Dehydrating Fruits and Veggies

I have been dehydrating for over 20 years. It is so easy to do and those who know me regularly ask me for dehydrated fruit for holidays and birthdays as my gift to them.

I have dehydrated apples, grapefruit, mushroom, peaches, plums, nectarines, pears, melons, kiwi, pineapple, chicken, beef, onions, parsley, kale, bananas, potatoes, carrots, berries etc.

A few years ago, I got some nuts as a gift which brought little fruit moths into my house. At that time, I was using number 10 cans with lids to store my fruit. I also used yogurt containers and ziplock bags and had purchase some of the containers that you pump the air out to "seal" them. Within a few weeks I had thousands of little moths around my house and when we cleaned out the house we found that the moth larva can eat through plastic. They are small enough to get under a sealed plastic container if it is not on all the way and sometimes even if it is on all the way. The "Sealable" containers allowed them in and ended up as a breading ground. So, since that time, I learned to put everything in Tupperware.

Tupperware has a lid that inserts inside a slot and keeps anything out. It will also give in an earthquake. I know some that store their dehydrated items in glass jars vacuum packed but in an earthquake, they could break wasting your food. Tupperware is quite tough and I have actually dropped mine several times and the lid is tight and stays on and it is very difficult to break.

I have come up with a quick way to dehydrate bananas. The first time I did them in little round chips which took forever to turn. I didn't do that again. Also, the less you touch your food, the longer it will last. I peel the top of the banana and then take a knife and make 3-4 cuts lengthwise down the banana trying to keep the sections of the banana equal. I slide them onto the dehydrator using the peel and a knife so I don't have to touch them. I always wash my hands before I touch food to dehydrate or taking it off the tray and putting it into the Tupperware.

I have burnt out about 4 dehydrators over the years and gotten rid of a few I didn't like. I usually have several running at a time. I tried canning but it is stored in glass and if it breaks in an earthquake it is wasted. Also, if you move, it is heavy, it has a shorter shelf life, it loses nutrients and flavor for each year it is stored and lastly, we like the taste and that dehydrated it is a finger snack we can eat while playing a game or doing a puzzle.

There are hundreds of videos on youtube showing dehydrating. Many use the Excalibur dehydrator. I don't like this one as the trays go in sideways and if you are doing something leafy or thick like Portobello mushrooms, you can't put them in without cutting them up. Many times I have dried things that were sticking up or thicker than the tray allows sideways and as I tried to slide it in, everything squished together. I like the stacking trays for that reason.

The Excalibur is expensive but some others are as well. It is heavy and takes up lots of counter space. The stacking round one's are easily placed in a fabric bag or larger shopping bag and not so heavy. The one nice thing about the Excalibur is that it is supposed to dry evenly as the heat is in the back. On the stack trays you have to rotate. I don't like how the front of the Excalibur hangs on the front either. It is just my preference. I like the newer modlels that the heat comes from the top as no fluids are dripping on the heating element and fan. I tried two different types a few months ago and both were excellent and had fan and heat regulators.

I also like that on the stacking trays, you can add as many trays as drying will allow. On the Excalibur, you are limited and some people I know have two on their counters which is a huge counter hog.

As long as the dehydrator has a fan of some type and a heat element, you are fine. The one's that you can adjust the temperature are nicer but unless you are a raw foodist or the heat on the one you buy is too high, it should be fine. I will probably get some backlash on that information but I have used probably 15 different types of dehydrators through the years and they all work. A fan is a must however.

I buy all Tupperware at yard sales, estate sales or second hand stores. Eventually you will need all sizes of containers as hot peppers are usually in a smaller container and once you store them in a container; it is good to keep that container for them. I stopped pulling out the containers after the counter was full. I counted and I have almost 100 Tupperware containers.

I have two sectioned Tupperware on my counter at all times. One if full of fruit that the kids eat as snacks and we use for company or pot luck. It is easy to grab and I always get comments on how good it is. The second container has the stuff to make omelets. It has all the veggies we like and each person just pulls out a little handful of each item wanted and puts it in a bowl with 3 eggs and let it sit for 10 minutes and then cook it and we have a wonderful omelet made to order.

On the veggies, if you are going to mix veggies in a container, always put strong smelling ones in baggies so that the whole container doesn't smell like peppers or onions. You can always put those stronger items in baggies before putting them in the Tupperware to save your Tupperware. I don't use old Tupperware that has a smell or your items will smell like old Tupperware. Most colored Tupperware is fine; it is the old clear type that has a smell.

We have some older fruit from 2004 and on. Today, I had my kids do a taste test and none could tell this years fruit from older fruit. It has maintained its color, smell and taste. I have some canned fruit from two years ago I probably couldn't get them to try. lol

I wish you well on your dehydrating. I think everyone should at least know how to do it and learn the basics in case of emergency. I do have several outside hanging dehydrators if we have no electricity. I have yet to use them as I usually am dehydrating volumes as when someone gives me a box of fruit; they know they will get back a container of dried fruit in return. That keeps me in fruit and veggies most of the summer and fall. Always give a gift of thanks for someone's thoughtfulness in thinking of you rather than letting the fruit or veggies go to waste.

I always ask at the store if they have old bananas or fruit they will sell at a discount. I would buy boxes of fruit for $1-2. Most of the exotic fruit I have dried was purchased in season that way. Also, I became friends with the food bank as they often get pallets of fruit or orchard donations that they can't give away fast enough. I dry some and take it back for the workers to enjoy in gratitude for them thinking to call me with their excess fruit.

One more thing, I have dried pumpkin and ground it into flower to make nutmeg pumpkin waffles. You can do that with most root veggies and squashes. I just use the Vitamix and make flour and keep it in a Tupperware. It store more compact than the fruit if it is just dried.

Some acidic fruit will brown if not dried quickly. Pineapple and tomatoes are big for that. Put them closest to the drying source. They taste the same but look black. You can spray them with lemon juice if you don't like the black look. You can also blanch them but I don't like doing that as you lose some nutrients.

If you have any questions, just ask. Here's to being healthy and prepared!