Dehydrating for Newbies 101 (with Photos!!!)

[ReneeH]

Hi Everyone!

I would like to attempt to explain dehydrating to Newbies. I am not an expert, but the little that I do know, I'd like to share. If anyone else would like to add anything, please feel free!!!!!!

O.k., to begin with, here are the Dehydrators that I have:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000694.jpg

The white circular one is from Nesco. It got it at Walmart for under $40.00. I started out using this one. It has 4 trays. It does have a temperature knob at the top of it. What stinks about this one is that there is a whole in the middle of it and whatever you make will be in a circular shape. Great if you're laying Eggplant Bacon, not so great if you're making Calzones!!!

The black one is from Excalibur. I got this one at Bass Pro for $89.00. This was an upgrade for me, but I found it to be rather small. I did like that it was square instead of round because I could make things that didn't have a whole in the middle!!! From that one, I upgraded to my "Big D"!!! It's a 9 tray and I LOVE it!!! I ordered this one online for under $350.00.

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000697.jpg

Now, this one is the one I use most. My best friend also bought the larger 5 tray Excalibur from Bass Pro when I bought my small one. I think she paid $179 for that one. It's at my house too. So, I have a total of 4 Dehydrators!!! (I know, right....insane!!!)

Anyway, since I use the Excalibur most, I'll use it for my demo purposes here. I'd like to introduce you to the inside:

This is what the Mesh Screen looks like on top of one of the trays:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000698.jpg

This Mesh screen stays on top and you will use it when you are dehydrating. If you have Teflex Sheets, just lay it on top of the Mesh screen before putting on your food:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000699.jpg

[ReneeH]

Now, yesterday I made Alissa's Bagels from LOLF. Here's the process for that:

First, anything that will go through the Mesh screen, you'll need the Teflex Sheet for. So, I put the Bagels on the Teflex Sheet and dehydrated them according to Alissa's directions. When they were firm, here's what I did:

Dried BAGELS on TEFLEX...get a 2nd Dehydrator tray with the Mesh Sheet out:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000704.jpg

Place the 2nd Dehydrator Tray with the Mesh sheet UPSIDE DOWN on TOP of the Bagels:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000705.jpg

Make sure it's completely on top:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000706.jpg

Place both hands on the sides of the sheets, and turn them upside down (so that the bottom sheet is now on top). Then, remove the sheet and mesh screen, and slowly peel the Teflex sheet off of the food:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000707.jpg

[ReneeH]

I also made the Raspberry sauce from Alissa's 2nd book, RFFE:

I just put the ingredients in a bowl and removed a dehydrator sheet so that the bowl would fit:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000708.jpg

Here is my breakfast this morning:

Alissa's Rye Bagels with Raspberry Sauce:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2398.jpg

You can make the Onion dip for the bagels too, but I'm trying to cut down on Nuts, so I like the Raspberry Sauce very much with it!!! Try it!!! It's SOOOO GOOD!!!!

That's basically it! If you do not have Teflex Sheets, you can use Plastic Wrap or Parchment Paper, whichever you prefer. I used Plastic Wrap before getting my Teflex sheets and don't have a problem using that. Here's what I did when I used the Plastic Wrap:

Completely cover the Dehydrator Tray and Mesh Screen:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000700.jpg

When I made Flax Crackers or Onion Bread using the Plastic Wrap, I just doubled it up in the middle, so that I could easily remove the Wrap when I flipped the food and peeled it off.

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000701.jpg

If you use Parchment Paper, you can use the same method. Just cut it to fit your dehydrator screen and when your food is solid, flip it onto a 2nd dehydrator screen and peel off the paper.

I hope this helps for you Newbies!!! Please feel free to add anything if I have forgotten anything!!!!

HUGS!!! And, now your're ready to make Bagels, Calzones, Flax Crackers, Onion Bread, or whatever your palate desires!!!!

[ReneeH]

So remember...the DEHYDRATOR is your FRIEND!!!!!! :hug

[changeisgood]

RENEE:woot: :excited:

You're the best.

I used parchment paper and my flax crackers are just about done.
I forgot about your flipping method - so I just peeled and then placed by hand.

Happy about using bowls, etc. So much to do. I'll need alot of fun time in the kitchen.
Maybe I'll tell my husband I quit (our business!) that'll be the day !!

