47 Food Dehydrator Recipes! - The Organic Goat Lady (2024)

FAQs

What foods can you not dehydrate? ›

Therefore, avoid drying foods like peanut butter or avocados and be sure to trim meat to remove any fat before dehydrating. While nonfat dairy products can technically be dehydrated, it's not recommended and may be associated with a higher risk of foodborne illness.

Avoid overlapping foods and overfilling the trays. Lay foods flat on the dehydrating trays. Check dryness after 6 hours, then check every 2 hours until crisp, pliable or leathery depending on the product. Check foods to make sure they are completely dry before removing.

Some fruits and vegetables suitable for drying include apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, carrots, celery, corn, green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes. Fruits can also be dried as fruit leathers and rolls.

Turn your dehydrator on immediately after loading to start the dehydration process. Check the owner's manual for recommended drying times but expect the process to take between eight and 12 hours on average. Check your fruits and vegetables frequently for dryness as you reach the end of the drying time.

Dehydrated foods have a higher calorie content by weight and can be high in sodium and sugars, depending on the food. In excess, these nutrients can cause weight gain and increase your risk of obesity, heart problems, and diabetes.

Canned Tuna:

You can dehydrate or freeze-dry canned or pouch tuna packed in water, but not oil. Tuna packed in oil will be more likely to go rancid due to the increased fat content. For the same reason, fattier fish like salmon is not a good option for dehydrating.

Freeze-dried foods rehydrate faster and also retain their original shape, texture, and color. A far greater variety of foods can be freeze dried than can be dehydrated. Imagine trying to use a home dehydrator to preserve an ice cream sandwich, a raw egg, or cheese. It would fail miserably.

Yes, items can be over-dried and as a result are more difficult to rehydrate. There is a balance and experience will provide answers. High indoor humidity, air conditioning or breezes may alter the time needed to dehydrate foods. Ideally, find a dry, warm place away from air vents and windows to set up your dehydrator.

Pretreating light-colored fruits before drying is important for the quality and safety of the final product. Soaking the sliced fruit in an acidic solution preserves the color and texture of the dried fruits, and it increases the destruction of potentially harmful bacteria during drying.

Blanch most vegetables before drying. Drying your own food means avoiding additives often found in commercially dried products. Although pretreatment of your food isn't necessary, many vegetables benefit from blanching (briefly boiling or steaming).

What is the most hydrating vegetable? ›

Cucumber, 96% water

Cucumbers are made up of around 96% water – that's the highest water content of any food. They're also low in calories, and a source of vitamins and fibre.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine, soda, or sugar-sweetened beverages because these can dehydrate you even more. If you have kidney issues, the foods on this list may not be right for you, and a healthcare professional may need to monitor your electrolyte and nutrient intake closely.

The Average Electricity Usage of Dehydrators

Many people think that a food dryer runs constantly and uses a lot of electricity. However, the truth is something else, as food dryers only consume 1kW /hr. So, they usually run 740hrs per month.

Fruit is done dehydrating when it becomes leathery and is no longer sticky. Cut a few pieces in half and squeeze them – you shouldn't be able to squeeze out any moisture.

You can also drink oral rehydration solutions that you buy from your pharmacy. Or you can make your own rehydration fluids. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as they can make dehydration worse.

However, not all types of food can be preserved effectively through dehydration. While fruits, grains, meat, and fish can all be dehydrated and preserved, shredded roots cannot be effectively preserved by dehydration. Shredded roots have a high water content and are prone to spoilage even when dehydrated.