Questions about dehydrating

[beachgirl]

Hi there. I am transitioning to raw and just got my 9-tray excalibur dehydrator. I have a few questions if anyone can answer them!

1. Can I dehydrate different things at one time? I wanted to make some chili lime corn chips (from living cuisine by renee loux) as well as some strawberry-banana leather and some cookies. If I do these on different trays at one time, will the flavors mix because of the odor in the air of the dehydrator?? I really don't want my cookies to taste like chili lime chips! Does anyone have any experience with this that they can share?

2. I read in the excalibur manual that they recommend starting the dehydrating temp at about 145 and then decreasing it, stating that the temperature inside the food is much lower than the air temperature. Can anyone confirm this? What temperature do you use for dehydrating food? Do you start high and then move it down or just keep it at a steady low temp?

3. I bought the teflex sheets to go with it and then learned that they are derived from teflon. (I think?) Do you use the teflex sheets or something else? If not these, what will keep the food from sticking to the trays?

I'm sure answers to my questions are somewhere on this site, but I can't find them!! If anyone can link me to some threads addressing these topics, I would appreciate it. Thank you SO much for any help you have. I really appreciate it!

Christy

[Revvell]

Hi there. I am transitioning to raw and just got my 9-tray excalibur dehydrator. I have a few questions if anyone can answer them!

1. Can I dehydrate different things at one time? I wanted to make some chili lime corn chips (from living cuisine by renee loux) as well as some strawberry-banana leather and some cookies. If I do these on different trays at one time, will the flavors mix because of the odor in the air of the dehydrator?? I really don't want my cookies to taste like chili lime chips! Does anyone have any experience with this that they can share?

Some people say you can't but I just dehydrated onion bread and crackers with cayenne/chili with banana leather and gave the leather to people who thought it tasted great. I ate some this a.m. and it had no taste of onion bread.




2. I read in the excalibur manual that they recommend starting the dehydrating temp at about 145 and then decreasing it, stating that the temperature inside the food is much lower than the air temperature. Can anyone confirm this? What temperature do you use for dehydrating food? Do you start high and then move it down or just keep it at a steady low temp?

I keep it the same temp all the time just out of pure laziness. You can do as they suggest. Gabriel Cousens confirms it.




3. I bought the teflex sheets to go with it and then learned that they are derived from teflon. (I think?) Do you use the teflex sheets or something else? If not these, what will keep the food from sticking to the trays?

Use 'em. The temp doesn't get high enough to be a problem if there ever is one.

[tanishamarshall]

1. I never worry about having several different dishes going at one. Never have a problem with it.

2. I am with Revvell, I don't change the temp, but have also read that gabrial Cousins found this to be useful.

3. I never worry about the sheets, but some do. I guess it's a matter of personal preference.