Substitution for a dehydrator

Hey everyone, I want to get a good dehydrator such as an exacaliber, but its pretty expensive for me right now. I've read from several sites that you can use your oven if you are careful. So I've been using my oven by setting it at the lowest temp, which is 170 and turning it on for 30minutes and off for 30 minutes, and repeating until the food is done. Is this ok? or am I killing the enzymes this way? I was hoping that I could use this method for a month or two and then get a good dehydrator, instead of getting a small little crappy one. Any thoughts?:)

not sure. I tried dehydrating a few things outside on screens but it took forever even after a few days of high 90-'s.

I have an excalibur and it was one of my best investments.

But... Alton Brown has a "home made" dehydrator that he uses for <whispers> beef jerky.

It may work for you... it's nothing more than a box fan with some AC filters.

You tube has it if you want to search for "Alton brown <whispers again> beef jerky."

you don't have to add <whispers again> to your search. :)

With summer coming I'd experiment with outside. When you're ready for excalibur you can get free shipping on amazon if that helps. And you'll use it a lot :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maintime

I have an excalibur and it was one of my best investments.

But... Alton Brown has a "home made" dehydrator that he uses for <whispers> beef jerky.

It may work for you... it's nothing more than a box fan with some AC filters.

You tube has it if you want to search for "Alton brown <whispers again> beef jerky."

you don't have to add <whispers again> to your search. :)

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LOL ~ I remember watching that episode! And I'm loving all you're whispering, like being in the library. *Ü*

If your oven can accept a higher wattage/hotter light bulb, you could use that for your heat source. If not, you can place a seperate lamp socket in the oven with a 60/75 watt bulb. Adjust the temperature by size bulb-60 or 75 should work. I've done beef jerky that way many times in the past.

If you wind up using the oven's socket, don't forget to replace the oven bulb, so it can take the heat next time the oven is used to cook.

Angela Stokes talks about this very thing at her blog Raw Reform.com

I remember we talked here about using pizza stones or bricks in the oven -- heat them then cut it off, wait for the temp to get right I assume, then put your foods in there and leave to dehydrate? I just don't remember all the details but if you search...