About Dehydrators

Home dehydrators allow users to take advantage of in season fruit and vegetables, abundant and affordable. When shopping for a home dehydrator look for a model made of metal or a high grade plastic with enclosed heating elements. The appliance should have a UL seal of approval and at least a one year guarantee. Look for a countertop model with a fan or blower, and a dial for regulating the temperature.

Identification

Dehydration is a process of preserving food by drying. Prunes and beef jerky are examples of dehydrated foods. Before refrigeration, dehydration was frequently used to preserve meats. Dehydrated food is often used by campers and backpackers. Home dehydrators are available, which allow users to make homemade beef jerky, dried fruits for trail mixes, or dried vegetables as an alternative to canning. Popular home dehydrating projects are dried banana chips, pineapple rings, fruit rolls, apple rings, or fish.

Features

Home dehydrators typically include a series of stacking trays. At the base of the appliance is a heating element with a fan. Slices of food to be dehydrated are laid on each tray. After the trays are stacked on the base a lid is placed over the top of the appliance, enclosing the dehydrator. The heater is set to the desired temperature and the machine runs until the food is dehydrated. Home dehydrators come with instruction manuals that tell how long to dehydrate different kinds of foods.

Types

Some dehydrators are designed where the trays are inserted into the appliance like a drawer. These typically have a set number of trays. If using the dehydrator, heat will be going to all the trays, even if some are empty. With the stacking dehydrator, more trays can be added, making it possible to dehydrate larger batches, or to remove trays, and dehydrate just one or two trays.

Considerations

Different temperatures are used when dehydrating different types of food. Meats and any recipes that contain eggs should be dried at 145 degrees. Vegetables should be dried at 130 degrees, and fruits should be dried at 135 degrees. If drying a tray with a combination of vegetables and fruit, dehydrate at 135 degrees. When drying herbs the temperature should be set between 95 and 105 degrees.

Size

When preparing your food for dehydration, cut in uniform sizes. An ideal slice is between a ¼ to 3/8 inches thick. To improve your results, keep records of previous batches. Note the humidity during drying, along with the before and after weight of the produce. Record the temperatures used, and the drying time. Use high quality produce that is not over ripe. Wash produce before processing and remove any spoiled areas.

Warning

After dehydrating a batch, check the stored food periodically, to see if any moisture has appeared. If there is moisture, it means it was not dried long enough and needs to be put back into the dehydrator. Dehydrated food should be stored in a dry, cool, dark place at under 60 degrees.

Resources

• Food Dehydrators
• Drying Foods
• Types of Food Dehydrators