The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: Bert on January 30, 2014, 07:20:05 pm
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I've been looking at this
http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/household/kitchen_appliances/electric_and_mechanical_appliances/dehydrating_appliances/193811-food_dehydrator.htm (http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/household/kitchen_appliances/electric_and_mechanical_appliances/dehydrating_appliances/193811-food_dehydrator.htm)
Dose any one have any experience with a dehydrator ? Any recommendation on make ?
I think they are a great idea. I would be using it for herbs mostly .
Thanks for any advice :thumbsup:
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Hi Bert,
Yes they're ace. I have a homemade one that I use for dehydrating fruit to take on kayaking / cycling expeditions. You can also make 'fruit leathers', which are basically dried layers of fruit puree. Do give the fruit a go as well as herbs. Apple rings are lovely, and dried kiwi fruit tastes like sherbert candy! ;D
The one you linked to would be fine. You don't have to spend anything if you don't want to though. My dehdryator is basically an insulated wooden box with cake cooling trays inside arranged as shelves. It's heated using a couple of old style incandescent light bulbs, and there's a computer fan inside to keep the air moving. The temperature is regulated by opening / shutting a sliding lid.
Likewise, I know people who've used aga warming ovens or even electric ovens on low heat with the door ajar, so this could be a good way to give it a go. You can even use a car dashboard on a hot day! (possibly not on Mull though!).
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My friends on the global gardening site I use don't seem too happy with the round tower set ups.
Quite a lot of them dehydrate fruit. veg, herbs and meats
They nearly all say use the drawer type ones that have fan , thermostatic heat control and a timer on it so you can fill , switch on adjust the temperature and forget it till the timer pings .
The nine tray ones costing £ 300 to £ 500 seem to be the favourites .. they can be had for a lot cheaper on eBay & amazon apparently at this time of the year when no one really has any stiff to dry..
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Hi,
I have one similar to the one you are looking at, it works fine, for the stuff I use it for.
When I first got it I tried drying all sorts of stuff, a lot of which I wouldn't bother with again, I tried herbs in it, but I actually prefer to dry mine in the oven, seems to keep the colour better, the things I use it for now are making banana chips, semi drying and fully drying tomatoes, mushrooms, sliced potatoes for on the top of hotpots and for veggie bakes, I tried diced potato and vegetables for soups but didn't really like them, bread for breadcrumbs.
I only usually use mine now when I have a glut to process.
Regards
Sue