and did apples, tomoatoes. strawberries, blueberries, and jerky. However, I have a question about my tomatoes. They turned out really dark and they taste different than regular tomatoes. I used them in chili and ended up adding some brown sugar to make the chili taste like my regular chili. What did I do wrong to make them taste so “dark” for lack of another word? I just broke them up into chunks and threw them in the chili.

Am I wrong in thinking that the rehydrated stuff will taste as good as the original before I dried it? Thanks for any help.

]]> By: Food Storage Made Easy http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-22023 Food Storage Made Easy Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:42:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-22023 Thanks for the link ladies. Defintiely going to be adding that to our new links page! Thanks for the link ladies. Defintiely going to be adding that to our new links page!

]]> By: Food Storage Made Easy http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-27118 Food Storage Made Easy Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:42:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-27118 Thanks for the link ladies. Defintiely going to be adding that to our new links page! Thanks for the link ladies. Defintiely going to be adding that to our new links page!

]]> By: Cassie Myers Salt http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-22022 Cassie Myers Salt Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:37:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-22022 I got all my information from Tammy above, as well. She's the one who finally made me bite the bullet and by an excalibur dehydrater. So far, we've had great results. I'm still working on learning how to actually use the dehydrated foods, though. I got all my information from Tammy above, as well. She's the one who finally made me bite the bullet and by an excalibur dehydrater. So far, we've had great results. I'm still working on learning how to actually use the dehydrated foods, though.

]]> By: Cassie Salt http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/10/10/basics-of-food-dehydration/#comment-22024 Cassie Salt Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:37:00 +0000 http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/?p=2994#comment-22024 I got all my information from Tammy above, as well. She's the one who finally made me bite the bullet and by an excalibur dehydrater. So far, we've had great results. I'm still working on learning how to actually use the dehydrated foods, though. I got all my information from Tammy above, as well. She's the one who finally made me bite the bullet and by an excalibur dehydrater. So far, we've had great results. I'm still working on learning how to actually use the dehydrated foods, though.

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