Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Elcie on December 08, 2009, 10:03
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Does anyone use one? Have done a search and there was a chat just about two years ago about their merits and most people seemed positive. I am thinking about asking for one as a Christmas pressie and would like to hear any advice or any models that have worked well. I tried to make veg chips in the oven once, they were a disaster, so maybe a dehydrator is the answer?
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The lady who runs this website (http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/tales-of-a-busy-dehydrator-experimenting-with-rehydrating-food-5151) keeps on singing the praises of hers.
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Thanks for the link Madcat. I like that site and she links to a dehydrator that is less than £30. Just about the cheapest one I have seen!
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I wasn't aware of these, this is most interesting! :D I've had a look at the Cottage Smallholder's thoughts (she is good isn't she?) and I like her idea of buying near date fruit and veg to dry :), I've also picked up loads of ideas by going back and searching the forums. Thanks for asking the question Elcie! :)
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I know of a lady in Bulgaria who uses one to dry fruit etc. and is very happy with it. I believe they also dry meat to make a form of jerky but only if you are not vegetarian!
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I love the idea of drying instead of freezing - less space and energy consumption - but haven't yet summoned up the nerve to mention another gadget thingy to OH... :ohmy: Let us know how you get on ....
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It all depends on the dryer you use. If it's an electric dryer, it'll do a lovely job, but will also eat up electricity as the drying process can take up to 8 hours depending what you're drying. I used to do apple slices for the kids and they loved it, but the power bill skyrocketed. The thicker the item, the longer it takes so 12 hours or more is possible. The dryer itself can cost quite a bit and extra racks on some models can really boost the bill. You'd need to be sure you'd get your money's worth. Personally, I felt I was chained to mine as the kids ate the apple slices as fast as the dryer made them.
Solar-type dryers can work well but you just have to do it when the weather is fully dry and sunny. If you search the web, you can find all sorts of simple designs to build your own and save a bundle.
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I've got an electric dryer and it's fab 8) I got mine 2nd hand and it is quite a pricy model brand new, but check Preloved and similar sites because people seem to quite often buy them and then never use them ;)
I've dried homegrown tomato slices, apple rings, pear slices, raspberries, shallots, beans .............great for storing surplus when the freezer is full and the stuff tastes amazing. Streets ahead of anything you could buy.
I got the following book from Amazon - Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook ISBN 0-688-13024-0 It's a bit american but a bible for food drying.
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I've got a drier too. It was one of the cheaper types as I saw it as an experiment, but I've stuck with it rather than upgrading. Dried apple slices (as someone else said) and chillies plus a few other things. Raspberries weren't a success (for me). I don't use it much, but for the things I do use it for I find it very good.
Some pictures etc. in my blog - see right pane for Index, then you should be able to find vegetable drier in the list.
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:ohmy:Kristen I just lost half an hour on your blog, that is quite a project :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy:
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I've got a homemade one, works surprisingly well. Used it for drying my chillies.
¥
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I've got a homemade one, works surprisingly well. Used it for drying my chillies.
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We just string and hang our chillis to dry - works perfectly.
Incidentally, direct link to the Food Dehydrator (http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?platform=dl&awinmid=1366&awinaffid=77699&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.westfalia.net%2Fshops%2Fhousehold%2Fcuring_food%2Fpreserving_without_preservatives%2Fdehydrating_%2F193811-food_dehydrator.htm)
And a photo
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We just string and hang our chillis to dry - works perfectly.
Where's the fun in that? :shocked_smiley(_sans_chrimbo_hat):
¥
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"And a photo"
Snap! That's the one I've got :)
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"And a photo"
Snap! That's the one I've got :)
It is just about the cheapest one I have seen so is probably the one that I am going to go for. I will be like you - will try it out to see if it is worth getting the more expensive model, will love it but will probably never upgrade!
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The only thing wrong with it, IMHO, is that it has one temperature, one speed, so if you leave it on overnight its going to use X units of electricity. I use it only a few times a year, so that isn't a consideration, but for frequent users I reckon you would either need to generate your own electricity :) or buy a more controllable model with air-flow designed to be more efficient.
The fact that the exhaust air is not used (via heat exchanger) to pre-heat incoming air is pretty scandalous in these more greener-days ...