dehydrator

[soprofound]

i dont have a dehydrator...can i use my oven to dehydrate?

[Revvell]

This thread may answer your question:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11486&highlight=oven+dehydrator

Revvell

[Raene]

Most ovens low temps are too high...over 200 degrees...and kill the living foods. If you have a pilot in your oven i've heard of ppl dehydrating with that.

[lily]

soprofound -- I'm using my oven. I know it's not ideal, but I haven't the room, the money or the hubby-goodwill yet to get a dehydrator... I keep a thermometer in my oven and I find if I set the oven to the lowest setting, which, thankfully, on mine is about 105-110 deg F, it will keep at that temp.

Buying an oven thermometer is a darn site cheaper than a dehydrator! you might find you can get the right temp if you leave the door open a bit if the temp is too high...

It's not ideal, but I've found it works for me as a temporary measure and I've made all sorts of things in it with perfect results.

lily

[soprofound]

soprofound -- I'm using my oven. I know it's not ideal, but I haven't the room, the money or the hubby-goodwill yet to get a dehydrator... I keep a thermometer in my oven and I find if I set the oven to the lowest setting, which, thankfully, on mine is about 105-110 deg F, it will keep at that temp.

Buying an oven thermometer is a darn site cheaper than a dehydrator! you might find you can get the right temp if you leave the door open a bit if the temp is too high...

It's not ideal, but I've found it works for me as a temporary measure and I've made all sorts of things in it with perfect results.

lily


when you use your oven, what kind of platform do you put the food on?

[Raene]

Okay, I'll do it. Thanks!

[firefaery]

If I use a 60 watt bulb it alone keeps my oven at 95-100 degrees.

[MIKEMERTZ]

The other day I made my first batch of flax crackers and I did it in the oven. I spread the mixture on a lightly olive-oiled cookie sheet. I then put this in the oven with the door cracked open after I made sure the temperature was low enough by using a seperate kitchen thermometer. It took about 12 hours and they turned out crispy and taste great!
You will have to be careful though. Since this was my first batch I found myself checking their progress and I believe that messed with the temperature as the oven kept readjusting itself for my peeking and touching so once or twice I saw that the temperature was about 120 degrees F :eek: . So, oh well. Maybe I defeated the purpose but they are good. And it does "work".

[lily]

The first time I did it I used non-stick baking paper on top of the normal oven grids (shelves). Then I bought some teflex non-stick sheets which I got at my local ironmonger/hardware shop (not sure what you call that kind of shop in the US?) they were quite cheap and they do fine on top of the grids. When something has dried out enough, I will often transfer it just to the grid for a final drying off. It works well. You soon get used to how hot the oven gets -- I find if I can handle the oven shelves without using a cloth or oven gloves, it's fine -- but I always keep my oven thermometer in the oven to check.

would love to hear how you get on!

lily