Date: August 25, 1997 05:50 PM
Author: Matthew Adamson (m_adamson@hotmail.com)
Subject: Drying Foods

I recently received a food dehydrater as a gift and purchased a book on drying foods. I'm confused. I thought the point was to dry food items until there was no moisture in them. The manufacturer's instructions and the book both say I have to weigh what I want to dry, then dry it to a certain percentage of moisture (which I won't know until I reweigh it again). What if I dried it too much? When do I know I have reached the "magic" percentage for each item without having to reweigh it?

I'm certain the pioneers, etc., didn't do all this calculating to dry their foods. What is the "secret" I'm not catching onto?

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=1818)

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Date: August 26, 1997 04:34 PM
Author: Al Durtschi (rcox@mail.lcc.whecn.edu)
Subject: How dry is dry?


Foods don't have to be 100% dry to store well. With almost every food, though, that figure is 10% or less. The pioneers dried their fruits until they were pliable, but not brittle. They were also not sticky. You could say it in another way - they were much like the consistency of leather. Seeds should be hard and feel dry.

Al

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=1873)

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Date: August 28, 1997 07:25 PM
Author: Matthew Adamson (m_adamson@hotmail.com)
Subject: Blueberries


I've tried blueberries and upon checking them, some were hard as rocks while others were still soft (both evenly scattered throughout all levels of the dehydrator). Why did this happen? Can the rock-hard berries still be used? And if they can still be used, why not just dry everything rock-hard?

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=1968)

Date: September 19, 1997 01:02 PM
Author: Lilly (lillyroberts@usa.net)

Hello, I have a question regarding dehydrated foods. There are times when I can purchase potatoes at rock bottom prices. I've dryed them and then found out that they will only last 6 monthes. Is this correct? My goal is to store them for 2+ years. Thanks

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=2798)

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Date: September 23, 1997 01:57 AM
Author: Al Durtschi (rcox@mail.lcc.whecn.edu)


Correctly dried potatoes should store for longer than 6 months! Here are a couple of possibilities:

1. Did you blanch them first to stop the natural enzymatic decaying action?

2. Did you dry them enough? When potatoes are dry, they are really quite brittle, not pliable like dried fruit.

Al

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=3018)

Date: September 20, 1997 05:46 PM
Author: Michelle Rezentes (Mr rez@aol.com)
Subject: primitive drying

If all the things about y2k go down, then dehydrators will not work and if you don't have dessicants than what should you do to dry any crops and store them?

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=2870)

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Date: September 21, 1997 09:17 PM
Author: Will Richards (will_richards@hotmail.com)
Subject: think solar


You can dry just by having a bug proof rack. make sure you have plenty of air circulation.

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=2937)

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Date: September 23, 1997 01:28 AM
Author: libby Spieth (Outnorth@aol.com)
Subject: Primitive drying


Michelle,

There is a way to dehydrate foods w/o electricity. 1. If your oven runs off propane, use it with the heat from the pilot. 2. A friend of mine uses her husbands' pool table. She drags it out during the dry season, covers it with a sheet, spreads out whatever and covers it with cheesecloth. 3. Emergency Essentials, based out of Utah, sells an air dehydrator that you can hang. It works quite well. I have one and use it regulary. It does not work well during monsoon season. Too high humidity. Works best with humidty of 30% and less. Emergency Essentials has a 1-800 no.. The last catalog I was sent had babies on the cover. My kids ate it. Call the 1-800 directory 1-800-555-1212 and ask for the no..

The reason for dehydrating is easy to explain. Dehydration allows one to reduce food waste when there is no refridgeration. Any excess foods (in original form) can be dried and used later. Or, such as fruits, will be devoured faster then it comes off the rack if you have kids.

I live in an area where the electricity goes out frequently. A storm is a guarantee the power will go down. So I dry everything that can be dried. That way I don't have to do a cokking marathon, then have to invite friends over to help eat everything. If I run out of a particular fresh item, e.g. onions, carrots, I use my dried until the next trip into town. It's easy to make the cooking adjustments from fresh/frozen to dried. Determination and imagination are the key.

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=3009)

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Date: September 23, 1997 01:52 AM
Author: Al Durtschi (rcox@mail.lcc.whecn.edu)
Subject: Drying food the way the old timers used to do it.


My rather old (82) father in law tells of drying fruit on the barn roof when he was a boy. All you need is warm, dry weather and maybe some screen to keep the flys off.

Al

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=3017)

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Date: November 29, 1997 03:48 AM
Author: agnes devine (adevine9@hotmail.com)
Subject: drying foods


I mentioned in another forum that my friend's 90 year old mother still lays paper towels around in an old car that has been sitting in the yard in the sun for years, places cut fruits and vegetables on it and dries them. She then puts them either in zippered baggies or mason jars. She has been doing this for years with great success.

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=6490)

Date: September 20, 1997 05:57 PM
Author: Ricardo Davis (rcdavis@mindspring.com)

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=2872)

Date: October 03, 1997 08:55 AM
Author: Joe Jeffries (joejeffries@hotmail.com)
Subject: CAN WE MAKE POWDERED MILK?

I plan to have a family milk cow.

They make more milk than you can use for milk and butter. It would be great to store the excess for lean times. You can freeze it in jars, but how much freezer space do you have? You can make cheese.

