WHiteapple,
I have used a dehydrator for awhile now. I have dried everything from fruit leathe, fruits and veggies. I tend to over buy or have relitives that do as well. In the case of things like potatos and carrots that either I or them have purchased and are reaching the end of thier shelf life i will take (mine and thiers) and cube them quick blanch and then dry. I also dry okra, squash, beans, and pretty much anything I can get my hands on. After I dry all this stuff and sometimes there is quite alot I will mix it up and measure 2 cups to a gallon bag, add some dried herbs(grown from my garden) and either add rice or pasta and vacume seal them, now I have plenty of soup and stew mixes (depends on which veggies are in what bag as okra will tend to thicken so its mix is used for stews.

Hope this helps
Mark

This past year I have dehydrated more foods, since purchasing the Excaliber dehydrator. Previously, I used my oven at low setting or in direct sunlight outside, and at one point when the desert was an option, dried apricots there, using flowers-of-sulfur to prevent browning, with a box covering trays. The box was removed and the trays spread out to dry in the sun. Although drying apricots the "old fashioned" way is not used in recent years, since the popularity of the electric dehydrating method, it is still my favorite way to preserve apricots. Since moving to a damper climate, this is no longer a reasonable option.

That said, most of my drying efforts are with the dehydrator. This year it was used quite extensively for fruits - dried plums, apricot (including leather), pineapple, banana, figs.

Herbs - such as dill, oregano, parsley, celery leaves, onion/garlic scapes, thyme, mints - which are bottled for direct use from my kitchen spice cupboard. Some herbs are dried (mints) then packed in freezer containers for better keepability.

I especially like dried cherry tomatoes, and raise the small golf ball size - split in 2, then dried. They are great mixed in vinegaret dressings, tossed into stir fries or added to pasta dishes, also to increase tomato flavor to any dish that would benefit. These are also dried then frozen in containers - as it helps preserve color and freshness a bit longer.

I also use the dehydrator to dry macadamia and almonds, prior to shelling and freezing in individual baggies and containers. So easy to use in baked goods or out of hand eating.

The garden produced enough peppers - Thai (hot), ancho, paprika, poblamo, etc. for dry spice cupboard storage and making enchilada sauce, etc.

So - yes - I feel my dehydrator - though a bit expensive, is a definite asset to my harvesting/preserving.

One other dried item that we like - dried lemon/lime salt. Grate the zest and juice them - add salt, then dehydrate. It is faster to start with the oven, and then finish with the dehydrator - to prevent scorching.

I have not dried beans, corn, etc.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay

When we visited historic Yorktown they had it set up like in the settlers time. They had big strings of dried pumpkin hanging up.

I dry most fruit with dried apple chips being an all time favorite.

I have jars full of dried zucchini which I stick into any homemade soup or stew. It doesn't do much by way of flavor but I think it amps up the nutrition.

Quick questions, I have been dehydrating potatos by either cubing them or slicing them toss with a little lemon juice to keep them from discoloring, but read somewhere that it is better to blanch them in boiling water for about 5 min. My questions are, Is this true? and if so do you blanch whole or after they have been cubed or sliced? And is this true of most Vegitables? only reason I ask is I do not have the instructions from my Dehydrator.

Thanks
Mark

The "french-cut" green beans that have been dehydrated until they are crispy make excellent munchies. The green beans need to be sliced thinly so they can be bitten through, this is why I use french-cut style green beans. The strong sides of the bean pods are cut into very short pieces with this cut, too. Green beans that have been snapped into pieces are too thick to make crunchy snacks, and must be rehydrated as a vegetable or in soups or stews.

Mark -

My only experience with drying potatoes - only one time, because I wanted to have dried/ground potato for use in thickening soups or stews. I'm not fond of okra, but felt this would make a good substitute.

I cut up the potatoes, steamed them until tender, then dehydrated. After they were dried, I put them through a blender to make the powder.

Bejay

Thanks Bejay,
Maybe I will try them that way but not grind them. I have been using instant mashed potatos for the same thing you are using your powder for (I know its not homemade but same principle).

Mark

In some ways, I am preserving as you do - to prevent waste of good food. Because we eat a lot of potatoes and cooking onions, I purchase those - usually in good size portions. But to prevent spoilage, I will then try to use or preserve them. So - if I can make something instead of purchasing it, i.e. thickeners, salts, seasoning powders, I will go ahead and do that. My gardening efforts and space available then, can be reserved for growing things which are more expensive or convenient to have on hand.

Awhile ago, Annie (Cooking Forum) gave me a recipe for freezing potatoes - they were cut into "french fry" size, quickly cooked in hot oil (peanut oil), placed on a cookie sheet, then frozen. This may be of interest to you for those potatoes as well. I believe they are re-heated in the microwave or toaster oven. If I'm wrong, perhaps she will correct me on this. This isn't dehydrating but another way to use up those spuds.

I like your philosophy - of not wasting - it makes a lot of sense to me.

