Dehydrator has arrived

[Pinkorchid]

Not heard of a home dehydrator so what do you use it for I know it removes all moisture but what foods would you want to do that to

 

[xfieldok]

Not heard of a home dehydrator so what do you use it for I know it removes all moisture but what foods would you want to do that to

Initially I got interested in the jerky for the puppies. When I downloaded the Idiot's guide I found all sorts of things I would like to try. I buy mushroom stock cubes and would like to make my own. Dehydrated mushroom powder sounds like a winner to me. Didn't do it this year but I usually grow herbs. A lot go to waste and yes I know I could have done them done them in the oven, but I hadn't thought about it.

And it's a gadget!

 

[DCUKMod]

@Brunneria - I want to complain. I have a batch of those dried onion rings in the machine at the moment and the smell is absolute torture, but the worst bit is they still have about 47 hours to go!

I might have to move the dehydrator out to my workshop!

 

[Brunneria]

@Brunneria - I want to complain. I have a batch of those dried onion rings in the machine at the moment and the smell is absolute torture, but the worst bit is they still have about 47 hours to go!

I might have to move the dehydrator out to my workshop!

Yes. That was my experience too.

They will keep well in a sealed cool jar. Which is a farcical statement, since they have never, in the B household, lasted long enough to even reach the jar, let alone sit in it for any time.

I do enjoy spreading the luuuuve. And the onion gas.

 

[DCUKMod]

With 18/19 hours togo, this complaint still stands, @Brunneria . I mean, I didn't really even follow the recipe (no nutritional yeast at home), but boy, the periodic testers have been fab.

Somehow, in my water, I know by this time tomorrow the crispy onion rrings will be formerly crispy onion rings.

's all your fault!

Have you tackled or started anything yet @xfieldok ?

 

[DCUKMod]

Oh, and next time with the onion rings (because there will be a next time), I may do them in the oven, so that I can do more. I'm home alone at the moment, but I have a feeling MrB and I will be scrapping over them.

 

[xfieldok]

So far I have washed it and given its 1 hour at 60c. It doesn't have a timer so by the time it had finished it was too late to start anything.

I have some mushrooms to try first. I am going to soak half first as recommended in my idiot's guide. The other half I will just chuck in and see what happens.

 

[Brunneria]

So far I have washed it and given its 1 hour at 60c. It doesn't have a timer so by the time it had finished it was too late to start anything.

I have some mushrooms to try first. I am going to soak half first as recommended in my idiot's guide. The other half I will just chuck in and see what happens.

They go shrivelled and spongy and wrinkly.
Then they shrink more and finally go leathery.

And the smell is a bit mushroom soupy.


Voice of experience.

Oh, and you get ridiculously little dried mushroom from a punnet. Start with more than you think you need...

Gosh, this is all bringing back fab memories.

 

[xfieldok]

They go shrivelled and spongy and wrinkly.
Then they shrink more and finally go leathery.

And the smell is a bit mushroom soupy.


Voice of experience.

Oh, and you get ridiculously little dried mushroom from a punnet. Start with more than you think you need...

Gosh, this is all bringing back fab memories.

Mmmmmmm mushroom soup! Things may be on hold after finding a mouse in the kitchen. Going to have to go through kitchen cupboards tomorrow and sort out the utility room which has become a dumping ground.

I had a look around the web but I made the mistake of following the links to shrooms. They were all the magic variety. Personally I get mine from Tesco.

 

[Goonergal]

Those look and sound delicious! How about dried cheese? Last year I began seeing in airport news stands and Starbucks’s a snack that was all cheese, dehydrated to a light puffy ball. Moon Cheese I think it’s called. Wonder how they do that?

And very delicious moon cheese is too.

 

[Brunneria]

You can make home made 'moon cheese'. Kind of.

Just take a piece of brie or camembert, dice it into 2cm cubes.
Spread them out on a microwave dish.
Microwave on pull power for a couple of mins
(timings will vary depending on microwave, and stop BEFORE they go golden brown or brown - a burnt flavour means they were over done.)
and eat.

Very easy.

 

[DCUKMod]

@Brunneria - Regrding your point about mushrooms, and how the reduce in volume, that applies to most things, and certainly to the onion rings.

All gone!

i will be making a much bigger batch next time.

Have you got around to putting anything in your nagic machine yet, @xfieldok ?

 

[carty]

Does dehydration lower the carb. content please ?
Carol

 

[Deleted member 308541]

Does dehydration lower the carb. content please ?
Carol

I have eaten dried mango, and it's just as sweet as it's fresh counterpart.

 

[DCUKMod]

Does dehydration lower the carb. content please ?
Carol

All it does is remove the water, and to a lesser extent, any oil/fat content. This in turn increases the carb saturation of a fruit, say, as 100gr is a lot morre fruit when dehydrated then in it's natural state.

 

[xfieldok]

@Brunneria - Regrding your point about mushrooms, and how the reduce in volume, that applies to most things, and certainly to the onion rings.

All gone!

i will be making a much bigger batch next time.

Have you got around to putting anything in your nagic machine yet, @xfieldok ?

Today has been d dictated to mouse hunting, sorting and disinfecting! It is a hazard living in a mid terraced. There is a void under the houses. We have work being done on a house down the road, the mice move out. Mushrooms will go in tomorrow by hook or by crook.

 

[xfieldok]

Husband has eaten the mushrooms. Another mouse spotted in the living room in the early hours. More mushrooms arriving tonight.

 

[xfieldok]

Mushrooms are in

 

[xfieldok]

Most of the mushrooms are out after 6 hours. A few are getting an extra hour.

Very pleased with the results. I will try out the vacuum sealer tomorrow.

 

[DCUKMod]

Most of the mushrooms are out after 6 hours. A few are getting an extra hour.

Very pleased with the results. I will try out the vacuum sealer tomorrow.

What's going in next?

With your vac sealer, sometime you're doing a meat with a pre-marinade with a dry rub, try sealing that for a day or so.

One of the first things I did, trying that, were some beef short rubs, which I eventually very slow roasted. Fabulous, although that could just have been down to the length of time they had the rub on, pre-cooking, as life sort of got in the way and their place on the menu was deferred a couple of days.