Best Dehydrator Uses

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GB

Chief Eating Officer
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I am getting my first dehydrator (Excalibur 9 tray unit) which should be delivered any day. What are some of the things you dehydrate that might not be obvious. I just read about tomato leather. You make a tomato puree with seasonings and spices and then dry that out like a fruit rollup. That sounded really tasty to me.
 
I wonder if you can make leathers out of veggies such as roasted sweet potato or butternut squash.

I understand it's relatively simple to dehydrate water.
 
How about flowers for making potpourri?

You want to place the flowers in a single layer, petals not touching each other and normally set on low.

It’s best to dehydrate the flowers by themselves so they don’t absorb the odors from other food items in the dehydrator (and vice versa). For making potpourri with your dried flowers, you might include some slices of citrus fruit peel or apple slices on the trays to include in the mix.

How about making croutons?

Cubed bread sprinkled with a little Italian seasoning, dehydrated and stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator keeps for a long time.

Dry fish before sealing and freezing.

You may even want to think about a vacuum sealer to go with long term dehydrated frozen food storage.
 
Thanks Selkie. I do have a vacuum sealer so I am sure I will use that a lot in conjunction with the dehydrator.

Great ideas. Keep em coming!

I know I plan on making beef jerky as well as lots of fruits and veggies. I have thoughts of drying stuff like broccoli and turning it into a powder and using that to season other veggies. Like maybe mix some of the veggie powder with some salt and dust squash coins before I dry them. I will then have seasoned chips that are seasoned with other veggies.
 
You can grind dehydrated items into powders that reconstitute easily to what ever serving size you want. I save orange peels in the freezer until I have several to dehydrate. Or if I am dehydrating oranges I peel them before slicing. Ground orange or lemon peels can be used in teas, or as seasonings in cooking.

My husband likes dehydrated dill pickles for a snack. They are too salty and sour for me though.

If it has moisture you can dehydrate or dry it out. Let your imagination run wild.
 
If you have a vacuum sealer and the mason jar lid attachment then you can store your dehydrated items in mason jars with the air removed from the jar. Most dehydrated items will either crush under the vacuum in a bag or if it has sharp dried edges can puncture the plastic bags when vacuum sealed. I have a pictures posted of my collection.
 
My mother recently gave me a bag of diced dehydrated bell pepper she had purchased. I used it to make a dried, instant soup mix.
 
I do have the mason jar attachment so that is exactly what I plan on doing. I love your collection. I can not wait to have one just like it.
 
Thanks GB. My collection is in a closet so that the jars are protected from sunlight. Moisture, air and sunlight are the enemies of dehydrated stored foods.
 
What about chicken? I am assuming you would not want to do it raw, but could you dehydrate cooked chicken and if so, how would you use it after?
 
Mushrooms!!!! There are just the two of us and I'm forever dehydrating the last two ounces left in a package, simply because I have no further use for them. They are fantastic in gravies, risotto, soups, etc., etc.

BTW, what do you add to rehydrate your dehydrated water???
 
* Granola
* Salted/spiced pumpkin seeds
* Candied squash rings
* Dehydrated homemade pasta
* Dehydrated shrimp as a soup/sauce addition, much like anchovy paste
 
GB: Sooo glad you picked the Ex. It will come with a manual. Register the unit with the manufacture. Only takes a minute to do. They send out several times a year booklets with special deals on their products. I want the jerky gun. Will go well with my arsenal of assault cookware. :)

Hope you bought the flat mats. Roll ups of any kind need the flat mats. If not an alternative can be used.

The dehydrator has so many uses, like the fantastic advice already given here.It's unlimited.

We no longer toss out stale crackers, chips, stored beans and such. They can be put into the dehydrator and re hydrated to it's original crispy state. Or vice versa with breads,bagels.

I make my dogs treats in the Ex. That way I know whats going into it, and having an older Lab she's 11 now,I can make them soft and chewy for her. A bagel dried out is perfect for teething puppies.

Here's a few links I keep bookmarked, great sites for new ideas. Have fun !!!
Gone Raw | sharing raw, vegan recipes and advice
April Showers Preparedness » Dehydrating
Dehydrate2Store.com | Helpful Tips


Munky.
 
I mentioned to DH the wish for a dehydrator and he quizzed me on make and model...it's coming by UPS next week...now I just have to figure out where to store it.
 
What about chicken? I am assuming you would not want to do it raw, but could you dehydrate cooked chicken and if so, how would you use it after?

I stay away from dehydrating things with oils or fats like poultry or meats, or dairy for fear of botulism.
The only meets I would dehydrate are jerky type meat. Salts help to preserve it.
 

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