Thank you for thinking of those of us with questions! :throwhearts::cheer:

[modernmonkey]

You have worked so hard on this, thank you!

[January Noir]

Cool! Thanks for the class!

[bananaberrie]

Wow! Thanks for the awesome intro into dehydrating world. That must have taken you some time to post all of that.

Your bagels and raspberry sauce look so yummy :eat

You are so great for doing this post for us newbies!! :encore:

[Hopandskip]

Okay, I have a question. When we used to buy Just Vegi's (the dehydrated vegi's in the store) and they had bananas there...they were always the lovely color that bananas are when you first peal them.

When we dehydrate ours, they always turn brown, even when we dip them in lemon water. They still taste great of course. I've played around with temperature and time but nothing seems to make a difference. Any ideas?

Now, the apples definately are benefited by dipping them in lemon water, but the bananas only a wee bit.

[beckyh]

I want to dehydrate apples, but I don't know how to core them. How do you do this Renee. Also do you peel your apples when you dehydrate them?

[changeisgood]

Renee - you're my hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:cheer: :goodday: :woot: :banana

[kaleboy]

great post, especially with photos...

[OnMyJourney]

Oh my goodness, you do INDEED have a lot of dehydrators in your home!! :wuv That is AWESOME! lol I love my 9 tray Excalibur as well. I went ahead and got it first, out of fear that I'd out grow the smaller one too fast. Well, actually it was gifted to me, but it was the reason he purchased the big one for me. (He's so wonderful sometimes!) What was I thinking though?? I should've gotten the smaller one THEN I'd have a good reason for having so many in the end!! You're a genius Renee! :p

Thanks for posting this tutorial! Very kind and extremely helpful of you!! I'm certain this has helped MANY raw newbies and lurkers alike!

:heart

[RawHorizons]

Thats So cool ReeneH,great tutorial!!
I wanted one of them Excalibur bad boys,I was saving up for one.Then My finace & mother lovingly went out an bought me the nesco square one for Christmas.Bless thier hearts they knew I wanted a square one,I never specified what brand or that I was working on getting one.
Amazingly though,except for the height restrictions on food,it works REALLY good.So maybe a couple years down the road The Excalibur will be on the wish list again lol

[blizzardfrisbee]

I want to dehydrate apples, but I don't know how to core them. How do you do this Renee. Also do you peel your apples when you dehydrate them?

I have an apple corer. It is used a lot! I have never dehydrated apples except for when I made apple cobbler so can't answer the peeling question. :excited:

[blizzardfrisbee]

:woohoo:Wow Renee--thanks for sharing. I got my dehydrator shortly after going raw in August. I have the Excalibur 9 trays with a timer. I love that thing. I'm still learning --so all tips are welcome!

[beckyh]

blizzardfrisbee where did you find the apple corer? I looked at Bad, Bath and Beyond and they only had a pineapple one. Does your corer just take the core out, because when Renee did it she said she used an apple corer and then cut the apples on her mandolin. Thanks!

[ReneeH]

I am so glad that you guys love this thread!


RENEE, You're the best. I used parchment paper and my flax crackers are just about done.
I forgot about your flipping method - so I just peeled and then placed by hand. Thank you for thinking of those of us with questions!

Thanks!!! That's so Cool! Anyway you can do it is Great! Sometimes I forget to flip it! I still ate it!!! LOL!!!!!!


Okay, I have a question. When we dehydrate ours, they always turn brown, even when we dip them in lemon water. They still taste great of course. I've played around with temperature and time but nothing seems to make a difference. Any ideas?

Actually, that's what is supposed to happen because you are not using preservatives. Once you make them many times, you get used to the color. Even when I make the Banana Leather, it turns brown. I'd be concerned it it DIDN'T turn brown....


I want to dehydrate apples, but I don't know how to core them. How do you do this Renee. Also do you peel your apples when you dehydrate them?

Hi Becky Buddie!!! I do not peel my Apples because I buy them Organic and all of the Vitamins are in the peel. Here's what I do:

I stick my Corer down the middle of the apple:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000710.jpg

Then, Push it all the way through:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000711.jpg

And, pull out the core:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000712.jpg

Then, I use my Mandoline to cut the Apple into slices:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000714.jpgworks!!!

