Thursday, November 20, 2014

Thankful for Our Dehydrator


I have been noticing something interesting as I make Ralph lunches for work recently. Well several things actually. I have a lot less packaging to throw out after I prepare a meal and I am using a lot more dehydrated foods. Our own dehydrated foods!
 


Ralph and I bought TSM Stainless Dehydrator two years ago but this is the first season we really have used it a lot. I also was lucky enough to have a friend give us a little 'El Cheapo” one temperature fits all dehydrator. They both worked hard to dry tomatoes, onions, peppers, herbs, okra, beans and squash. It has been such a nice change to be able to store and keep so much more of our own food. Stored in Mason jars it reduces the need for packaging that is not recyclable. The food reconstitutes very well and the tomatoes seem to be tangier than canned tomatoes!



After enjoying a meal with a lot of our own vegetables we knew we had to be thankful for the chance to have and learn to use a dehydrator for our food preservation! It has been a marvelous learning experience and the proof is in the stew so to speak!


The little “El Cheapo” died after running almost non stop for the summer and fall harvest and I miss it but the bigger 5 tray TSM has continued on trouble free with jars and jars of preserved food stored in the back room. It is currently drying peanuts I have brined so I can roast them. Yes we are very thankful for our dehydrators!


4 comments:

  1. I have an Excalibur dehydrator (after having gone through two el cheapo dehydrators) and I love it. You are right - reconstituted tomatoes are wonderful! I found that it was very handy to save leftover celery, onions, garlic and zucchini. I even made peach leather one year that was marvelous!

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    1. The fruit leathers are on my next experiment list! Have you tried to make jerky? Thank you for the leftover hint. That just makes good sense.

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  2. I made jerky with my Harvest Master dehydrator. I turned out fantastic! Home made jerky is wonderful because you can control the salt content and flavor. We made pear leather one year when we actually got some pears from our trees. Like candy.

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    1. What meat did you use? Has anyone used chicken? (As in rooster)

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