Al, is there any way to dry it and make powdered milk?

Joe

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=3485)

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Date: October 03, 1997 01:38 PM
Author: Al Durtschi (rcox@mail.lcc.whecn.edu)


The only process I'm aware of for making powdered milk is to spray a fine stream of milk into a vacuum chamber. The high vacuum pulls the moisture out of the milk and by the time it falls to the bottom of the chamber it's a powder.

This milk has also been defatted. If the fat hadn't been previously removed, you'd have a thick, fatty paste instead of powder that wouldn't keep for very long.

Have you ever thought of turning that excess powder into cheese? That's how the old timers took care of their excess. Look for the external links at the bottom of http://waltonfeed.com/old/

Al

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=3505)

Date: November 27, 1997 10:27 PM
Author: BW (kangdown@usa.net)
Subject: Drying in HUMID Regions

Living in Florida, humidity in summer is very high and remains high well into fall -- the same time when most crops would need to be dried. Are there effective primitive (i.e., non-powered) methods of drying large quantities of fruit/vegetables/root crops in high humidity environments? What about "smoking" as a drying method for fruits/vegetables?

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=6433)

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Date: November 29, 1997 03:13 PM
Author: Paul Cordes (pcordes@igateway.net)
Subject: dehydrators


Go to this link for solar dehydrators ought to work even in Florida. http://www.jademountain.com/cookingSolar.html

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=6509)

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Date: December 07, 1997 01:47 PM
Author: Peggy Ryan (ryanpj@bright.net)
Subject: Success With Dried Product


Dear folks: I have experienced great success with drying produce both from my garden and from the grocery store. I learned to do this from "Making the Best of Basics". If you are just begining to do the things we all need to do to prepare please get this book. It's incredible and affordable.

I do have some questions about dried foods:

l. My book says that the sliced veggies should be blanched or steamed and then dried. I know that some folks skip the blanch/steam step. Does blanching or steaming extend the shelf-life of the dried produce?

2. What's the best way to store the dried items? The book says in a dark area out of sunlight. Can these items be vacuum sealed? If so, does this extend the storage/shelf life of your produce? I was concerned because my sister said some toxins reproduce rapidly in a no-oxygen environment. Does this apply to vacuum-sealing dried produce?

If someone knows the answers I need your help.

Also, if you are new to drying, you have every reason to feel encouraged--you don't HAVE to have an electric dryer. All my produce is air-dried and takes about 5-7 days at this time of year. I bought an air dryer for $30 but you could use vinyl screening stapled to wood frames you make yourself. Keep the produce covered with nylon net while it dries. Prop the frame of your drier up on something to let air circulate freely. It works great!

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=6993)

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Date: December 08, 1997 01:37 AM
Author: Lynn (hope1@breeze.net)
Subject: dried foods


I think I have some answers for you, at least I hope so. I know how hard it can be to find information on the reasons WHY we do certain things when we dry or can foods.

Blanching...I think the blanching helps to dry the food more quickly, as it breaks down the fibers. At least I know that to be true with apricots (and it helps the color too) I believe it also helps the storage life if the vegetable is blanched first, as a result of the enzymes being destroyed. I guess you could decide for yourself if thats a plus or a minus aspect.

The toxin I think your sister may have been talking about it Botulism. It will grow that way, but you don't ahve to worry about dried foods, lots of air there. If they are vacuum sealed, I think that would be after the botulism is destroyed by the drying process. Vacuum sealing would probably help prolong shelf life also.

I'm no pro, but things roll around in my head for a long time, and these are things I believe I was told years ago.

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=7040)

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Date: December 08, 1997 10:47 AM
Author: Peggy Ryan (ryanpj@bright.net)
Subject: Thanks, Lynn


Dear Lynn:

I am enjoying reading about some of your escapades regarding food, etc. You sound a lot like me. I tried to e-mail you once but I got it back as undeliverable.

I'm ordering a small hand-vacuum sealer pump I saw advertised in one of the survival supply catalogs and wanted to use it to vacuum-seal my dried veggies but not until I made sure I was doing it right. The pump was around $20.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my query. Send me e-mail anytime you like, Lynn.

Peggy

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=7061)

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Date: December 08, 1997 10:18 PM
Author: Lynn (hope1@breeze.net)
Subject: hand pump


please tell me about it, how as it so cheap? I know nothing about vacuum sealing. The equipment and methods. I only have dry packed with oxygen absorbers. I should know more about this hand pump, Maybe I could use one too if they're that cheap.

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=7103)

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Date: December 09, 1997 05:32 PM
Author: Al Durtschi (rcox@mail.lcc.whecn.edu)
Subject: Reasons why...


>l. My book says that the sliced veggies should be blanched
>or steamed and then dried.

Lynn was right on target. One of the purposes of the enzymes in fruits and vegetables are to put the fruit or veggie into self destruction - or in other words, rot. You want to stop this action and blanching them before you dry them will do this.

They say in air (I don't know who in the world 'They' are) fruits and vegetables will only store about a year. So you need to get the oxygen out of it if you want it to store for several years. It seems to me that both nitro packing or vacuum packing ought to meet this requirement.

Happy dehydrating,

Al

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=7171)