[Poolfield2]

Has anyone ever tried dehydrating food to preserve it? I saw that someone on our freecycle was getting rid of a drier (it had already gone ) and I wondered if it is a better way of keeping strawberries when I've made enough jam and eaten as many fresh ones as I can manage. I've found instructions for a DIY drier from a box, foil and a light bulb but I could just use my oven on low (it goes down to 30C)

[Val H]

Not done it YET with strawberries but have with other fruit. Try this link http://www.allotment-garden.org/allotment_foods/drying-food/index.php and this one http://www.allotment-garden.org/allotment_foods/drying-food/Drying-Fruit-Vegetables.php
The first one even gives you how to make your own drier (best get the ordinary light bulbs before they're banned though!).

[Poolfield2]

Thanks Val, I should have guessed there would already be a section on here dedicated to it. When the time comes I'll have a go with the strawberries, I've actually eaten comercially produced dried starwberries and they were fab but I've never seen them in the uk.

[PAULW]

I dry my own raspberries to add to the breakfast Special K never has enough of my own strawberries to dry yet maybe this year, I did cherry tomatoes these are brill and so full of flavour will try with full sized this year, I have also made fruit leathers fruit puree dried a lot healthier than the mass produced sweets.

[Poolfield2]

Paulw, did you use your oven to create them or did you make a drier?

[PAULW]

Poolfield
I went mad and bought a proper one, my raspberries went crazy and I was picking 2lb of fruit a day the freezer was full up and the neighbours couldnt eat another raspberry so I though there must be a better way of storing the fruit and I like my special k red berries, I had read on other forums about a dehydrator and it looked like a good idea now instead of storing pounds of fruit I store it by the ounce.

[Poolfield2]

After you have dried it do you store it in posh containers or will jam jars do the job?

I'm on a "no more gadgets" pledge for a few months so I'll have to use the oven method but I reckon that should be fine.

[PAULW]

Jam jars will do fine, or zip up freezer bags.

[Poolfield2]

Thanks Paulw, another good excuse for hoarding empty jars, it drives my OH mad but it seems to me you can never have too many jars

[Val H]

Thanks Paulw, another good excuse for hoarding empty jars, it drives my OH mad but it seems to me you can never have too many jars

John is the opposite, he looks really crestfallen if I put a jar into the box for the bottle bank! Keep your nerve and repeat to yourself at least 10 times "I do not need another gadget".

[Trillium]

I keep telling myself that all the time Val, along with I don't need another pot; I don't need another utensil; I don't need more dishes. 

[wighty]

I love those new pour and seal zip up bags that Teco have, they are brilliant for soup and when you defrost and pour it into the pan very little stays stuck to the inside of the bag, even when you've washed them out and reused them. Well worth the money.

[Poolfield2]

Thanks Paulw, another good excuse for hoarding empty jars, it drives my OH mad but it seems to me you can never have too many jars

John is the opposite, he looks really crestfallen if I put a jar into the box for the bottle bank! Keep your nerve and repeat to yourself at least 10 times "I do not need another gadget".

This time I'm not too tempted as I really think my oven will do a good job As to jars a lady asked me for some today as she is making marmalde so I was right to keep them

I need jars and boxes like OH needs bits of wood

[Val H]

John has an obsession about jars and bits of wood!

[Poolfield2]

John has an obsession about jars and bits of wood!

No wonder your house is "FULL"