[ReneeH]

Then, I lay the slices on top of the Mesh Dehydrator screen:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000715.jpg

They should be ready by tomorrow!!!


Renee - you're my hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL!!!! Thank you!!!!!!


great post, especially with photos...

Thank you!


blizzardfrisbee where did you find the apple corer? I looked at Bad, Bath and Beyond and they only had a pineapple one. Does your corer just take the core out, because when Renee did it she said she used an apple corer and then cut the apples on her mandolin. Thanks!

The Corer I have is actually for Lemons, but I use it for Apples! You can also slice the Apples whole (without using a Corer) and use a knife to cut out the center! I did that before I got my tool! Whatever works for you!!! :)

[OnMyJourney]

Sweet! Renee I have two of those corers for lemons and didn't realize they were sturdy enough for apples! Thanks for sharing!!

[Jeannie]

My only regret is that I did not spend a little more and buy the 9 tray dehydrator, I really thought that a 5 would be enough, but, I use it far more than I thought, actually it practically runs day and night! I am glad I got the excalibur though, because I think I would have been annoyed with one with a hole in the middle when making certain things.

[beckyh]

Hey Renee!:heart: Love this thread! All of your threads are great!! Thank you for the corer tip, now I just need to find one. Also I was wondering did you find that your electric bill went up slightly when you use your deyhydrator? Galen seems to think that our electric bill went up slightly because of it? Just wondering. I made some banana chips, some granola (from a different recipe), some banana bread cookies (these are delicious!) I am also making some coconut chocolate macaroons! Can't wait to eat them!! I think today I am going to make Alissa's grawnola! LOVE IT!:eat

[OnMyJourney]

Not to answer for Renee, but I haven't had any hikes in my electric bill with the use of my dehydrator. I have the 9 tray Excalibur w/timer and there's no problem.

ETA: I remembered reading something on the Excalibur site, as I waited for mine to arrive, on this subject: LINK to their FAQ section (http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/faq.htm)


How much electricity does the Excalibur consume?
The average cost of electricity used by the Excalibur is about 4 - 5¢ an hour. Dry a full load of fruits or vegetables for less than a quarter!

[beckyh]

That is what I thought!!

[ReneeH]

Nope, I haven't noticed high bills, but I homeschool with 2 computers running all day, so if it did go up I'm not sure what to blame!!!

LOL!!!! Tell Galen you'll be willing to sit in the dark while it's running!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!! :wuv

[beckyh]

Nope, I haven't noticed high bills, but I homeschool with 2 computers running all day, so if it did go up I'm not sure what to blame!!!

LOL!!!! Tell Galen you'll be willing to sit in the dark while it's running!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!! :wuv

LOL! I like that! I think he just doesn't like the noise that it makes (the fan running and all), so he is trying to get me not to use it as much. It has been running all weekend long!! I made some coconut macaroons that I am waiting to be done, because they look so good! I am not good at taking pics and posting, they always say they are too big and I don't know how to shrink it down. Where did you get your apple/lemon corere? I need one!:heart

[blizzardfrisbee]

My corer is one that cores the apple and also slices. I think I got it at Walmart several years ago.

[ReneeH]

I got mine from HEB..., but I don't think they have that where you are... It came in my Bag of Lemons...

[Princessfaizah]

Hello!

I have a dehydrating question that I hope you can help me with. I already dehydrated some nuts but I didn't add enough spices. Can I add the spices and then re-dehydrate them again? I'm worried that I will over dehydrate them. Is that possible? Should I soak them in water again?

Thank you! I appreciate any help.

[ReneeH]

How did your nuts come out?

[Princessfaizah]

Not sure yet. They are still in the dehydrator. The nuts still are wet from the oil so I will leave them in there until they are dry. They taste good though!

[Princessfaizah]

So the nuts taste good but still a bit moist. I may have added too much grapeseed oil since this was my second round.

[ReneeH]

I would probably just leave them in the dehydrator and see if they firm up... When I did Alissa's Candied nuts from RFFE I would leave them in there, even when they were "ready". I remembered that tip from the Chef at Grezzo,,

[Eva]

Copy/pasted from a thread I started (I deleted the other) at the sort of request of Nee... Here is more info on this topic!
:heart


effortlessvegan was asking some questions about dehydrators. I'm going to put my experiences and thoughts here... but I would love to hear from others too about your favorite dehydrators, best place to buy them, how to make a solar, anything about the equipment!