Bejay

Bejay, I usually finish those fries up in the oven, I don't have a toaster oven and never tried the microwave. The crunchiest french fries, though, are double fried, so if you just plop them into hot oil and fry until golden, they're perfect!

I dry onions because when I freeze them they stink up my freezer, even if I double bag them. I dry hot peppers and then crush them or grind them, and I dry green peppers to use with the onions in chili or sloppy joes. I dehydrate zucchini slices for soup and apple slices for apple stack cake or just for snacks.

One of my favorites, though, was Linda Lou's zucchini candy, it came out much like gummy worms and the grand kids loved it!

I've also dried cherry tomatoes and strawberries and wasn't all that thrilled with either, and I've dried lots of herbs but basil retains flavor better when frozen, IMO.

I use my dehydrator the rest of the year to make homemade yogurt and beef jerky, it's a big old square box type Harvest Maid, works like a charm.

Annie

Three reasons to dehydrate for me:

1. I am going backpacking.
2. I have too much stuff, freezing or canning not an option (no time/freezer full), and dehydration will work.
3. Dehydration is the absolute best way to preserve this particular item.

I have two dehydrators. One is the inexpensive cylindrical stacked (Norco?)type, purchased on sale for $20. It will work well for (1) and as a back up for (2) or (3). In the summer, I also use a solar dehydrator we are building out of recycled materials, and still making adjustments to. Will take pictures and post when it is complete. Major issue is what to do at night! So we are thinking of implementing a back up fan/heater for nights.

So I'll start with #3. For us it is only three items: tomatoes, figs and smoked peppers. I will not preserve figs any other way. Tomatoes are very good either canned or frozen, however, sun dried tomatoes are a different item, with many uses and that cannot really be replaced. Also, dry them really dried and pulverize them to make instant tomato paste! I smoke my peppers (pecan) and either put them directly in the freezer, or I dehydrate them until they are completely dried using the little dehydrator. Afterward (and after storing temporarily in ziplock bags or mason jars to even out the moisture) I grind the dried peppers, ending up with a product that is the powdered equivalent of chiles chipotles adobados. Much better on the user end since you can use just a teaspoon without having to worry about what to do with the rest of the can.

Now jumping back to #1, I have successfully dried: kale, cabbage, onions, celery, bell peppers, bananas, apples, pineapple, mango, carrots, peaches, nectarines, zucchini, green beans, who knows what else I am forgetting. Unsuccessful: potatoes! this is because I did not cook them first.

If the items above do not get used during a trip to the mountain, I simply pulverize all the remaining vegetables together, and use as part of my favorite recipe for instant vegetarian burgers. I can post if anyone is interested.

I grow heaps of fresh herbs, but do not need to use a dehydrator to dry them since I live in an area with very low humidity, they dry just sitting on a basket in the counter.

cabrita,
Yes please post the recipe i would be more than willing to try them out. Thanks

Mark

Annie - sorry to be so slow to thank you, but my computer went "out" - and for several days, computer withdrawal was very apparent!

Finally, decided to forget trying to save the old one. My goodness, the newer ones are so fancy. However, I settled for another desk top as I don't need a laptop or fancier one for my "surfing" style.

Will remember to deep fry those frozen spuds in the future. I should have known, because I think the commercial types are done that way.

Whee - I didn't realize how dependent I have become on this computer lifestyle.

Sooo - back to what I like to do - garden/preserve, and talk about it on the web.

Bejay

Mark, sorry about the delay (life busy!) here is the recipe:

BACKPACKING VEGGIE BURGERS:

Pack a little plastic bottle of oil (I like olive)

Make this mixture:

1 cup tvp (tvp is textured vegetable protein, available at Bulk Bins, or you can mail order from Amazon.com)

1/4 cup pulverized toasted almonds

1/4 cup ground up crackers or bread crumbs (pulverized too)

1/2 cup mixed dehydrated vegetables: onions, zucchini, celery, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, (in any proportion that you have and like) all ground up in spice grinder or food processor.

2-3 tbsp ground up smoked hot peppers (chipotles) or smoked sweet peppers if you do not like heat.

1 - 2 tbsp tony chacharaze spice mix (creole mix, or use blend of your choice)

Mix all together. Put as much as you will eat in ziplock bag. This will keep a long time, so just refrigerate unused part. On our test the above amounts made enough to serve 4, so 1/4 of the recipe should feed one very hungry person for one meal, (if served with bread, crackers or tortillas).

At camp add boiling water to the mix until it gets to burger consistency. Let sit for a few minutes. You might need to add more water to get it to the right consistency. Shape into small patties and fry in the olive oil.

If you prefer, pack some tortillas and make this into taco filling instead of patties.

cabrita,
Thanks for that recipe, I have some inlaws that are vegitarians so when I dry some veggies I will try this recipe and if it works for me I have a vegan gift to assemble for them or make when they come to gatherings.

Thanks
Mark