----------------

So, here goes!

I have owned the 4-tray, 5-tray, and 9-tray Excalibur dehydrators.

I liked the 4-tray quite a lot. It's MUCH smaller than the 5-tray because it's less wide AND long. It's not just one less tray. Which is great for someone who is single or doesn't have much space, My mom loves hers and says my 5- and 9-trays are too big and clunky.

I bought the 5-tray D when I went to Hungary. I had it specially made for Hungarian voltage and plug size. I was SO thankful for this! I don't know that I could have remained raw without it. When I left Hungary in 2008, I gave the dehydrator to a friend who wasn't able to afford it. She has since created a booming business teaching others the gourmet raw food fun, and has written a published uncookbook! People in Hungary special order from the USA to get the Excalibur in particular, because it is so darn fabulous.

The size of the 5-tray was great for me to make food for myself AND share it with friends and family.

My 9-trays are perfect for teaching classes when I am demonstrating many different foods at once. Every raw restaurant I have taught at or attended classes at has had many 9-tray Excaliburs. With one exception, which I will talk about below. It was in Ohio, and unfortunately the health department there has some particular rules which don't exclude the Excalibur, but because they were not "certified" by a certain board, they can't be used.

The Timer

I have found that the timer is completely unnecessary, although some will disagree. If you will be away from home very frequently and would need it to be turned off, then it would come in handy for you.

Teflex Sheets

Make sure you buy the ParaFlexx/Teflex sheets for each tray. Otherwise, you will have to "Jerry Rig" the D to make crackers, which is interesting, but gets old quickly!

Nesco Dehydrator

I tested the Nesco 6-tray dehydrator for a client. I tested it with the same recipes and time for the Nesco vs. a 9-tray Excalibur. I found they pretty much dehydrated everything the same, in the same amount of time!

The biggest issue with the Nesco was the fact that it is circular, which meant I had to be very creative with pizza and crackers, in terms of cutting the shapes. It had a temperature knob and everything, so it's still great for a raw foodie, just isn't as great as the Excalibur for certain things and making food in bulk quantities.

The Nesco is only about $60-$75 and ships free for people in the USA who buy on Amazon.com. It is a GREAT option for someone on a tight budget who is really jonesing for pizzas or the other indulgent dehydrator yummies!

Weston Stainless Steel Dehydrator

I tested a Weston stainless steel dehydrator for a raw restaurant in Ohio that I traveled to train the staff and help get it open.

I hated it. The trays had so much space in the holes. It didn't come with the option of Teflexx sheets for making crackers, and was overall a pain to deal with because of that.

For those who do not want to use any plastic at all, it is a good option, but you will have to be VERY creative to use it for crackers, breads, even drying nuts that have been soaked.

I think Excalibur beats them all, hands down!

At a raw food workshop I attended in London in 2008, I was in Chad Sarno's kitchen at SAF and they had ROWS and ROWS of Excaliburs only. The restaurant in Florida where I was a teaching chef used only Excalibur. It's simply the only viable option if you can afford it, and it's not really that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

[rena]

I feel bad. I begged my husband to get me a dehydrator, which he did, for Christmas. I made all kinds of stuff in it and didn't like any of it. Now, I never use it and I'm not sure what to do with it. I hate that he spent all that money but I'm a green smoothie and salad person. I really don't need anything else. Your bagels look great but I don't want to start eating more than I have been. Just some thoughts. Love this site.

[ReneeH]

Hi Rena!!!!

Have you ever thought about taking Raw Classes? Alissa's Level 2 Class covers lots of dehydrated recipes!!!! Then, you could make Darling Hubby a hearty meal to thank him for such a wonderful gift!!! :). You could enhance your knowledge and expand your menu to include things like Calzones, Pizzas, Banana Crepes.... You can also use it to warm your Marinara Sauce or Fajitas!!!! You could also make dehydrated fruit for Alissa's wonderful Granola in RFFE!!!!! Once you make it once you'll wonder how you ever lived without it!!!!! Trust me!!!!! ;)